The Role of Dental Hygienists
With half of children and two-thirds of adults in the US experiencing some type of traumatic event, oral health care providers must be able to provide compassionate, trauma-informed care, according to this article in The Journal of Dental Hygiene. The article, authored by CareQuest Institute researchers, examines the critical role of the dental hygienist.
Even when the trauma did not occur in the dental setting, the experiences can impact a person’s oral health, write the authors. Children and adults with a trauma history are more likely to have poor oral health and increased dental care-related fear and anxiety.
Experiences in the dental office may trigger negative memories or emotions for some patients with a trauma history, including:
- Reclining in the dental chair
- Placing a napkin around the neck
- Having dental team members “hovering” over them
- Not being able to speak or effectively communicate
The authors write that the dental hygienist’s role is not that of a therapist, but “to make sure the patient feels heard, not rushed, and not judged for their past experiences.”
Providing trauma-informed care helps to ensure patients will feel heard and understood and increases the likelihood they will feel comfortable enough to return for regular dental care.
Learn more about trauma-informed care in The Journal of Dental Hygiene (open access)
You may also be interested in:
- Understanding and Providing Trauma-Informed Oral Health Care, a recorded webinar featuring experts who share strategies to sensitively interact with trauma survivors in an oral health setting.
- How Depression Is Linked to Oral Health, a visual report that highlights research findings on the growing link between mental health and oral health.
- Dental Fear is Real. Providers Can Help., a visual report that explores the impacts of dental fear and provides guidance and resources for dental providers to help them address dental fear in patients.