Recent Blog Posts

• Step Wedges Still Matter: Why Your Dental Office Needs This Simple QA Tool

  Posted: June 27, 2025

  Categories: Professional , Radiography/X-ray
  

  In today’s high-tech dental world, quality assurance (QA) often brings to mind automated sensors and software calibration. But there's one old-school, low-tech tool that remains just as essential as ever: the step wedge. Health Canada’s Safety Code 30 and best practice guidelines still recommend regular use of this tool to ensure your dental radiography systems are functioning correctly (Health Canada, 2022). If your practice is overlooking step wedge testing, or not logging it properly, you may be putting diagnostic accuracy and patient safety at risk.

  What Is a Step Wedge Test?

  A step wedge is a radiographic quality control tool made of graduated thicknesses of aluminum. When exposed to X-rays, it produces a pattern of varying density levels on the image. This test helps evaluate the consistency of image quality and monitor changes in exposure, sensor calibration, or processing systems (for fil

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• Say Goodbye to Denture Stomatitis: Tips for a Healthy and Comfortable Denture Experience

  Posted: April 21, 2025

  Categories: Dental Hygiene , Patient Health , Professional
  

  Denture stomatitis is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide who wear dentures. This condition is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth, particularly under the denture. If left untreated, it can lead to discomfort, pain, and even infection. In this blog, we'll explore the causes of denture stomatitis, how to prevent it, and provide tips on how to properly care for and maintain your dentures.

  What is Denture Stomatitis?

  Denture stomatitis is a condition that occurs when the mucous membranes in the mouth become irritated and inflamed due to the presence of dentures. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

  • Inadequate hygiene and cleaning
  • Bacterial and fungal infections
  • Irritation from denture adhesive or materials
  • Dry mouth (Xerostomia)
  • Poorly fitting dentures

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• National Dental Hygienists Week: A Celebration of Our Profession

  Posted: April 04, 2025

  Categories: Dental Hygiene , Professional
  

  April 4 to 10 is our week, fellow RDHs! National Dental Hygienists Week™ (NDHW™) is a time to reflect on how far we've come as a profession, celebrate our contributions to oral health, and continue advocating for a future where everyone has access to preventive care. We are the unsung heroes of dentistry, bridging the gaps in healthcare, fostering trust with our clients, and standing at the forefront of prevention.

  Our Journey: From Auxiliary to Independent Healthcare Providers

  Did you know that dental hygiene as a profession started in 1913 with Dr. Alfred Fones training Irene Newman in Connecticut? His vision was clear: rather than just treating disease, we would prevent it. That vision remains at the core of what we do today.

  For decades, RDHs were restricted to working under strict supervision, but as research reinforced the connection between oral and systemic health, our role expanded. And now? We are essential members of the healthcare team. We've earned our

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• What Counts and What Does Not: 2018 AAP Periodontal Classification

  Posted: March 14, 2025

  Categories: Professional
  

  As dental professionals have implemented the 2018 AAP periodontal classification of staging and grading there is still some confusion as to some of the rules of what counts and what does not count. One of the ways to make sense of the ‘rules’ is to ask the question Papapanou et al. (2018) pose in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, “How do we define a patient as a periodontal patient?” (p. 168). Answering this question clarifies the rules of staging and grading, including the need to capture true interdental CAL’s, the requirement for a matching CAL site, searching for the highest CAL’s, why adjacent CAL doesn’t count, when buccal and lingual CAL can be considered, and how periodontitis distribution is assessed across the entire mouth rather than assigning generalized or localized labels to specific stages.

  To answer this question, we must consider how we have traditionally approached it and not ask "Does the patient have perio?" instead "How do we define a patient as

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