Oral disease prevention is a large part of dental hygiene. In my community rotation for third year, I worked with a community dental hygienist through Vancouver Coastal Health to implement fluoride varnish to toddlers aged 1-3, coupled with oral hygiene instruction and education. Early childhood caries is preventable, and parent education can make the difference. This experience is highly valued by me, I gained experience with managing children and it enhanced my ability to talk with parents about their children’s oral health and to educate them on the caries disease process.
Competencies