Reflecting on my development as a primary care provider, I recognize how my role as a dental hygienist extends far beyond the operatory. Dental hygienists in Canada are recognized as essential primary health care professionals who implement assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, and evaluation with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention.^1,2 My recent research, a rapid scoping review on gamified digital HIV interventions for youth, revealed a striking gap: despite oral manifestations being among the earliest and most critical indicators of HIV progression and immunosuppression, none of these interventions from across the globe mentioned oral health in any capacity. This finding reshaped my understanding of what it actually means to serve as a primary care provider. It showed me how much opportunity exists to bridge oral health with public health in ways that amplify awareness, prevention, and equity.

In clinic and community practice, I exercise my primary care role through comprehensive assessment, prevention, and education, while recognizing that oral health is inseparable from broader determinants of health.^3,4 In community settings, I also learn to advocate for clients by facilitating referrals and supporting access to appropriate dental and medical services, consistent with primary care–oriented dental hygiene practice. I gather medical and social histories, identify systemic risk factors, and collaborate interprofessionally to promote whole‑person health.² Yet, the absence of oral health considerations within HIV prevention tools revealed a systemic disconnect that motivates my future direction. In Canada, where one in eight people living with HIV do not know their status, and we remain the only G7 country not seeing a decline in new cases, the lack of oral health integration in public discourse is deeply concerning.^5,6 I hope to address this gap by helping the public see oral health as part of HIV awareness and prevention, not peripheral to it.

I believe dental hygienists should be visible across public health, policy, advocacy, and research, and not solely clinical practice. Our profession has untapped potential to influence population health and shape interdisciplinary prevention strategies that focus on early detection and education. As I advance my career, I intend to use my research and clinical background to advocate for equitable models of care and to design evidence‑based interventions that connect oral health with key global health priorities such as HIV prevention.

Pursuing graduate studies in public health will allow me to deepen this work by assessing population needs, informing policy, and contributing to a growing body of oral‑systemic research. I now see my role as a primary care provider not simply as an oral health professional, but as a public health contributor with the responsibility— and opportunity— to elevate oral health within global conversations about prevention, awareness, and equity.

Works cited

1. 1. Canadian Dental Hygienists Association. Canadian competencies for baccalaureate dental hygiene programs: 2015. Adapted for the UBC Dental Hygiene Degree Program 2023 [Internet]. Vancouver (BC): University of British Columbia, Faculty of Dentistry; 2023 [cited 2025 Dec 03]. 43 p. Available from: https://tst-dentistry.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2023/11/CDHA-Competencies-for-Baccalaureate-DH-Programs_Adapted-for-UBC-DHDP-2023.pdf
   2. Canadian Dental Hygienists Association. Registered dental hygienists are essential primary health care professionals [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Canadian Dental Hygienists Association; 2020 [cited 2025 Dec 3]. Available from: https://files.cdha.ca/profession/policy/EssentialDHStatement.pdf
   3. British Columbia Dental Hygienists’ Association. Dental hygiene in primary care: BCDHA position statement [Internet]. Vancouver (BC): British Columbia Dental Hygienists’ Association; 2022 Mar [cited 2025 Dec 03]. Available from: https://bcdha.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/PHC-Position-Statement-FINAL.pdf
   4. British Columbia. Dental Hygienists Regulation, B.C. Reg. 276/2008, s. 4, Scope of practice [Internet]. Victoria (BC): King’s Printer; [updated 2022 Sep 1; cited 2025 Dec 03]. Available from: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/276_2008#section4
   5. Public Health Agency of Canada. HIV in Canada [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Government of Canada; 2025 [updated 2020 Nov 30; cited 2026 Apr 10]. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/hiv-canada.html
   6. Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR). Our priorities [Internet]. Toronto (ON): CANFAR; [cited 2026 Apr 10]. Available from: https://canfar.com/about-us/our-priorities/