The Role of Dental Hygiene in Social Entrepreneurship for HIV and Oral Health

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My group’s social entrepreneurship initiative, Eureka QuestScapes, has helped me reimagine oral hygiene as a starting point for meaningful social change in Canada, rather than something confined to the dental chair. In a country where there are no evidence-based gamified HIV interventions that integrate oral health, building a bilingual, accessible, youth-centred platform that teaches early oral manifestations and connects players to screening feels like a way to fill a critical gap I care about deeply.

In the literature, oral lesions are described as some of the first clinical features of HIV infection and highly predictive markers of immunosuppression and disease progression, which means a dental hygienist may be the first provider to recognize that something is wrong and trigger lifesaving testing and treatment.1,2 At the same time, despite strong evidence that serious games improve HIV prevention knowledge and behaviours for youth internationally, there seem to be virtually no evaluated Canadian interventions that integrate oral health, even as Canada still has a measurable proportion of people living with HIV who do not know their status.3,4,5 This is the gap I want to address through a gamified, oral health‑informed platform that not only teaches, but also embeds referral pathways and resources to bridge both the knowledge gap and the access gap in my future practice.

Working on this project showed me how social entrepreneurship can weave together dental hygiene knowledge, stigma reduction, and sustainable business planning to create accessible health education for those who are often missed. This experience has confirmed that I want my future career to sit at the intersection of oral health, innovation, and equity, continually developing initiatives that use preventive oral care as a bridge to better overall health for communities across Canada, especially those with access barriers.

The file that follows is the slide deck for the presentation my team used at the Health Entrepreneurship Challenge, for which we were chosen as finalists. The winning team will be awarded with a $1,000 CAD cash prize at the grad dinner following the Class of ’26 convocation ceremony.

Eureka QuestScapes: Health Entrepreneurship Challenge

References

1. Lomelí-Martínez SM, González-Hernández LA, Ruiz-Anaya AJ, Lomelí-Martínez MA, Martínez-Salazar SY, Mercado González AE, Andrade-Villanueva JF, Varela-Hernández JJ. Oral Manifestations Associated with HIV/AIDS Patients. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 Sep 3;58(9):1214. doi: 10.3390/medicina58091214. PMID: 36143891; PMCID: PMC9504409.

2. Pakfetrat A, Falaki F, Delavarian Z, Dalirsani Z, Sanatkhani M, Zabihi Marani M. Oral manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. Iran J Otorhinolaryngol. 2015 Jan;27(78):43-54. PMID: 25745611; PMCID: PMC4344974.

3. Jitmun W, Palee P, Choosri N, Surapunt T. The Success of Serious Games and Gamified Systems in HIV Prevention and Care: Scoping Review. JMIR Serious Games. 2023 Sep 5;11:e39915. doi: 10.2196/39915. PMID: 37669098; PMCID: PMC10509732.

4. Smith AU, Khawly GM, Jann J, Zetina APM, Padilla J, Schnall R. A Review of Serious Gaming as an Intervention for HIV Prevention. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2023 Aug;20(4):181-205. doi: 10.1007/s11904-023-00659-9. Epub 2023 May 22. PMID: 37213045; PMCID: PMC11177625.

5. Public Health Agency of Canada. HIV in Canada [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Government of Canada; 2025 [cited 2026 Apr 10]. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/hiv-canada.html

Retrospective Evaluation of a Dental Teaching Fellowship Program

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Leadership has taken on new meaning for me through the ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship. Curating my portfolio, co‑facilitating IPE and motivational interviewing sessions, and learning to weave ADPIE and experiential learning into teaching all asked me to step forward, not just participate. Preparing a retrospective evaluation of this fellowship, and knowing I will present the poster independently at the Canadian Oral Health Summit in Saskatchewan this June, has felt both daunting and energizing. These experiences have shown me that leadership in dental hygiene includes being willing to be a trailblazer, to get my feet wet, and create pathways that make it easier for others to follow, which aligns closely with the core competency of leadership in education, advocacy, and system‑level change. Attached below is my current draft of the poster I plan to present at the conference.

Retrospective Evaluation of a Dental Teaching Fellowship Program

Link

In third year, collaborating on an action plan to expand BC dental hygienists’ authority to prescribe local anaesthetics with epinephrine first drew my attention to how prescriptive limits shape clinical therapy. More information on that project can be found here. I soon realized epinephrine was not the only Schedule I drug affecting daily practice; chlorhexidine, routinely used yet inaccessible without a dentist’s prescription, raised similar concerns, especially for rural and underserved settings. This insight led me to complete a narrative literature review on barriers and facilitators to chlorhexidine prescribing rights (attached below), and the later loss of prescriber access in clinic made these issues feel tangible in my own provision of care, highlighting the need to champion policy changes that align scope of practice with evidence‑informed, equitable client care. I believe that research and knowledge translation constitute the first steps towards meaningful policy change.

Barriers and Facilitators to Dental Hygienists’ Chlorhexidine Prescription Rights in British Columbia

A Lesson in Embracing Emerging Technologies

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Have you ever learned something and felt your understanding of textbook theory shift into place? Practicing intraoral digital scans on DXTTRs with magnetic dentaforms gave me that moment, and allowed me to connect theory with hands‑on digital workflows. The preceding lecture delivered by Dr Gebril covered tips on capturing precise images, managing soft tissue, interpreting 3D data in real time and scanner adaption techniques. I began to appreciate how digital tools can make care more efficient, comfortable, and tailored to clients’ needs, with a little bit of practice. This experience strengthened my competence as a clinical therapist by expanding my skill set beyond traditional, and somewhat outdated, techniques and technologies, and preparing me to integrate emerging technologies into safe, evidence‑informed dental hygiene care across diverse practice settings.

Oral Health in Unexpected Spaces

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I presented a brief two‑minute oral hygiene demo at Vancouver Atelier Coworking Society that unexpectedly turned into an impromptu teaching session during the question-and-answer period that followed. After I finished, several attendees gathered in a semi‑circle on the floor around my lounge chair, raising their hands with questions about everyday oral health challenges. This moment highlighted the demand for accessible, evidence‑informed oral health education and reminded me how much people value clear, judgment‑free guidance. It brought into perspective the intersection between health promotion, communication, and collaborative client relationships, showing me how even informal spaces can become powerful settings for oral health education and empowerment. A photo was taken, but I do not have permission of all the people in the photo to share it. In lieu of this, I have attached a reflection on this experience for my artifact, with references provided at the end of the document.

Oral Health in Unexpected Places: Atelier Demo Reflection

Prevention With Impact: UGM

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Work at Union Gospel Mission as a student dental hygienist showed me how strongly dental hygiene competencies connect with disease prevention, health promotion, and community-based programming. Through preventive care, oral health education, referrals, and outreach, our team of 4 student hygienists supported underserved clients while reducing barriers to care. Our community report estimated $8,006.10 in dental hygiene services provided, plus $282 in oral health supplies distributed, for a conservative total cost savings of $8,288 (according to the 2024 BCDHA Fee Guide that was available to us at the time of our presentation).1 This experience reinforced that preventive initiatives have the capacity to be both clinically meaningful, as well as economically impactful. It changed my overall understanding of the dental hygienist’s role in public-facing advocacy, accessibility, and evidence-informed programs that improve oral health outcomes at both individual and community levels.

References

1. British Columbia Dental Hygienists’ Association. 2024 BCDHA Dental Hygiene Services Fee Guide [Internet]. Langley, BC: BCDHA; 2024 [cited 2025 Dec 09]. Available from:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/635982a0fa2fa42351144620/t/671bbb002bf4b667f03341e5/1729870593188/2024+BCDHA+Fee+Guide.pdf

Carrying Confidentiality Forward

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Serving as the inaugural dental hygiene representative in the UBC chapter of the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association in Dentistry has been a truly rewarding experience. At our most recent event, the case studies and ensuing discussions significantly deepened my understanding of patient confidentiality in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Participating in case discussions and facilitating dialogue across cohorts highlighted how easily confidentiality can be breached through casual conversation, digital communication, or well‑intentioned storytelling. I felt incredibly proud to help cultivate growing interest among younger students and to “pass the torch” to new representatives who are committed to these shared responsibilities. This experience strengthened my appreciation that professionalism in dental hygiene is not only about competence, but also about consistently safeguarding clients’ privacy, trust, and dignity in every learning and practice setting.

Redefining Courage

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My time at Pioneer was deeply shaped by a resident who welcomed me into her world of origami, baking, and candid conversation. As our rapport grew, she chose to share profoundly personal experiences, including a recent suicide attempt, mobility-related stigma, and discrimination she encounters as a resident using a walker. Knowing she was preparing to speak with UBC students about these issues highlighted the courage it takes to turn pain into advocacy. Her trust reminded me that stories like hers are a privilege to witness, and strengthened my commitment to approach clients’ disclosures with humility, respect, and trauma‑informed curiosity. This experience also deepened my understanding that professionalism includes protecting clients’ dignity, honouring their boundaries, and responding to disclosure in ways that are ethically grounded and person‑centred.

Photo: Puzzle solving with my colleagues at Pioneer while having a conversation with this resident (not photographed for privacy reasons)

How Oral Health Outreach Decolonized My Idea of Success

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UNBC’s 2025 North Coast Healthcare Travelling Roadshow, where I served as the dental hygiene representative, prompted me to reconsider both how I approach oral health education and how different communities define “success.” Over a week in Terrace, Kitimat, Nass Valley, and Lax Kw’alaams, I saw firsthand how place, culture, and local priorities shape young people’s plans in ways that do not always match urban, Western expectations about university and careers. A conversation with a teacher in Lax Kw’alaams, who described students choosing futures rooted in family and community close to home, pushed me to rethink the idea that grades, post‑secondary pathways, and linear careers are the only markers of achievement.

In that setting, my aim was simply to put dental hygiene on the radar as a grounded, community‑oriented way to support health. At Caledonia Secondary, working alongside learners in medicine, nursing, and other health professions, I used hands‑on demonstrations and a DIY plaque‑index activity with food dye to make plaque, brushing, and the oral‑systemic link feel tangible and relevant. Watching students laugh at their stained teeth and then immediately connect that image to confidence, chronic disease, and everyday habits reminded me how powerful simple, visual teaching can be.

What stayed with me most was how the roadshow nudged me away from a top‑down, “expert” model of teaching. Listening to local educators and community leaders, I began to lean more into co‑creating knowledge and making space for Indigenous perspectives on wellness, land, and intergenerational roles. It reinforced my commitment to practice dental hygiene in a way that puts relationship, reciprocity, cultural safety, and community‑defined success at the centre of my work.

https://terracestandard.com/2025/05/08/students-urged-to-consider-health-careers/

Raising the Bar for Oral Hygiene in Long-Term Care

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Participating in my DHYG 310 Community Practice placement at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Simon K.Y. Lee Seniors Care Home allowed me to integrate geriatric oral health theory with real-world clinical and educational practice. Working in a long-term care environment serving older adults with complex needs highlighted how functional limitations, comorbidities, and cultural factors shape residents’ oral health and quality of life. This experience shifted my focus from individual encounters to capacity building among care aides who provide daily mouth care.

A central component of my role was conducting needs assessments with care aides to explore their baseline knowledge, challenges, and priorities around oral hygiene, revealing common barriers such as time constraints, competing tasks, and uncertainty about techniques and products. Drawing on these findings, my team developed and delivered a bilingual (Mandarin and English) oral health education session for staff, addressing dry mouth, denture care, caries and periodontal risk, and the links between oral health, nutrition, and comfort using visuals, “healthy vs unhealthy” photos, and interactive scenarios.
Guiding care staff through evidence-informed brushing and interproximal cleaning techniques, product selection, and red-flag recognition improved both my clinical communication abilities and their confidence in providing daily mouth care. This placement reframed my view of the dental hygienist’s role in long-term care from solely clinician to educator, collaborator, and advocate within an interprofessional team, and showed me that empowering caregivers can elevate geriatric oral health more sustainably than individual treatment alone.

 

Community Implementation #1