the DPR Editorial Team

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Get to know the five experts who will serve on the board.


Introducing the Modern Hygienist Editorial Advisory Board

	With a new year comes new changes. Here at Modern Hygienist, we’re excited to kick off 2018 by introducing you to the new Modern Hygienist Editorial Advisory Board.

At Modern Hygienist, we want to provide the most insightful, engaging content that can help you grow as a professional, simplify your day-to-day tasks and keep you abreast of the latest developments in the industry. Our new Editorial Advisory Board, composed of five hygienists who have years of experience in the hygiene world, will help to ensure we do just that. Our board members are popular speakers, experts, authors and educators who strive to help their fellow hygienists provide the best patient care, and we are thrilled to have them on our team to help guide the Modern Hygienist editorial vision.

Trending article: What 2018 means for insurance coding

	Throughout the year, the board members will share their expertise on a variety of topics, write informative, original content, and serve as Modern Hygienist’s eyes and ears in the hygiene community, bringing the perspective of career-driven hygienists to the brand. We’re very excited about our new board and all they have to offer, and we hope you will be too!

	Click through the following slides to meet the members of the Modern Hygienist Editorial Advisory Board.

Alyssa Aberle is a 2009 graduate of the University of Colorado’s dental hygiene program. Immediately following dental hygiene school, Alyssa knew she had a passion for community health, which stemmed from her experiences abroad during several mission trips. Alyssa started her dental hygiene career working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment coordinating the children's oral health programs and the school sealant grants. Through relationships built in this role, Alyssa began working with a local nonprofit dental clinic, 

, and assisted in the development of a new partner nonprofit, the 

	In 2013, Alyssa graduated with a master’s in business administration from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. While completing her degree, she remained active in the Colorado Dental Hygienists' Association. Alyssa served on the CODHA Board of Trustees as vice president, president-elect, president and immediate past president. During her year as past president, she was hired by the CODHA as executive administrator. She has been able to play a role in various aspects of the professional association and has a passion for advocacy and advancing the profession of dental hygiene.

	Currently, Alyssa works for a federally qualified health center (FQHC) and operates a school-based sealant program in the largest school district in Colorado. She is the mother of two boys, Dax and Jet.

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	I became an orthodontic patient in second grade. Through all of my many appointments, my interest was sparked in the healthcare fields. I decided to work for my orthodontist during high school to see what dentistry was all about. I loved the dental field but knew that I really wanted to work on the prevention end of dentistry, rather than restorative. I had the opportunity to travel abroad on several mission trips and truly found a passion for helping change people's overall health and impact generational lifestyle changes through relationship building and education. In my opinion, that's exactly what dental hygienists do!

	I work in a school-based sealant program. My favorite part of my job is building relationships with the schools and the students. We have the opportunity to meet kids where they're comfortable and change their attitude about dental care. The best part of my day is when I hear a student say, "That wasn't so scary."

	What are some of your hobbies/interests/passions outside of work?

	I am a mother of two boys and we live in Colorado. Most of our free time is spent outside camping, hiking, snowboarding and adventuring. We also love to visit Lake Powell and volunteer at our church. 

Tina Clarke RDH, BSDH, MEd, graduated from Oregon Health & Science University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in dental health science and from Concordia University in 2013 with a master’s degree in education. She began teaching in 2007. Her area of educational focus has been: head and neck anatomy, histology and embryology, dental hygiene clinical practice, medical emergency, pain management, dental anatomy and dental ethics. She currently works with the 

 as the academic program director of the Salem campus. Prior to being an educator, she worked in a private general dental practice office in Salem, Oregon, and she still continues to work in a clinical setting and present at continuing education courses when school is not in session. 

	Tina is involved with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. She has served as president of the Oregon Dental Hygienists’ Association and as a delegate on the national level. She has a passion for dental hygiene that is fueled by her work with students and continuing education for her peers.

	In my early 20s, I was in that phase of life of trying to figure out what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be. I realized I enjoyed science and helping people. This brought the idea of becoming a healthcare provider to the surface. Knowing certain things about what I can and can't tolerate (I don't like vomit), that took nursing out of the top choice. Also, about this time I had an appointment to get my teeth cleaned. My hygienist, being an insightful woman, noticed I was in this period of transition. We talked and she encouraged me to come back and job shadow her. Needless to say, I was hooked. I said yes, this is the career for me!

Read more from Tina: Are you asking the right questions about your patient's health history?

	What is your favorite part of your job? 

	I am lucky in that I get to have my hand in many different aspects of the dental hygiene profession. The common denominator in all of them is that I get to make a difference in someone's life. With my patients, I can be a part of their journey toward a healthy lifestyle. In regard to my students, I am blessed to guide and coach them through the rigors of our education and help them achieve their dream of being a primary healthcare provider. With my coworkers, it is the ability to provide support so they can be the best educators possible. Finally, when I am presenting at CE courses, having the opportunity to educate, remind and inspire fellow clinicians and enhance their capabilities to be providers is truly remarkable.

	I am a “health nut.” I really enjoy physical fitness and the competition that it can bring. I try to do at least one "sign-up" event per year. The best is when I get to do this with my family and friends. For my downtime, I enjoy diving into arts and crafts. I call it "grownup refrigerator art" because my mother gets really excited about the creations and can't wait to hang them up. 

Kim Miller, RDH, BSDH, is an international speaker, published author and a lead profitability coach with 

. Kim graduated from Loma Linda University in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and is also a four-time graduate of the BaleDoneen Preceptorship Course. In addition to clinical practice, Kim has more than 25 years of coaching and consulting experience. She has mentored hundreds of dental professionals in workshops, seminars and private practice settings.

	Kim enjoys speaking throughout the United States and Canada for national dental meetings, study clubs and component meetings. She displays her experience and passion for dentistry in her refreshing speaking style, and those in her audience walk away with information that is applicable on the very next business day. Kim is passionate about helping clinicians adopt solid science-based principles, treatment philosophies, and techniques resulting in exceptional outcomes, healthier patients and more satisfied clinicians. 

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	My journey to dental hygiene was a circuitous one. I started out in college with preschool/elementary school education as my major. I had a very wise instructor who insisted each student spend a day in a preschool classroom setting; the student to teacher ratio was 15:1. The next day I started exploring other fields of study where I could work with children. I spent some time volunteering at a facility for disabled children, thinking children's physical therapy might be a good fit. During this time, my dad was encouraging me to look into dental hygiene, so I took the Dental Hygiene Aptitude Test (DHAT), which at that time was required in order to apply to a program. I interviewed two working dental hygienists and before I knew it, I had applied to Loma Linda University. I wanted to go to a Christian school, so I only applied to LLU. At the time, I was in love with a U.S. Marine, and what I really wanted to do was get married and run away to Tennessee, but I made my dad a promise that if I was accepted into the hygiene program at LLU that I would go. Thank God for dads! I fell in love with dental hygiene, Mitch went home to Tennessee without me, and I haven't looked back once!

	I can't narrow it done to just one thing. I love working with and mentoring dental teams of all sizes and job descriptions. I love it when team members discover something new about themselves and realize their capacity for change and growth. I especially love connecting with enthusiastic hygienists that are new to our profession and those hygienists who have been taking care of patients for decades. Most of all I love knowing that when I help dental professionals think differently about the seriousness of periodontal disease and the urgency to treat it, they in turn save lives.  

	You don't have to ask a proud grandma twice to tell you about her 'passion' for her grand babies! I have three: Everett is 1 month old, Isabelle is 3 and Marshall is 5. These kids are truly the “apple of my eye.” My husband of 37 years, Dean, and I are truly blessed to live near them and spend lots of time with them and their parents. We love to cook and often spend time together in the kitchen preparing and enjoying delicious, wholesome and at times indulgent foods. I do some jewelry beading and I love to read, sometimes late into the night. And nothing beats a good, brisk walk!

 RDH, BSDH, M.Ed, RF, is a graduate and recipient of countless awards from the University of Minnesota’s School of Dentistry Division of Dental Hygiene. She is proud to currently serve on the alumni society for one of the most prestigious dental schools in the country. Upon moving to Phoenix, Katrina sought opportunities to extend patient awareness beyond her operatory by exploring and performing nontraditional clinical roles such as developing outreach programs to further educate targeted populations. Katrina coordinated and implemented educational programs through participating schools and their districts as well as holistic grocery stores.

	Katrina’s professional career emerged as an educator when she attained full-time employment with a career college in Phoenix. During her time in these capacities, Katrina spearheaded curriculum design, redesigned program objectives and created policy manuals. A physical manifestation of Katrina’s commitment to her profession is in the development of her textbook, “Introduction to the Dental Hygiene Profession.” Katrina has also been contracted to create curriculum for bachelor’s degree completion and nationally recognized continuing education coursework in local anesthesia.

	Katrina proudly received her master’s degree in educational leadership with distinction through Northern Arizona University as a Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society distinguished member. Her graduate degree led her to founding 

 in which she has developed and implemented a 100 percent pass-rate National Board Preparatory course offered to dental hygiene students preparing for their national boards. 

	Currently, Katrina is a distinguished speaker with 

 and lectures nationally in a variety of dental hygiene continuing education content. She also speaks internationally as a keynote speaker with Smiles at Sea and spoke as a finalist in Dentistry’s Got Talent in 2017 and 2018. She has also been a featured speaker with dental hygiene study clubs throughout the state of Arizona. She hopes to begin her Ph.D. studies in 2019.

	Quite frankly, I decided to go to dental hygiene school because I always had wonderful dental experiences. I was a patient with a pediatric dental practice growing up, and that meant my hygienist counted my teeth, polished them and instructed me on how to swish with fluoride rinse. As I began the daunting task of deciding on a career while I was in high school, I shadowed a dentist and truly enjoyed how quickly the day flew by. I knew the dental profession was for me just based on the level of respect and integrity within the medical community. Imagine my surprise when I attended my first semester of hygiene school to learn that we not only polished and counted teeth but also used subgingival curets and gave injections! Looking back, I wouldn’t trade a thing about my journey that brought me to my degree in dental hygiene, as it has been an incredible adventure.

Read more from Katrina: 5 New Year's resolutions every dental hygienist should make

	As a clinical dental hygienist, I love common components within the dental practice such as collaborating with doctors who respect and appreciate my professional judgement, seeing resolution in patient cases and watching dental-phobic patients proudly seek treatment. However, I must say my favorite moments are the ones when I am able to utilize educational techniques to inform patients who many may consider “challenging.” I have greeted the most natural, holistic (and anti-fluoride) of patients only to conclude the appointment by them requesting a fluoride treatment and prescription for fluoride gel. I have successfully taken radiographs on patients who are concerned about dental radiation, have educated anti-root canal patients on the safety of root canal therapy, and convinced ambivalent patients on the importance of seeking care for their elevated vital signs. I believe my educational background in tandem with my genuine determination to seek the best interest of the patient shine through in those moments and encourage patients to seek the care they need.

	As a dental hygiene educator and speaker, I love collaborating with like-minded professionals who believe in the importance of excellence in the provision of dental education. Participants of my courses admire the moments when my passion for dental hygiene paired with my joy for empowering my colleagues shine through. I very much believe, as an educator, that it is my responsibility to maintain and continue to elevate standards for dental professionals as we continue to seek expanded functions and begin to manage additional systemic diseases.  

	What are some of your hobbies/interest/passions outside of work?

	I am an incredibly active and energetic person. Currently, I spend my free time writing articles and educational content. But when I’m not sipping coffee and tapping on my laptop, I find time to clear my mind with incredible hobbies and passions. I attribute my energy and personal fitness to Jazzercise. The high-intensity cardio paired with targeted weight training has helped me maintain my vitality as a practicing dental hygienist six days per week.

	I am actively concerned with the ethical and kind treatment of animals and have committed efforts to aiding local pet shelters in saving animals from euthanasia. I have also had the pleasure of delivering dental hygiene care and utilizing my restorative functions certification to underserved populations in Puerto Penasco, Mexico.  

	I also have a love and passion for the stage, as I have directed, choreographed and performed in multiple plays and musicals throughout the country. Recently, I received an ariZONI award for my choreography of “Sunset Boulevard” with Desert Stages Theatre, an ariZONI award for my choreography of “Oklahoma!” and a DreamMaker’s award for my efforts to deliver dance training to low-income children in Phoenix.  

	In addition, I am currently studying for my Level I Sommelier as a wine expert. I have always been a wine enthusiast and am fascinated with the wine-making process. Wine creates a mood, an energy and an ambiance unlike any other, and I am loving the opportunity to learn about its deep-rooted history, the articulate nose and palate associated with tastings, and the new techniques in preserving wines.

Lynne Slim is an award-winning dental author who has published extensively in dental/dental hygiene journals including the Journal of Dental Hygiene, the Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene and the Journal of the Western Society of Periodontology. In 2003, Lynne founded 

, a dental practice management company that specializes in the incorporation of nonsurgical periodontal therapy into the hygiene department of the general dental practice.

	As a key opinion leader in the dental industry, Lynne is frequently asked to review new products and write product reviews. She participates in product development and is consulted about consumer/RDH product awareness. Lynne received the Philips Oral Healthcare “Mentor of Distinction” award at the 2012 ADHA Annual Session.

Read more from Lynne: How to get your patients to ramp up their oral hygiene efforts

	I selected dental hygiene as a career while in high school. During my junior year, I took a job at a local dental practice as a dental assistant and enjoyed the work atmosphere right away. I’m an independent cuss, so I knew that I wanted a position that would allow me to work in a provider capacity, so that’s why I chose dental hygiene.

	Over the years, I’ve always treasured my interactions with patients, and I love to mentor oral health professionals in evidence-based periodontal therapy. Being a nerd who’s always attached to her MacBook Air, I am an insatiable learner and derive tremendous pleasure in learning. Patient care has always included a focus on education and I enjoy nothing better than teaching my patients something new that will benefit them in the long run. I’ve always been popular with my patients even though most of them tell me they are not enamored with clinical treatment.

	Besides dental hygiene, I am passionate about country living, physical fitness, interior design and rustic cabin décor, and my standard poodle puppy Fozzy keeps me on my feet. I have spent many years traveling in Europe and I have relatives in the United Kingdom who are very special to me.

Get to know the five experts who will serve on the board.

Taking a look at the most popular how-to articles from this year.


The top 5 techniques of 2017

Here at DPR, how-to articles and techniques are our bread and butter. They are consistently the most-read articles among our readers - and for good reason. These articles showcase how various products and tools can be used in real-life situations.

This year, you, our readers, were interested in learning more about pulp capping, placing porcelain veneers and simplifying interproximal reduction, among other topics. We hope these articles give you the knowledge you need to provide the best patient care, and we’re looking forward to bringing you even more how-tos and techniques in 2018.

In this step-by-step, one clinician explores the benefits of BISCO’s light-cured, flowable, resin-modified, calcium silicate-filled liner for indirect pulp capping.

How to place porcelain veneers with minimal preparation

In this esthetic technique by Dr. Ross Nash, he outlines the treatment process for a patient who was unhappy with the whiteness of her teeth and opted for porcelain veneers.

In this article, Kyle Fagala, DDS, MDS, demonstrates how to use rotary discs for interproximal reduction procedures to ensure the best possible orthodontic outcome.

How to perform rapid tooth reduction with diamond instruments

Learn how Deep Purple™ diamonds from Komet USA can provide ultra-fast, effective removal of tooth structure, in this case exploring crown preparation for high-strength ceramics.

How to efficiently place a cemented implant crown

Dr. Ross Nash demonstrates a more efficient technique for achieving a clean and well-sealed cemented implant crown.

The Top 5 Techniques of 2017

There were a lot of articles that really resonated with our readers this year, but here are the best of the best.

The top 10 most popular articles of 2017

	2017 is winding down, and what a year it has been!

All year, we've been bringing you the latest news from the dental industry, on topics ranging from emerging research and finance, to ergonomics and downright ridiculous dental stories. Whether you were looking for salary information, perusing the latest medical discoveries or getting to know this year's top women in dentistry, we had you covered! As with every year, some topics were more popular than others with our readers.

	We've compiled a list of the articles that you, our readers, enjoyed the most, based on interest generated on dentalproductsreport.com. Take a look and see if there were any you missed this year, so you can start 2018 knowing you didn't miss a thing this past year!

	Continue to the next page to see the most popular articles.

	The best and worst states to work in a dental practice: 2017

	Regardless of your preferences or reasons for living where you do, you may not actually be in a great place to work in a dental practice! Back in 2015, we took a look at which states were the most favorable for dental professionals - and this year, decided it was time to update that list. Using a set of 11 criteria, we examined the best and worst states to work in a dental practice.

		7 MORE of the scariest medical conditions with links to oral health

		There’s been a lot of buzz about oral systemic health in the news, and for good reason: A whole host of new discoveries have pinpointed that poor oral health is linked to some very serious medical conditions - and that treating oral health conditions could potentially serve as a preventative measure. We compiled seven of the most serious, scary medical conditions that researchers have linked to poor oral health this year.

		We’re not experts on movies - but we are experts on all things dental, so we’ve compiled a list of the best movies featuring dentists. We’ll be giving you a lesson from each movie, allowing you to learn everything you need to know about them without ever even needing to watch them.  What could be better?

		The 10 weirdest things patients have done in the dental practice

		You’ve probably got a whole practice full of perfectly nice, normal patients who behave predictably. But then there’s that one who is full of … surprises. We polled you, our readers, for your tales of the patients who will always stick out in your memory - for the weirdest reasons. From the bizarre to the disgusting, the unbelievable to the hilarious, your anecdotes did not disappoint. Here are the weirdest stories.

		The latest hourly and annual salary numbers for dentists and dental assistants

		In order to be a dentist - or anyone in the healthcare field, for that matter - one has to want to help others. And while there is an altruistic element to the work, the fact remains that dentists want to get paid for their hard work. We looked at the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - and what it means to you.

		Announcing Dental Products Report’s Top 25 Women in Dentistry for 2017

		Now in its eighth year of recognizing exceptional women in the dental industry, Dental Products Report is thrilled to announce the Top 25 Women in Dentistry for 2017. This year’s honorees come from across the dental industry, including dentists, industry leaders, office managers, educators and lab technicians.

		The dangers of STDs in the dental practice

		Many dental professionals think that if they refrain from unprotected sex with an infected person at the dental office, they are safe from contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) there. But they are wrong. We examine what every dental professional needs to know about contracting STDs in the dental practice. 

			For years, sitting with your hips at a 90-degree angle was thought to be ideal. Why? At some point in the transition to seated dentistry, it was decided that the perfect position of the seated dentist should be with the body’s major joints at right angles. And it stuck, until recently. But now, research suggests otherwise.

				The top 10 foods for healthy teeth and gums

				We all know the foods that are bad for patients’ teeth: sticky candy, carbonated beverages, potato chips and ice, just to name a few. But what about foods that are actually good for your teeth and gums? To help your patients on their journey toward healthy teeth, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 foods that are good for teeth and gums.

	It’s hard to believe it, but 2017 is nearly over.

DPM has been bringing you great articles designed to help you lead your practice smarter and more efficiently all year, but some articles really stood out. These five articles were your favorites this year. Whether they helped you commiserate over that terrible patient or helped you finally understand gingival inflammation code D4346, these were the most-read articles in 2017.

Related article: Top 5 product test drives of 2017

	So as you look back on the year and forward to 2018, take a minute to (re)discover everything you need to know about DSOs or CDT codes. You’ll be glad you did!

	Click through the slides to see the most popular DPM articles of 2017

The top five types of things patients hate but don’t want to tell you 

	Patients say the craziest things. But, what about the things they are thinking … but not saying?

	These are the things that get repeated to their families and friends, but for some odd reason, not to us. The sad thing is that we need to know what they are thinking. We need to know exactly what they hate about us and our practice. (Toughen up people. You can handle it. You just need to find out what “it” is.)

	I took a poll to find out what patients hate about the dental practices that they go to.

	Understanding gingival inflammation code D4346

	For the dental industry, a fog seems to have settled around the new D4346 gingival inflammation code. For many, it’s a code we hoped for and knew was needed for a long time. Yet there is a lot confusion and our understanding is foggy. I want to clear up some of the fog surrounding this code. Breaking through the fog will reveal specific reasons for patients to return to your practice, thus escalating its profitability.

	The top 8 worst types of patients in the waiting room 

	Let’s be honest. There are some patients who you want to dump - patients that start trouble as soon as they walk in the door.

	There are some patients who the entire staff dreads to see on the schedule because they make everyone’s life miserable, from the front office all the way to the chair. But which ones REALLY get under the front office team’s skin?

	Take a look at this list and tell me if I am missing anyone.

	6 things you need to know to survive the DSO revolution

	Are DSOs the future of dentistry? Group practices and DSOs are certainly a growing trend in the dental industry - one that has many solo practitioners and practice owners a little nervous.

	But what does the growth of DSOs really mean for the dental industry? How will it affect solo practices? Are solo practices doomed? Is a DSO the right solution for your practice? The bottom line: Whether you are for or against the evolution of group practices and DSOs, you have to keep up with the latest industry trends to be able to navigate the changing landscape and make educated decisions for your practice.

	To help, we compiled a list of the top six articles about the DSO revolution that we feel all dental professionals should read.

	The juggernaut successes of the meta DSOs such as 

 left a slip-stream for others to rapidly grow like 

. Their continued growth and success seems unstoppable. But many DSOs more than likely will follow the path of other companies that had meteoric rises to success only to nosedive.

The most-read Dental Practice Management articles from the last year.

The Top 5 Digital Esthetics articles of 2017 

	Ready or not, 2018 is almost here. There's no better time to pause, take a look back and reflect on the past year.

Here at DPR, we decided to compile a list of our most popular videos of 2017. This year, you, our readers, were interested in demo videos of intraoral scanners, milling machines, 3D printers and more.

Read more: The top 10 dental discoveries of 2017

	We hope these videos were informative and engaging, and we're looking forward to bringing you even more content in 2018.

	Click through the slides to watch the top 5 videos of 2017.

	3Shape TRIOS 3 wireless intraoral scanner demo

	Dozens of new products were announced at IDS 2017 in Germany, and one that caught many people’s attention was the 

 from 3Shape. In this demo video, a 3Shape representative showcases the flexibility afforded by the intraoral scanner. Full-mouth scans, including occlusion, can be done in under a minute to help increase practice productivity and provide same-day dentistry.

	Ivoclar Vivadent shows off new dental milling machine

	Ivoclar Vivadent announced four new mills at IDS 2017, including the 

. This chairside mill is reportedly’s the world’s smallest five-axis machine. The workpiece rotates around the tool, ensuring that the tool never leaves the block, thus leading to shorter milling times. In this video, Dr. Sascha Cramer von Clausbruch, director product management CAD/CAM equipment at Ivoclar Vivadent, showcases the features of the new PrograMill One.

	Checking out the 3Shape X1 4-in-1 imaging machine

	This demo video live from the floor at IDS 2017 highlights the features of the 3Shape 

. The four-in-one scanner combines CBCT, panoramic, ceph and face scans in one system while promising a lower dose of radiation. In just about a minute, the machine takes a full face scan, instantly creating a detailed, realistic and clear 3D image.

	Understanding Nobel Biocare’s new one-day, full-arch restorative concept

	Martin Gerlach, senior global product manager implants at Nobel Biocare, demonstrates the mechanics behind the new 

 for the edentulous mandible in this video. Spotlighted at IDS 2017, the Trefoil concept fits a prefabricated framework over three implants to create a fixed, final, full-arch restoration. It’s expected to be available in the U.S. in 2018.

	From IDS 2017, Andreas Röthig, key account manager for BEGO, talks about the 

, which now allows for open STL files. The Varseo S building plate is about 30-percent larger than the previous model, enabling it to print more objects simultaneously, yet the housing is about 40-percent smaller. The printer also includes a new light-curing unit, the BEGO Otoflash, which quickly cures VarseoWax resins.

Taking a look at the DPR videos that caught people's attention this year.