At 7am on December 24th, the Senate passed H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The passage of the legislation marks another hurdle in the effort to pass sweeping health reform legislation in Congress. The House passed its health reform bill in November and now Senate and House leadership will reconcile the differences between the two pieces of legislation, setting the stage for final passage of a health reform bill.
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is committed to keeping the dental hygiene community informed on health reform matters that impact the profession. Both the House and Senate bills contain significant oral health provisions that are not often mentioned in media coverage of health reform.
ADHA respects that there are many opinions on health reform within the dental hygiene community. This update is not intended to sway recipients in one direction or the other on the issue, but is offered as a means to update dental hygiene professionals about the oral health provisions contained in the Senate bill (H.R. 3590) and the House bill (H.R. 3962).
ADA Launches Community Dental Health Coordinator Pilot Program at Temple University
CHICAGO, Nov. 24, 2009-The American Dental Association (ADA) has signed an agreement with Temple University to train new dental team members as part of a pilot program to improve the oral health in underserved communities. The Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC) is a member of the dental health team who works in communities where residents have limited access to dental care to improve their oral health.
The CDHC provides a limited range of preventive dental care services-including screenings and fluoride treatments. However, of greater importance to these communities, the CDHC will help patients navigate the health system and access care by a dentist or an appropriate clinic and engage in educational activities to improve community members' oral health habits.
On Saturday, November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The landmark vote marks one step in the efforts of Congressional leaders and the Obama Administration to pass comprehensive health reform legislation.
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) is committed to keeping the dental hygiene community informed on health reform matters that impact the profession. ADHA respects that there are many opinions on health reform within the dental hygiene community. This update is not intended to sway recipients in one direction or the other on the issue, but is offered as a means to update dental hygiene professionals about the oral health provisions contained in H.R. 3962 and to offer an overview of ADHA’s engagement in the process thus far.
Health reform legislation in the House and Senate touches on many facets of the health care delivery system. The following offers a brief overview of oral health provisions contained in H.R. 3962:
Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments to the Dental Hygiene Committee of California:
Michelle Hurlbutt, 52, of Upland, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Committee of California. She has served as an assistant professor at Loma Linda University, School of Dentistry since 1999. Hurlbutt has been a dental hygienist for the dental offices of William C. Domb, D.M.D. since 1998 and previously for Ronald Walton, D.D.S. from 1985 to 1997.This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hurlbutt is a Republican.
Rhona Lee, 58, of Gilroy, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Committee of California. Since 1984, she has served as a dental hygienist for Gar N. Chan, D.D.S. Previously, she served the Committee on Dental Auxiliaries as chair from 2000 to 2003 and secretary then vice chair from 1993 to 1999. Lee was a dental hygienist for Gary Nishimura, D.D.S. from 1984 to 1987 and Eric Nagareda, D.D.S. and Ronald Anderson, DDS from 1984 to 1985. Prior to that, she worked at the Lawrence Hall of Science for the University of California Berkeley as a project coordinator from 1979 to 1980 and curriculum author developer from 1977 to 1980. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Lee is a Republican.
Western Regional Dental Hygiene Examination approved for
California Dental Hygiene Licensure
California will soon be listed as one of the states accepting the dental hygiene clinical examination administered by the western Regional Examination Board or WREB, thus dramatically increasing the portability of a dental hygiene license across the country.
WREB, a not for profit testing agency administered its first examination in 1977 in Oregon. Since then WREB has grown to include 15 member states as well as having its test results recognized by an additional 16 non-member states. The WREB has been a recognized examination for dentistry in California since 2006. Click here for more information on the WREB.
The first step towards accepting results from WREB for dental hygiene licensure in California were achieved in August of this year when Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB403 which allows for WREB examination results to be recognized for the clinical dental examination in California. The next step will be for the newly formed Dental Hygiene Committee of California to establish the regulations for this process which may take up to two years.
Watch the CDHA web site for the latest information on this process.
Bill lets poor kids keep dental and health care
(09-04) 04:00 PDT Sacramento --
The state Assembly has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would prevent California from kicking more than 600,000 children out of a popular state program that provides health and dental insurance for the poor.
AB1422, which already passed the Senate, would restore $194 million worth of cuts the Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made in July to the Healthy Families program to help close a $24 billion deficit.
The 80-member Assembly approved the bill in a 58-0 vote on Thursday. The Republican governor said Thursday that he will sign it.
State leaders were able to reinstate the cuts by finding new ways to fund it.
The bill had no formal opposition from any of the health care firms largely because they would be repaid through higher Medi-Cal state reimbursement rates. The state would be able to pay more because the new tax would allow California to draw additional dollars from the federal economic stimulus package.
The bill was written by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Baldwin Vista (Los Angeles County). She said lawmakers had been working on it for weeks, but the final bill didn't come together until last week.
In a rare moment of bipartisanship over a tax bill, several Republicans rose in support during the Assembly floor session.
"In these tight economic times, this is a program that helps children of working class families," said Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, R-Redlands (San Bernardino County).
Assemblyman Mike Villines, R-Clovis (Fresno County), added he likes AB1422 because California routinely sends more money to the federal government than it receives. This bill is a step toward reversing that trend, he said.
The Healthy Families program provides health and dental coverage to more than 900,000 children through age 18 whose family incomes fall below the 250 percent federal poverty line. For example, a single mom with one child could earn up to $36,425 a year and have the child qualify for Healthy Families program.
But the $194 million budget cut had resulted in more than 70,000 newly qualified children being placed on a waiting list this summer, and more than 600,000 children currently enrolled slated to lose the benefit due to lack of funding.
AB1422 would restore the funding in three ways:
-- $97 million from additional federal matching funds for the Healthy Families program by imposing a 2.35 percent tax on companies that manage Medi-Cal insurance plans.
-- An $81.4 million contribution from the First 5 California State Commission, which oversees Proposition 10 tobacco tax revenue to promote early childhood development.
-- $18 million by raising the monthly per child premiums by $4 to $7 for some program participants.
In other legislative action, the Assembly approved AB119, which would forbid health insurance companies from charging different premium rates based on gender for individual plans. The bill also heads to the governor's desk for his approval.
Update from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association
This e-mail is another update from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) on issues related to health reform. This week Congress will return to session after an August recess where dialogue on health reform took center stage across the country. As part of our effort to keep the dental hygiene community informed on health reform matters that may impact the profession, ADHA is submitting this update.
Certainly health reform has proven to be a highly charged issue with passionate advocates on both sides. This update is not intended to sway recipients in one direction or the other on the issue, but is being offered as a means to update dental hygiene professionals about the role that oral health plays in pending health reform legislation and offer an overview of ADHA’s engagement in the process thus far.
The California Dental Hygienists' Association is now on Facebook!
CDHA has expanded their presence to include a page on the popular social networking site, Facebook. CDHA will post upcoming events of interest, favorite links, provide the opportunity to network with fellow colleagues and more!
Join CDHA on Facebook , locate CDHA's page by typing California Dental Hygienists' Association into the Facebooksearch engine - become a FAN today!
Is your head where your heart is?
Is your head where your heart is? It may be now. A strong connection between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been suggested in recent clinical studies. As many as 75 percent of adults in the United States have been affected by periodontal disease and an estimated 80.7 million adults (1 out of every 3) have been a victim of CVD in 2006 according to the American Heart Association. From the 80.7 million adults in the United States, 38.2 million are less than 60 years of age, which is almost 50 percent.
According to the latest study "Oral Body Inflammation Connection" presented during the 57th Annual Meeting of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), The AGD's Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD, July 8-12, 2009 there is a powerful link between perio disease and heart disease. The revelation was made a a team of experts and the observations are believed to be proof that there is a mouth-heart connection.
The discussion will be one of the first discussions held at the AGD's annual meeting that integrates both dentistry and medicine because the disease is common to both health management groups. "It is critical for all dentists and physicians to collaborate in helping patients reduce inflammation, which can become a target factor for cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Slepian. Both Drs. Slepian and Gottehrer, with the help of an expert doctoral panel will discuss the correlation between periodontal disease and CVD. Information presented during this session will provide dentists with hands-on knowledge regarding how to communicate with physicians in order to collaborate and create more proactive management periodontal disease treatment plans (including non-surgical options), which can then improve periodontal and associated physical health by reducing CVD.
CVD has a wide range of categories, which affect adults in the United States every day including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. A recent study that will be cited during the presentation explored the existence of bacteria known to cause periodontitis and the growth of blood vessel walls, which is a symptom of CVD. After examining the subjects used, the investigators found a positive connection between the growth of blood vessel walls and the existence of bacteria found in dental plaque, causing periodontitis.
Occasional Smoker, 47, Signs Tobacco Bill
President Obama does not discuss the fact that he still occasionally smokes, a habit he very publicly tried to kick during his race for the White House.
But there he was on June 23, 2009, talking about cigarettes. As he signed legislation bringing tobacco products under federal control for the first time, the president conceded that the new law, aimed at keeping children from starting to smoke, could have helped him three decades ago.
Mr. Obama noted that 90 percent of smokers began on or before their 18th birthday.
“I know — I was one of those teenagers,” he said, standing beneath a punishing afternoon sun at a Rose Garden ceremony. “I know how difficult it can be to break this habit when it’s been with you for a long time.”
With that, Mr. Obama moved on. He did not mention whether he still smokes, a topic that has been a subject of considerable curiosity, and family drama, for years. Instead, he talked about the dangers of the addiction and its causes.
“Kids today don’t just start smoking for no reason,” he said. “They’re aggressively targeted as customers by the tobacco industry. They’re exposed to a constant and insidious barrage of advertising where they live, where they learn and where they play.”
The new law, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, allows the Food and Drug Administration not only to forbid advertising geared toward children but also to lower the amount of nicotine in tobacco products, ban sweetened cigarettes that appeal to young taste buds and prohibit labels like “light” and “low tar.”
When Mr. Obama entered the presidential race, he said his candidacy had been contingent on a deal with his wife, Michelle, that he quit smoking. The couple discussed his habit on “60 Minutes,” where Mrs. Obama declared, “I hate it.”
“That’s why he doesn’t do it anymore, I’m proud to say,” she continued. “I’m the one who outed him on the smoking. That was one of my prerequisites for, you know, entering this race, is that he couldn’t be a smoking president.”
Now there are few touchier questions inside the White House than whether Mr. Obama is still smoking. One senior administration official declined to answer, but pointed out that the president spoke Monday in the present tense, saying, “I know how difficult it can be to break this habit,” as opposed to “I know how difficult it was to break this habit.”
As Mr. Obama shook hands with some of the guests at the bill-signing ceremony, he wandered near a group of reporters. Dan Lothian, a correspondent for CNN, asked, “Mr. President, how difficult has your struggle been with smoking?”
The president, a mere few feet away, did not reply.
Several minutes later, the question came up at the daily White House press briefing. When asked directly if Mr. Obama was still smoking, the president’s press secretary, replied: “He struggles with it every day. I don’t honestly see the need to get a whole lot more specific than the fact that it’s a continuing struggle.”
Sonicare names Toni 2009 Mentor of the year!
Toni S. Adams, RDH, MA, graduated from Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California with an AS in Dental Hygiene in 1973, practiced for 26 years before being forced to retire due to repetitive stress injuries. Her clinical practice experience included work in a variety of settings, including a single dentist general practice, periodontal office, non-profit clinic, and large group practice.
Toni chose to go back to school for her “retraining,” earning a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Health Professions. But that wasn’t enough. She had been bitten by the learning bug she moved to the Sacramento area, graduating in 2008 with an MA in Communication Studies with emphases in Health, Instructional, and Intercultural Communication. She wrote a communication handbook for dental hygienists for her master’s project and is now in search of a publisher.
Toni has won awards for writing, speaking, scholarship, and leadership. These include winning the Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics Dental Hygiene Star Search Speaking competition in 2005 and being named the Sonicare RDH 2009 Mentor of the Year. She enjoys writing for and speaking to dental groups about communication issues, including intercultural communication, nonverbal communication, dental health literacy, and many other related topics. Her articles have appeared in RDH Magazine, the CDHA Journal, and the Sunstar-Butler GUMline Newsletter. Additionally, she has taught public speaking, has presented scholarly papers at communication conventions, and has completed original research into the role of culture and diversity in dental hygiene practice. She has been a career-long member of ADHA and currently serves as VP of the Sacramento Valley component and on the editorial board of the CDHA Journal.
Toni is a wife of almost 40 years, mother of two adult sons, and grandmother of a brilliant and beautiful four-year-old granddaughter (in her absolutely objective opinion).
American Dental Association Applauds Legislators for Introducing “Meth Mouth” Bill
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2009—Dr. John S. Findley, president of the American Dental Association (ADA), applauded Capitol Hill legislators today for introducing a federal bill aimed at understanding and treating “meth mouth”—a condition where teeth can become blackened, stained, rotting and crumbling from methamphetamine use. To read the full press release, please visit ADA.org at this link: Click here
__________________________
The SCHIP bill became law on Feb. 4. It adds 11 million children to the program. SCHIP was established in 1997 to provide coverage for health care services to children and pregnant women from families that are not Medicaid-eligible but are unable to afford private insurance.
A motivation for starting the program was that people completely dependent on government programs had no incentive to work toward independence if getting a job meant losing health care for themselves or their children. SCHIP allowed children in families with incomes up to 200 percent (about $46,000/yr income) of the federal poverty level to enroll children, expecting co-pays from parents in the upper ranges.
Currently, most states offer a dental benefit as part of their state CHIP program, but the benefit is optional and subject to being eliminated when state budgets become constrained. A “dental wrap” benefit will enable children of families that meet income and other eligibility requirements for SCHIP and receive medical benefits through an employer-sponsored medical insurance plan, to access just dental coverage through SCHIP.
President Barack Obama signed a bill that reauthorized and expand SCHIP to an additional 4 million children. “In a decent society, there are certain obligations that are not subject to tradeoffs or negotiation, and health care for our children is one of those obligations,” he said. Notably, the measure passed both chambers with bipartisan support.
Bad news for smokers. The expansion is to be funded by a 62-cents-per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax.
As things stand, parents will seek and get health care for their children when it’s needed. If they are uninsured, clinics and hospitals write the expense off as uncompensated care and then increase charges for patients who pay. In some way these expenses can and must be paid. SCHIP is not a bad program, especially in these economic times.
ADHA President Diann Bomkamp, RDH, BSDH, remarked, “The collective effort within the dental community to advocate for the inclusion of dental benefits in SCHIP demonstrates the strength of collaboration and the positive impact it can have on the patients we serve. Those efforts resulted in dental coverage for millions of low-income children who desperately need access to preventive and other oral health care services.”
Consumers Want to Buy Products That Dental Hygienists Recommend
www.Gumbrand.com offers robust suite of dental products for consumers.
Sunstar Americas, Inc., an international leader in mouth and body care products, has commissioned a survey by Mintel International Group Limited to demonstrate consumers' desires to purchase products recommended by their dental hygienists.
The 1,957 people who participated in the online survey distributed in March of 2007 were asked about their relationship with their dental hygienist; the majority said they trust their dental professionals completely. What's more, 81 percent said they trust the product recommendations of their dental hygienist.
The study also found that women are more likely to visit their dental hygienist than men (47 percent to 39 percent), and that 69 percent of those women are more likely to shop for oral care products for themselves and the entire household.
"We know how hard dental hygienists work to educate their patients on the appropriate products to use, and this confirms patients are listening," said Ann Foppe, Professional Marketing Director of Sunstar Americas, Inc."Gumbrand.com has our entire suite of products online and is perfect for patients who are having a hard time finding the product recommended by their dental hygienist. It's a quick and easy shopping experience, with everything in one location."
The upgraded Web site is not only easy to navigate, it has product and oral health information for consumers as well as dental professionals. There are downloadable product pages which dental hygienists can use to check off recommendations and give to their patients as a reminder on which products to buy. A small tip card directing patients to the Web site is also available to download.
_________________________
URGENT - Proposed Changes to the CODA Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs
As a result of the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) meeting on July 31, 2008, there are proposed revisions to Standard 2-17 of the Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs. Standard 2-17 refers to the dental hygiene process of care; of particular interest are the proposed changes to dental hygiene diagnosis and treatment planning.
Click here for a template letter that the ADHA requested we submit to the Commission on Dental Accreditation. It is important that the ADHA, dental hygiene educators, and dental hygiene practitioners to provide written and verbal testimony to CODA.
Upon reading this letter, you will note that the terminology "dental hygiene diagnosis" has been eliminated; however, the description and definition within the Standard has been strengthened. Another proposed change is relevant to treatment planning. This pertains to part "e" of the Standard changing the word "plan" to needs".
You can read the full Standard of Care and Addendum at the adha.org website. We need our voices to be heard.
_________________
American Heart Association New Guidelines for Pre-Medication 2007
Patients at the greatest danger of bad outcomes from infective endocarditis and for whom preventive antibiotics are worth the risk include those with:
€ Artificial heart valves
€ A history of having had infective endocarditis
€ Certain specific, congenital heart conditions including:
- Unrepaired or incompletely repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including those with palliative shunts and conduits
- A completely repaired congenital heart defect with prosthetic material or device, whether placed by surgery or by catheter interventions, during the first six months after the procedure
- Any repaired congenital heart defect with residual defect at the site or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or prosthetic device
Antibiotic premedication is no longer indicated for dental patients with mitral valve prolapse, rheumatic heart disease, bicuspid valve disease, calcified aortic stenosis, congenital heart conditions, such as ventricular
septal defects, atrial septal defects, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
On Saturday, November 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed 
Michelle Hurlbutt, 52, of Upland, has been appointed to the Dental Hygiene Committee of California. She has served as an assistant professor at Loma Linda University, School of Dentistry since 1999. Hurlbutt has been a dental hygienist for the dental offices of William C. Domb, D.M.D. since 1998 and previously for Ronald Walton, D.D.S. from 1985 to 1997.This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hurlbutt is a Republican.
state program that provides health and dental insurance for the poor.
This e-mail is another update from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) on issues related to health reform. This week Congress will return to session after an August recess where dialogue on health reform took center stage across the country. As part of our effort to keep the dental hygiene community informed on health reform matters that may impact the profession, ADHA is submitting this update.
Is your head where your heart is? It may be now. A strong connection between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been suggested in recent clinical studies. As many as 75 percent of adults in the United States have been affected by periodontal disease and an estimated 80.7 million adults (1 out of every 3) have been a victim of CVD in 2006 according to the American Heart Association. From the 80.7 million adults in the United States, 38.2 million are less than 60 years of age, which is almost 50 percent. 
President Obama
Toni S. Adams, RDH, MA, graduated from Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California with an AS in Dental Hygiene in 1973, practiced for 26 years before being forced to retire due to repetitive stress injuries. Her clinical practice experience included work in a variety of settings, including a single dentist general practice, periodontal office, non-profit clinic, and large group practice. 
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2009—Dr. John S. Findley, president of the American Dental Association (ADA), applauded Capitol Hill legislators today for introducing a federal bill aimed at understanding and treating “meth mouth”—a condition where teeth can become blackened, stained, rotting and crumbling from methamphetamine use. To read the full press release, please visit ADA.org at this link: 
The SCHIP bill became law on Feb. 4. It adds 11 million children to the program. SCHIP was established in 1997 to provide coverage for health care services to children and pregnant women from families that are not Medicaid-eligible but are unable to afford private insurance. 
Consumers Want to Buy Products That Dental Hygienists Recommend
URGENT - Proposed Changes to the CODA Accreditation Standards for Dental Hygiene Education Programs 
American Heart Association New Guidelines for Pre-Medication 2007