Change is Constant

Healthcare as a whole is always evolving. Technology, science, economics, and more continue to change the way patients are treated, and dental hygiene is no exception. The profession looks different today than it did 20 years ago, and it will look different 20 years from now. How many dental hygienists were practicing laser bacterial reduction around the turn of the century? How many were monitoring links between diabetes and periodontal disease?

Our cover story this issue explores what the future may look like, including a potentially greater scope of practice as dental hygienists' capabilities in improving whole-body health are better understood and appreciated. As that future unfolds, Inside Dental Hygiene will be at the forefront, ensuring that readers both young and old are prepared for the next evolutions. If you missed the latest installment of the "Dental Hygiene Trends You Need to Know About" CE webinar series with Joy D. Void-Holmes, RDH, BSDH, DHSc, titled "The Teeth Haven't Stopped Talking," we encourage you to watch it on-demand at idh.cdeworld.com, and keep an eye out for future live CE webinars, ebooks, and more.

On that note, April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, so we encourage you to browse both insidedentalhygiene.com and idh.cdeworld.com for recently published articles about screening and prevention from IDH and our sister publications, including our May 2020 cover story, "Screening for Oral Cancer," and our June 2022 CE article, "Diagnosing and Surviving Oral Cancer." We pledge to continue bringing you the most up-to-date information as the technology and science involved with oral cancer screening and prevention continues to advance.

As always, we thank you for your dedication to dental hygiene and for trusting IDH as the complete information resource for the profession, supporting dental hygienists' commitment to optimal care, continuing education, regulatory compliance, positive career choices, and a healthy lifestyle.

Editorial Advisory Board

India R. Chance,BSDH, RDH, CDIPC

Maria L. Geisinger, DDS

Lory Laughter, RDH, MS

Ashley Leavitt, RDH

Sherri Lukes, RDH, MS, FAADH

Jill Meyer-Lippert, RDH

Tricia Osuna, RDH, BSDH, FAADH

Stephanie Pajot, RDH

Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH

Joy D. Void-Holmes, RDH, BSDH, DHSC