My name is Whitney Foster, a Registered Dental Hygienist from Ontario, Canada !! I
have been a practicing Registered Dental Hygienist for 6 years now, however I have been
working within the dental industry for over 10 years. My love for dental hygiene began at a very young age. As a young child, I had my fair share of extensive dental treatment, however rather than this scaring me away from the industry, it only intensified my interest.
I love how impactful we are as RDHs, on our patients. To put it in perspective, we see
our patients more than they see their family physician. This alone, allows us to build that rapport and relationship with our patient, to allow us to bring on the best and optimal care to our patient.
My favorite memory was during the COVID-19 pandemic. An extremely isolating time for
many, however so many patients took the time to open up with me, discussing how stressed they were, or how depressed they were or just simply having a conversation with me because they haven’t seen their family and friends in months. This gave me a sense of comfort, knowing that my patients have such a huge trust in me, as there RDH to talk about extremely sensitive topics. Another memorable moment for me was when I had the opportunity to work in sports dentistry, where I had the opportunity to provide oral health education and care for the Canadian Football League, National Lacrosse League, and the Ontario Hockey League. Additionally, I love how supportive our RDH community is. In the educational institutes we’re taught to advocate for our patients. I firmly believe, however, if we advocate for ourselves, we are advocating for our patients. In other words, as RDHs we are always supporting each other, listening to each other, and I really do think this is how we are bringing optimal care to our patients and ultimately advocating for their health. My love for advocacy started in dental hygiene school however I am so proud to say it has not stopped.
Currently, in the last year I have been published in various articles, writing about
interprofessionalism and tobacco/smoking cessation, two topics I am very passionate about. I have also had the opportunity, in the last year, to introduce a professional development course on Delivering Tobacco Cessation Through Interprofessionalism. Following my very first speaking/course to fellow colleagues, I was approached by the Canadian Cancer Society, in which we dove deeper on the importance of tobacco/smoking cessation. As dental professionals, we are not taught the foundational tools when navigating this complex topic.
Unfortunately, most educational institutes have failed us when it comes to this sector. It is
extremely difficult to obtain and provide the necessary tools for ourselves and to our clients, if we don’t have the foundational tools. With this being said, I am so proud and excited to say that I will be collaborating with the Canadian Cancer Society, on this specific subject to help gain the confidence in fellow Registered Dental Hygienists and Dental Hygiene Students when delivering tobacco cessation.
I love how much dentistry as a whole has been evolving. I hope this massive project will
transpire to my fellow American friends. As an RDH, we play an integral role within a patient’s circle of care. I do believe, when we work within the interprofessional health paradigm, we are able to succeed as healthcare professionals.