Dental hygienists make the connection to whole-body health
The clock was already ticking when Jose* arrived at the OneWorld dental clinic. In less than two months, he was scheduled for an orthopedic surgery. But first, he needed dental work – a lot of it – in order to be cleared for his surgery. There were barriers to the dental care itself: long wait
A complicated care plan Perez remembers talking with Jose about the list of dental procedures he’d need, as recommended by the dentist. Hearing the list, Jose balked. “And then he said, ‘Well, I don’t need anything,’” Perez recalls. “I think when you have a patient like Jose, it’s a great opportunity to be with them, and you can explain what they need and why.” Her explanation worked. After successfully convincing Jose to take the next steps in his care plan and stay on track for surgery, Perez began looking at dentists’ schedules and making calls anytime a cancellation appeared. She found room in one dentist’s schedule for an extraction; in another dentist’s schedule, for a couple of fillings. As Jose’s plan progressed, other providers and staff became invested too. Everyone started keeping an eye on appointment cancellations to fit him in before his surgery. Finally, the efforts paid off and Jose completed the most essential dental work. Perez said she felt relief when it was time to sign off on his paperwork and instruct him to take the papers to his surgical team. “I was really pleased with our team for everything, so that was my thank you,” Perez said. “Almost everybody, they have to help. They have to do it. I think that was a great story for our community, our teamwork and everybody.” Motivated by caring connections What is it about this team – and so many teams at OneWorld – that makes success stories like Jose’s possible? To Perez, she recognizes what she and many of her patients might have in common. “I think first of all, we’re feeling connected to the patient,” Perez said. “I think we speak the
Mayra Perez Dental Hygienist
times, expense, no babysitter for his kid. Tooth extractions and deep tissue cleanings couldn’t wait until later; dental procedures like these could release bacteria into the bloodstream and put a surgical site at risk for infection. Meanwhile, his surgery hung in the balance. Enter Jose’s No. 1 advocate: OneWorld Dental Hygienist Mayra Perez. A dental hygienist’s multiple roles “If I’m ever sick, I kind of want her to be the person, helping me out at the hospital,” said OneWorld Dental Director Brian Penly, DDS, commenting on Perez. “She’ll get some things done.” At any dental clinic, a hygienist is responsible for tasks like completing patient screenings, taking radiographs, removing calculus (tartar) and plaque, applying sealants and fluoride treatments, and creating teeth impressions. At OneWorld, dental hygienists also play an important role as public health educators. They teach patients about healthy practices such as teeth brushing, flossing and nutrition. They understand that oral health is deeply connected to general health, and they help draw the connections for patients between good dental hygiene and the prevention of systemic diseases. And sometimes, at OneWorld, dental hygienists clear a pathway to hope.
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ISSUE 1 2025 | EXCHANGE
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