U-M Dental Hygiene Program Hosts State-Wide Conference

700 Dental Hygiene Faculty and Students in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI — December 3, 2010 — About 700 dental hygiene faculty and students from across Michigan recently met in Ann Arbor to discuss the future of the profession, including possible career opportunities for new graduates.

Each year, one of 13 dental hygiene programs hosts the annual Michigan Association of Dental Hygiene Educators conference.  This fall, it was U-M’s turn.  The Oct. 29 conference featured a mix of traditional and novel approaches that engaged and educated participants.

Faculty and students were challenged to reach their full potential as oral health care providers by the executive director of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, Ann Battrell.  She said dental hygiene students are taking an important step in that direction by pursuing a baccalaureate education and being receptive to exploring possible new opportunities.  Noting that access to care is a challenge in many parts of the country, Battrell said dental hygienists can be both providers and advocates and, in the process, make important contributions that address that vital issue.   

Education and Involvement

However, being involved is also critical, Battrell said, citing her education and subsequent career as an example of how both can help make a difference.  Battrell holds a certificate in dental hygiene and earned a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from Northwestern University, was ADHA president in 1996-1997, and has been the organization’s executive director since 2005.  She said education and involvement in ADHA at local, state, and national levels enabled her and other dental hygienists to have more impact collectively than they might individually.

Battrell later emceed a contest that enhanced camaraderie and learning in a game called “Are You Smarter Than Ann Battrell?”  Twenty questions were posed in the contest that covered important concepts in the dental hygiene curriculum.  Fifty-two teams competed, with each team consisting of students from different dental hygiene programs across Michigan. 

Second-year U-M dental hygiene student Kristen Koltuniak said the game was an opportunity for her and colleagues from other schools to connect.  “I think the fun we had learning about each other helped us to win the competition,” she said.  “We didn’t know each other when the contest began, but we were friends when it ended.”

Paul Mackovjak, a fourth-year U-M dental hygiene student and U-M Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA) vice president, said that although he could not participate in the competition because he was tallying results, he said he was “able to meet new students and have fun interacting with them.”

During the one-day conference, faculty members also participated in a workshop focusing on providing effective feedback that enhances clinical learning.  Led by Chad Hershock, PhD, assistant director of the U-M Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, participants were asked to role play and reflect on their responsibilities as clinical instructors.  They were also asked to consider the background of dental hygiene students in developing subsequent action plans that would enhance the effectiveness of subsequent interactions.

Janet Kinney, assistant professor of dentistry, said she enjoyed the opportunity educators from around the state had to role play, either as students or clinical instructors, during a mock patient care appointment.  “As educators, it was valuable and fun to hear and reflect on what the student actors did during the role playing exercise,” she said.  “That made us realize, even more, that it’s not just the words we use when we talk to our students, but how we talk to our students, our tone of voice, and even the nonverbal elements we display such as body positioning and gesturing that affect our messages.”

“The event was a huge success thanks to the 100 U-M School of Dentistry students and faculty volunteers who participated,” said Anne Gwozdek, who co-chaired the program.  “The maize and blue U-M dental hygiene shirts made us easily identifiable as participants and hosts for this memorable program.”

Prof. Wendy Kerschbaum, director of the School of Dentistry’s dental hygiene program, said, “This day was an example of the bright future of dental hygiene in Michigan and elsewhere.  The excitement and commitment of students and faculty were evident the entire day.”

The group was welcomed by Kerschbaum; Kathleen Inman, Michigan Dental Hygienists’ Association president; and Kathryn Brown, U-M SADHA president who introduced Battrell.  In addition to participants from Michigan educational institutions offering dental hygiene degree completion and master’s programs, representatives from 30 dental product corporations and textbook publishers also participated.

Contact: Sharon Grayden, Communications Director (734) 615-2600, or Jerry Mastey, Editor (734) 615-1971   dentistry.communications@umich.edu