My philosophy is comprised of two main ideas that create the foundation for my professional practice.

 

When I think about my roles and responsibilities as a dental hygienist, the fundamental idea that frames my practice is that I am here to help people. All of my decisions and actions as a professional are driven by a desire and duty to help others. My function is to help people by educating, guiding, and encouraging them toward behaviours and treatments that optimize their oral health and concurrently their overall well-being. But that being said, I respect and acknowledge that not everyone can be helped the same way; or even may want to be helped. Part of my role is to assess people’s attitudes, beliefs, and motivation to change and collaborate with them to establish the best way to support them at their stage of understanding.

 

This idea links directly to the second part of my philosophy, which is that the client is the most important member of the health care team. Health care professionals have a wealth of knowledge and expert opinions that must be translated to the client, rather than prescribed. It’s helpful to think of the client as the one in the driver’s seat and the health care team as the passengers. The client is the one who must ultimately make the decisions, turn the wheel, and control the path of the vehicle. As a health care provider, it is my role to advise the client on how to drive toward the path to optimal health.