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    • 78174
    1. Practice Management
    2. Industry

    Impact of dental hygiene abroad continues to increase

    Oct. 20, 2011
    Dental hygiene is flourishing outside the United States as evidenced from trips by Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS, to attend hygienist meetings in Italy, Russia, and the Ukraine.  Goldie discusses her visits to these meetings, along with presentations she made, and points out that the number of hygienists has grown to approximately 3,000 in Russia and some 500 in the Ukraine.
    By Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS
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    The Associazione Igienisti Dentali Italiani (AIDI) or the Italian Dental Hygienists Association, met in Milan, Italy, in September to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The President is Marialice Boldi, and she is also a delegate to the International Federation of Dental Hygienists. In the President’s welcome, AIDI is likened to a beautiful girl, born in 1981. Her temperament is bold and strong-willed, always ready to “point the feet and beat her fists” to obtain her set and clear objectives. At the age of eight years, AIDI became a member of the International Federation Dental Hygienists (IFDH). In 1994, AIDI “stormed” the Ministries of Health and the University and Scientific and Technological Research, CNEL (National Council for Economy and Labour), the Consultation of Health Professions, to become the representative of the profession in Italy. AIDI is growing, and when in the young twenties along with nine European states, ratified the Constitution of the European Dental Hygienists Federation (EDHF). The EDHF met in Milan at the same time as the AIDI Congress. AIDI, the heroine, now turns 30, and is a very beautiful woman! The Congress was modern and innovative, and featured an extraordinary variety of topics covered in multiple sessions. Buon compleanno (Happy Birthday) AIDI!
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    The European Dental Hygienists Federation (EDHF) represents the Czech Republic; Italy; Ireland; the Netherlands; Portugal; Slovakia; Spain; Switzerland; Austria; Germany; Norway; Sweden; Finland; and Denmark. Marianne Verheggen remains the President of EDHF and Yvonne Nyblom was elected President Elect. While there, I presented a keynote lecture on “Dental Hygiene Around The World.” I also presented a course on instrumentation. In the keynote, I presented the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice and discussed the Dental Hygiene Process of Care. (www.adha.org/downloads/adha_standards08.pdf) The Professional Roles of the Dental Hygienist were outlined, as well as educational preparation, practice settings, and professional responsibilities and considerations. I was also asked to comment on protocols for nonsurgical periodontal therapy. I outlined some of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) position papers (www.perio.org) and the meaning of translational research. And of course, I discussed the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH), and our new website at www.ifdh.org. Russia and the Ukraine
    Thank you to the Russian Dental Hygienists Association and Dr. Onecb Webyehko, Vice President, Dental Association of Russia. While in Moscow, I met with officers of the Russian Dental Hygienists Association, and with dental hygienists from the regions of Russia. I attended the meeting of the Russian Dental Hygienists Association and the 30th Moscow International Dental Forum and Exhibition to deliver three presentations. There are now 24 dental hygiene programs in Russia, two years in length. There are about 3,000 dental hygienists in Russia, and the profession is ten years old. I also attended the meeting of the Ukrainian Dental Hygienists Association and a meeting held at the Institute of Stomatology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Ukraine to deliver three presentations. Thanks to the Ukrainian Dental Hygienists Association, Dr. Onecb Webyehko, and Denga Oxana Vasilyevna. While in Odessa, I met the head of the Institute of Stomatology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Ukraine, Konstantin N. Kosenko, DDS, MD, PhD. I also met the Minister of Health of the Ukraine, who is very supportive of dental hygiene and prevention. However, government finds are scarce. There are now nine dental hygiene programs in the Ukraine, three years in length. There are about 500 dental hygienists in the Ukraine, and the profession is two years old.The IFDH may have two new Association members in South Africa, as the dental hygienists of both countries are very excited to join the global community!

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    Maria Perno Goldie, IFDH President, and AIDI President Marialice Boldi
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    Dr. Yvonne Buunk-Werkhoven, Delegate to IFDH, Maria Perno Goldie, and Corrie Jongbloed, President of the Netherlands and Delegate to IIFDH
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    Ukrainian dentists, including Denga Oxana Vasilyevna, third from right, and Maria Perno Goldie, fourth from right
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    Russian dentists Dr. Onecb Webyehko, Dr. Svetlana Ignatova, and Maria Perno Goldie at the Russian Dental Hygienists Association Meeting at the Dental Expo, Moscow, Russia

    Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS

    To read previous articles in RDH eVillage FOCUS from 2011 written by Maria Perno Goldie, go to articles.