- MEDIUM
- Clinical
- Tier 2
- Clinical & Visual
A place for the dental hygienist in cardiac rehabilitation
- Source
- RDH Magazine
- Author
- Amy Salonek, RDH, RCS
- Originally at
- rdhmag.com(opens in a new tab)
Summary and scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol. Not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
Dental hygienists can expand their scope into cardiac rehabilitation programs by delivering oral-health education and referral pathways, potentially creating new clinical partnerships with cardiac care teams.
Key points
- 01
RDH Magazine describes one hygienist’s experience joining a cardiac rehabilitation team to discuss oral care, dry mouth, and dental access during recovery classes.
- 02
The author cites an American Heart Association Scientific Statement that notes an observed association between periodontal disease and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and calls for interdisciplinary collaboration.
- 03
The article suggests hygienists could lead recurring education sessions, track referrals, and document barriers such as cost and transportation without claiming cardiovascular-event reductions.
- 04
The piece states that shared risk factors and possible inflammatory or bacteremia pathways may explain the observed association but do not establish causation.
Who should care
- Associate
- Staff
Read the original
RDH Magazine
Full reporting and any paywalled content live on rdhmag.com. We summarize and score; we do not republish.