Personally, I love New Year’s! I always write down my goals, think of numerous resolutions, and am excited for the opportunity to start anew. As a human being, many of these goals fall away, the resolutions live in my heart, and I begin to focus on each day. There is something to be said for living in the moment each day while focusing on your personal presence. I heard a quote the other day about no matter how busy you may be, take the time to be present in the moment and share your presence with those you are with. Find the time to put the phone down, make eye contact, and slow down to live in the moment.
What kind of new beginnings do you have in mind? Recently attending the Greater New York Dental Meeting, I was fortunate to hear about new product launches and new prospects for professional development. Some of you will be looking for opportunities to spread your wings professionally. Others will look for unique ideas to bring into their operatories to provide higher quality patient care. And many will be preparing to graduate and begin to look for new ways to make a difference. The 2020 focus of RDH is to make sure we are providing you with the content to support you in the directions you will be heading.
This year, RDH Under One Roof will be celebrating its 20-year anniversary at the Gaylord Rockies Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. Mark your calendar and save the dates of July 16–18, 2020, to learn, network, and move your professional development forward. On the cover of this month’s magazine, 11 Colorado licensed hygienists took the opportunity to share the day and get to know each other better. Each of these individuals have a unique path that drove them to their current roles in our profession. Watch future editions of RDH to learn more about these trendsetters.
Within the pages of the magazine, you will read one of our first articles cowritten by an interprofessional team, a dental hygienist and a registered nurse. As our profession embraces interprofessional education and the roles of collaboration, we found it most fitting to provide articles that support the message.
You will also find an in-depth introductory article on employee law written by Anne Guignon. You have been asking a lot of questions about this topic. We at RDH understand the confusion surrounding so many of these issues, and Anne has taken the time to complete the research. She has aligned herself with other professionals, and they have worked together to provide the answers. In future issues of RDH eVillage, our flagship e-newsletter with original content, we will have regularly appearing articles answering different questions you have asked. (Not receiving RDH eVillage? Subscribe at rdhmag.com/subscribe.)
In conclusion, dental hygienists are caregivers, and we often take care of ourselves last. This year, find the time to be present with yourself, reflect on what strengthens you, and enjoy being mindful of who you are. Happy New Year!
Warmest regards,
Jackie
