Longtime columnists Dianne Watterson and Nancy Burkhart to retire from RDH

Jackie Sanders, MBA, RDH, editor in chief of RDH:

RDH would like to extend an honorable acknowledgement to two of our long-term columnists and board members.

Dianne Watterson, MBA, RDH started writing for RDH in 1997 with her favored column, StaffRx. Within her content she would answer pressing questions from our readers, providing insights and recommendations through her personal expertise.

Nancy W, Burkhart, Ed.D, MEd., BS, RDH, AAFAAOM, wrote her first article in 2006 and has continued to share her proficiency on oral pathology with her Oral Health column. With each column she would provide educational information on different pathologies.

The educational content provided by these ladies will be missed. They've provided RDH readers with years of dedicated commitment, always sharing their wealth of knowledge and making us all better.

My first column for RDH was in 2006 with PennWell, and that began my writing career for the columns. Jackie [Sanders] asked what my favorite column was and I have to say, it was a recent one on “happiness” which was an interview with Dr. Laurie Santos at Yale University. Laurie has the most popular course at the university with a usual waitlist for students. I found this most interesting—why would obviously very intelligent students need a course on happiness? Our society has been riddled with violence, diverse politics, and health-related issues that have caused many to rethink their paths in life, and search for a deeper meaning. Change is not always easy, but you must know when the time for change is most beneficial for you. Growth happens when you make a decision and realize that the pursuit of new avenues will benefit you.

It has been a pleasure writing the oral pathology topics over the years and recently, my oral medicine columns. The one good thing about oral pathology is that things are often basics that don’t change much, but we in the dental world need to know these facts and have them reinforced periodically. It has been so nice to meet many of you, whether personally or through comments and emails. My work will continue with the International Oral Lichen Planus Support Group through Texas A&M College of Dentistry, the American Academy of Oral Medicine, Concord Dental Seminars, dental articles in select journals, and my work on Anti-Human Trafficking Education. Thank you all so much! Keep asking good questions and always listen to your patients.

I also want to recognize my friend and contributor to many of my columns, Carol Perkins. Carol not only provided many images, commentary and feedback for me, but her curiosity and dedication to her patients also truly inspired me.

Read Nancy's pick from her time at RDH: "Is happiness a factor in overall health?"

Read more of Nancy's work through the years

Dianne Glasscoe Watterson, MBA, RDH

It has been my great privilege and honor to be a regular contributor for RDH magazine for the past 23 years. While writing for RDH magazine has been a labor of love, it has given me a national voice. What I wanted to do more than anything was to address problems that hygienists “in the trenches” experience. My work experience in regular offices and temping, teaching in a dental hygiene program, and consulting in hundreds of dental practices has given me a wide-angle view of what hygienists face every day across the country. What a blessing it has been to be in a position to be able help multitudes of dental hygienists work through difficulties they face in the workplace. I hold all dental hygienists dear to my heart and wish for you nothing but the best!

Read Dianne's pick from her time at RDH: Prophy vs. perio maintenance: What's the difference?

Read more of Dianne's work through the years