Dear RDH,
In reference to the article, "Reflections on Today`s Hygienists" (RDH, July 1995, p. 12), I am in agreement that it would have meant more to me to read the opinions of dentists who are in the trenches with us, not the authors - who are speakers and publicity seekers.
I was especially disappointed to see the opinions of Howard Farran in the pages of RDH. I have a cassette he did with Whitehall and Associates where he speaks about hygienists using such terms as, "vultures at best, prima donna vultures" and saying that "the only thing that excites them [hygienists] is their Amway or NuSkin meetings."
Dr. Farran is clearly no champion of the hygienists in general practice. It does not take a PhD in human relations to know that a prima donna hygienist is a prima donna person and would behave so in any profession he or she chose.
Most of the hygienists I have ever had the pleasure to work with have mirrored my work ethic. They act as if they have ownership in the practice and treat all they meet as equals.
I have invested a lot of time, money and effort to keep myself at the top of my profession in the past 31 years and very much resent people like Dr. Farran and his broad sweeping brush painting hygienists all one color in their attitude. I personally boycott his meetings.
RDH has been a wonderful source of information for me over the years, and I regret my first letter to Readers` Forum has this tone to it. Keep up your fine work.
Suzanne Mann, RDH
Waupaca, Wisconsin
Editor`s Note:
Dr. Farran`s emphasis in the aforementioned RDH article was for hygienists to help place "value" on hygiene and periodontal services. This magazine, of course, did not address Dr. Farran`s perspectives in other media, but his comments to RDH were very favorable to dental hygienists.
