Dental hygienists have the ability to reduce inequalities in health conditions or access to health services by speaking for certain causation, policies, or individuals or groups of people.[2] As an advocate, dental hygienists should develop their relationships with various communities and act as a representatives on behalf of certain people who are unable to speak in terms of their situation of health care system or oral hygiene environment. This includes efforts to promote oral health to the public, other health professionals and politicians.

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   Within a few weeks of starting school, I thought about the meaning as I wrote the first reflection on the advocate of a dental hygienist. My first reflection on advocate was a simple concept of helping my client from the dental hygienist's point of view, but I did not understand that much or what it meant. I understood advocacy is only about protecting my clients from misinformation. I did not know that dental hygienist can affect the client's lifetime oral health and general health and underestimated the power of the dental hygienist's voice.

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      CIBC Run for the Cure, which supports women with breast cancer, is Canada's largest day-long, volunteer-led event. Sharing life-saving preventive messages with the community prompted my involvement as a human being in the modern age, where the proportion of cancer patients is increasing. The Manitoba Dental Hygienist Association (MDHA) participates in this event every year so that we can spread our health advocacy competency and take action. By distributing materials for this event to dental hygiene group members in the community to promote healthy living and risk reduction messages, MDHA works with local media through public service announcements and other resources to support breast cancer prevention. I attended marathon with my classmates and supporting Run for the Cure marathon event. By attending this event, it means that I supported dental hygienist advocate action for all breast cancer patients in Canada. [Evidence 1] 

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Evidence 1. Run for the Cure marathon event 

 

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   In Community health class, my group members and I have been assigned projects to advocate for community health. Our target group was First Nations youth from remote communities of the Diabetes Education Resource for children and adolescents. We received the scenario that their oral health was not good and the youth came from many of the homes that do not have running water.

   We are beginning to think about the running water issue more seriously. How do we engage in daily hygiene, including oral hygiene when our home and all those in your community do not have running water? We found out the lack of clean, safe drinking water in First Nations is one of the greatest violations of the UN-recognized human rights to water and sanitation. We thought it was very crucial information that dental hygienist must know especially in Manitoba since there are many indigenous population, thus, we emphasized several points in class presentation, such as systemic health risks from contaminated water and video of indigenous family who lived in lack of clean water environment. We found there was a government petition form on the Council of Canadians’ web page and the PDF was available for printing and sending to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to request ending all drinking water advisories in First Nations. It was an eye-opening experience to learn about clean water issue and as a dental hygienist the petition can be used practically to advocate people.  [Evidence 2]

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Evidence 2. Community advocacy assignment  

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   As a dental hygienist, I have learned that I have an important responsibility in advocating the general health of the community. I am going to speak up as a dental hygienist, not just for oral health, but for huge advocacy for my community when problems arise that affect whole-body health. Another important lesson is that dental hygienists must also advocate our jobs in an effort to help change the community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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