ALD Member Spotlight on Katie Schnorrenberg, RDH

By Katie Schnorrenberg, RDH

Katie SchnorrenbergMy name is Katie Schnorrenberg and I have been a hygienist for 15 years. I love the connection that I have with my patients and I enjoy seeing improvements in their oral health. I work in a general dental office with another amazing hygienist. She has encouraged me to utilize the dental laser as a standard practice tool in periodontal therapy. We are fortunate to work with a dentist who values periodontal health and supports us as clinicians in improving our patient’s oral health by the use of the dental laser.


I started using a dental laser this year when I joined the practice of Dr. Nicole Nellis in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In my previous office, I struggled when seeing non-responsive periodontal disease in maintenance patients. I was doing the best I could with the instruments and technology available to me at the time. As patients would return following periodontal therapy, it was frustrating to see where there was little improvement in the inflammation of tissue of some patients. As many hygienists often are; I am very hard on myself. We have worked so hard to earn our license and to see failure, even when out of our control, can be very upsetting. My dentist at the time had a new diode laser in the office- sitting in a corner collecting dust. I was never given the opportunity to learn about the laser and its amazing benefits to patients that we see every day.

 

quoteFortunately, my dentist now sees the value of using the dental laser to treat periodontal disease. She has provided me access to continuingeducation courses of laser use and supports my clinical assessment of patients who would benefit from laser therapy. Patients in our practice are educated on the importance of healthy periodontal tissue, especially those that are needing restorative treatment. Educated patients value their oral health. As patients see the improvement in their periodontal charting, they are just as excited as we are. I am so glad that I have dental lasers as part of my armamentarium for practicing dental hygiene.


My co-hygienist, Angie Wallace, introduced me to the Academy of Laser Dentistry. I am thrilled to work alongside someone who has dedicated so much of her career to improving patient’s oral health through the use of dental lasers.

 

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