Bio / Credentials

Hi! My name is Amanda McHenry, RDH. I am a practicing clinical dental hygienist, and freelance writer. 

I graduated from Illinois Central College in the spring of 2010 with an Associate's Degree in Applied Science/Dental Hygiene. I effectively balanced a full-time career while maintaining a 3.87 GPA. I was awarded the Hu Friedy Golden Scaler for academic and clinical excellence. In April 2010, I achieved a score of 96 percent on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.

I have worked full-time as a dental hygienist for the last fourteen years. During this time, I have experienced a wide range of dental offices, from single dentist to ten-plus dentist practices. Having the opportunity to work with so many brilliant dental professionals throughout my career with their vast knowledge and skill sets has been an enormous boon to my professional development. 

Before changing careers entirely, I worked for a large regional electric and natural gas utility company. It was here that I started writing professionally. I developed, launched, wrote, edited, and published a monthly newsletter distributed to over 300 employees in three locations. I was part of a two-person team responsible for the re-write of all templated professional company correspondences. This project took place while attending college full-time in the dental hygiene program. I have a proven record for managing multiple complicated tasks simultaneously and meeting deadlines without fail.

I am thankful for each opportunity I have been given in my career. I am excited about this new chapter and establishing myself as an authority in my field and a fresh voice and perspective on the issues that matter most to patients and my esteemed colleagues.

I look forward to working with you.

Contact Me

Credentials

October 2020 - Present 

Dental Hygiene License with Local Anesthesia 

State of Colorado


August 2020 - Current 

Advanced Cardiac Life Support 

American Heart Association


AGD PACE Continuing Education Presenter


Key Skills


*Expertise, authority, and trustworthiness in matters of dental science and health

*Professional communications

*Content creation

*Writing/editing

*Managing deadlines

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Burnout Among Dental Professionals: Causes, Implications, and Solutions

Image
Burnout, by definition, is “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.” Sound familiar? If you’re a dental professional, it likely does. We know the harsh realities of burnout all too well. Statistically, healthcare professionals suffer more from occupational burnout than in other industries. Why is that? We’ll get there if you don’t already know. While we’re at it, we’ll talk about the symptoms of burnout, the implications of burnout on your dental practice, and what you can do to help prevent burnout for yourself and your team. If you are one of the lucky dental professionals who have never experienced burnout nor seen what it looks like on your staff or coworkers, you may ask, “How big of a deal is this?” According to a Deloitte survey of 1,000 full-time US professionals, 77 percent of participants reported experiencing burnout in their current position at least once. More than half of those participants reporte...
Read more

Ho Ho Hop: Why Correlation is Not My Strong Suite

Image
I read “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” the summer before second grade. I’ve always been ahead of my time. This was how I learned that either Santa wasn’t real or Judy Blume was fooling generations of children. I didn’t want to believe either thing, but in the end, it was easier to swallow the Santa-shaped pill. I confronted my parents. “Is Santa real?” My mother didn’t say a word, only looked at my father, whose face showed signs of both heartbreak and resolve. He had known this would be coming; he just wasn’t prepared for the conversation in the middle of June. “Why do you ask, Panders?” “I’m reading a book, and there’s a part about how Santa isn’t real.” “What the hell kind of books are you letting her read?” He is addressing my mother. “It’s Judy Blume, Daddy!” He is unmoved by my proclamation. Daddy was probably too busy reading “Animal Farm” at my age to know anything about Judy Blume. “You taught her to read early, and now she reads above her grade level.” My mother gives him t...
Read more

Do Lead Aprons Still Have a Place in the Dental Office?

Image
In September, I read a position statement from the ADA regarding the discontinuation of lead apron use. I scanned the article, thought it far-fetched, and went on my way. A couple weeks later, I was preparing to take X-rays on my patient, a radiology tech. As I reached for the lead apron, she stopped me, saying, “I don’t want it.” I turned back towards her, only mildly confused. She continued, “I’m an X-ray tech, and we no longer use lead aprons because they cause more harm than good.” Remembering the statement from the ADA, I replied enthusiastically that I was just learning how lead aprons might be a thing of the past. She told me that at least two hospital systems in our area had completely done away with lead aprons - even for pregnant women. While walking the dogs with my husband that night, I asked if he could find out if they were still using them at the hospital where he works. His response was flippant: “Won’t the answer obviously be ‘yes?’” I rolled my eyes as I told him that...
Read more