During the month of March, we have much to celebrate at HPC!
National Social Work Month
March is Social Work Month and a time to acknowledge the work that this profession has contributed to our society and across the globe. The profession has grown and evolved from very humble beginnings. This year’s theme is “Social Workers: Generations Strong”. As we enter the new decade, let us honor the impact that the profession has had on our community for generations.
According to the National Association of Social Workers (2019), there are approximately 680,000 social workers in the United States who are actively employed. Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in this nation. This is due in large part to the versatility of the general practitioner.
The social work profession has been in existence for more than 100 years. Social workers are encouraged to advocate for the most vulnerable and oppressed members of society and must adhere to the most stringent professional code of ethics.
We salute our social workers, Cecilia Ponce, LSCSW and Amy Gray, LSCSW!
National Dental Assistant Week, March 1-7
“A 20/20 Dental Assistant – Looking Toward the Future” is this year’s theme and acknowledges the growing importance of dentistry’s role in health care and the responsibilities of dental assistants.
There are approximately 346,000 dental assistants in the United States. In Kansas, there are approximately 2,600 dental assistants.
Dental assistants wear many hats in a dental clinic! They greet patients, review medical histories, take X-rays, perform dental charting during the dentist exam, assist the dentist chair-side during procedures, polish teeth, review post-operative instructions and schedule patients.
In Kansas, dental assistants are not required to be certified. However, The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) is the nationally recognized certification organization for dental assistants. Certification is a source of pride for dental assistants and provides professional advantage and potentially greater earning power.
Thank you to our HPC dental assistants, Katie Hickman, Kaycee Mayfield, Marta Reasoner and Stephanie Rojas!
National Dentist Day, March 6
National Dentist Day was created as a day to say thank you and show your appreciation for your dentist. It is celebrated annually on March 6.
Do you know?
- There are approximately 188,200 dentists who are professionally active in the United States. There are 1,392 active dentists in Kansas, of which 278 are specialists
- The education and training of dentists typically includes four years of college, four years of dental school and two to three years of residency training if a specialty is chosen.
- There are two different but equivalent degrees dentists may earn: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD).
- Dentists ranked number two out of the 100 best jobs according to the U.S. News & World Report. Two dental specialties also placed in the top 10: number four, orthodontist and number nine oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
- In the United States, nine specialties are recognized by the American Dental Association.
- Orthodontics
- Dentofacial orthopedics
- Pediatric dentistry
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Oral and maxillofacial pathology
- Endodontics
- Public health dentistry
- Oral and maxillofacial radiology
Special thanks to our dentists, Emily Day, DDS, Nader Rastgoftar, DDS, and Richard Viloria, DDS, for providing top notch patient care!
National Doctor’s Day, March 30
National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on March 30 each year in the United States to honor physicians for the work they do for their patients, in their communities and for society.
- There are over a million physicians in the United States.
- The education and training of physicians typically includes four years of college, four years of medical school, three to five years of residency training in the chosen specialty and one to three years of additional training for sub-specialists.
- There are two different but equivalent degrees doctors can earn: Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
- The training years are difficult with long work hours of often 80 hours per week, low pay and many overnight shifts in the hospital. In addition, the highest levels of professionalism, conduct and ethics are expected of doctors.
- Areas of practice include the primary care specialties such as family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Other specialties include surgery, obstetrics and gynecology and psychiatry. There are well over 100 specialties and sub-specialties in the United States.
- The specialty that sees the most patients during office visits is family medicine.
