Page 1 of 2 Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 88 BY SENATOR ALARIO A RESOLUTION To recognize Wednesday, April 30, 2014, as Dental Hygiene Day and to commend the Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association. WHEREAS, a dental hygienist is a preventive oral health professional licensed in dental hygiene who provides educational, clinical, and therapeutic services supporting total oral health care through the promotion of optimal oral health; and WHEREAS, the education of a dental hygienist emphasizes all of the basic sciences and eligibility for licensure as a dental hygienist is based upon successful completion of both a written National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a clinical state board examination; and WHEREAS, as a profession, dental hygienists are committed to maintaining the highest levels of quality and to keeping abreast of the most advanced technology in their field; and WHEREAS, dental hygienists advocate continuing education courses in oral health to maintain their licenses and to ensure that they provide state-of-the-art oral hygiene to their patients; and WHEREAS, a dental hygienist is a vital member of a complete dental team and is responsible for providing treatment that helps to prevent oral disease and for educating the patient to maintain optimal oral health in order to prevent such oral diseases; and WHEREAS, over the course of the one hundred one years of the existence of dental hygiene as a profession, registered dental hygienists have provided quality preventive oral health care to millions of American adults and children; and WHEREAS, dental hygienists have also established a record of excellence in providing quality care for those patients with special needs; and SR NO. 88 ENROLLED Page 2 of 2 WHEREAS, approximately one thousand six hundred licensed dental hygienists are currently serving the oral health needs of the people of the state; and WHEREAS, the month of October is designated as Dental Hygiene Month, focusing on the preventive benefits of good oral hygiene; and WHEREAS, the Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association, in collaboration with other dental professions, celebrated Children's Dental Health Month in February, which focused on the need for dental care for the children of the state; and WHEREAS, it is appropriate to recognize dental hygienists and to encourage citizens to become familiar with and appreciative of the benefits of good dental hygiene. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby recognize April 30, 2014, as Dental Hygiene Day and does commend the Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association and dental hygienists throughout the state of Louisiana for their tireless efforts in promoting good dental health for the citizens of the state. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE