SLS 17RS-1114 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 73
BY SENATOR MORRISH
SENATE. Recognizes May 4, 2017, as Dental Hygiene Day at the Louisiana Senate.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To recognize May 4, 2017, as Dental Hygiene Day at the Louisiana Senate.
3 WHEREAS, 2017 marks the one hundred fourth anniversary of the dental hygiene
4 profession with the opening of the first dental hygiene school by Dr. Alfred C. Fones in
5 Bridgeport, Connecticut; and
6 WHEREAS, a dental hygienist is a preventive oral health professional licensed in
7 dental hygiene who provides educational, clinical, and therapeutic services supporting total
8 health care through the promotion of optimal oral health; and
9 WHEREAS, the education of a dental hygienist emphasizes all of the basic sciences
10 and eligibility for licensure based upon successful completion of both a written National
11 Board Dental Hygiene Examination and a clinical state board examination; and
12 WHEREAS, dental hygienists are committed to maintaining the highest levels of
13 quality and to keeping abreast of the most advanced technology in their field, as they
14 advocate continuing education courses in oral health care to maintain their licenses and to
15 ensure that they provide state-of-the-art oral hygiene to their patients; and
16 WHEREAS, a dental hygienist is a vital member of a complete dental team and is
17 responsible for providing treatment that helps to prevent oral disease and for educating the
18 patient to maintain optimal oral health in order to prevent such oral diseases; and
Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 73
SLS 17RS-1114 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, for over ninety years, registered dental hygienists have provided quality
2 preventive oral health care to millions of American adults and children; and
3 WHEREAS, dental hygienists have established a record of excellence in providing
4 quality care for those patients with special needs; and
5 WHEREAS, there are approximately one thousand six hundred licensed dental
6 hygienists serving the oral health care needs to the citizens of the state of Louisiana; and
7 WHEREAS, the month of October is designated as Dental Hygiene Month, focusing
8 on the preventive benefits of good oral hygiene; and
9 WHEREAS, the Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association, along with other dental
10 professions, celebrated Children's Dental Health Month in February, which focused on the
11 needs of dental care for children in Louisiana; and
12 WHEREAS, it is appropriate to recognize dental hygienists for the quality dental
13 health care they provide, and to encourage citizens to become familiar with, and appreciative
14 of, the benefits of good dental hygiene.
15 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
16 does hereby recognize May 4, 2017, as Dental Hygiene Day and commends the Louisiana
17 Dental Hygienists' Association and dental hygienists around Louisiana for their tireless
18 efforts in promoting good dental health.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
20 Louisiana Dental Hygienists' Association.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Nancy Vicknair.
DIGEST
SR 73 Original 2017 Regular Session Morrish
Recognizes May 4, 2017, as Dental Hygiene Day at the Louisiana Senate.
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