Screamers, Whiners, and Fussers:
Providing the Best for Patients and Parents
Continuing education course proposal
By Cathy Hester Seckman, R.D.H.
© 2007
This is a three-hour course, but can be altered for any time slot. It can be combined with “Gimme That Ding-
Dong!” for an all-day program. The presentation includes Power Point slides, handouts, an interactive group role-
playing exercise, and favors that have specific uses in pediatric dentistry.
Content for this course comes from more than 25 years of personal experience in general and pediatric dentistry,
as well as interviews with pediatric dentists, psychologists, and dental product representatives. It also includes
information and research from dental, dental hygiene, and psychology journals, and from the American Academy
of Pediatric Dentists and the Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Having a fussy five-year-old in the schedule can be a nightmare experience for a dental hygienist. Instead of
simply dreading it, hygienists who attend this program can learn to embrace the challenge, conquer their own
insecurity, and make dental visits better for challenging children. The first section of the program is designed to
give hygienists a workbox of management tools to use with difficult children and worried parents. The second
section focuses on home care tips and techniques; and the final section on building lasting relationships with
patients and families.
Learning objectives
o To understand the reasons behind problem behaviors
o To master techniques for defusing tantrums, calming fears, and encouraging good behavior
o To know the latest facts on pediatric topics like thumbsucking, fluoride varnish, and more
o To empower parents for better oral health care at home
o To learn to build continuing relationships with child patients and parents
Gimme that Ding Dong!
Tooth-Friendly Nutrition for Kids and Parents
Continuing education course proposal
By Cathy Hester Seckman, R.D.H.
© 2007
This is a three-hour course, but can be altered for any time slot. It can be combined with "Screamers, Whiners,
and Fussers" for an all-day program. The presentation includes Power Point slides, handouts, an interactive
group exercise, and favors that have specific uses in pediatric dentistry.
Content for this course comes from more than 25 years of personal experience in general and pediatric dentistry,
as well as interviews with pediatric dentists, nutritionists, and dental product representatives. Insights from Cynthia
Stegman, R.D.H., co-author of “Dental Hygienist’s Guide to Nutritional Care,” are also included. Other course
content will come from information and research from dental and dental hygiene journals, and from the American
Academy of Pediatric Dentists, the American Dietetic Association, and the School Nutrition Association.
Ding-Dongs for supper? It happens, and not just in families with low socioeconomic status. Parents who don’t
know enough about nutrition can be college-educated homeowners who vacation in the Caribbean, but their pre-
schoolers have 18 surfaces of decay. Hygienists who attend this three-part program will first receive a thorough
grounding in the science of nutrition as it applies to oral health, including the latest information on vitamins,
minerals, and xylitol. The second section teaches hygienists to help parents make better choices for their families
by learning to interpret nutrition labels, adapt recipes, and choose health over convenience. The third section
includes tips and techniques to make mealtimes easier for fussy children and busy parents.
Learning objectives
o To understand how nutrition directly and indirectly affects oral health in children and teens
o To understand and apply pediatric nutritional principles
o To empower parents in their nutritional choices
o To be able to affect positive change in family nutritional habits
Pre-natal to Pre-school:
Great foundations for pediatric oral health
This is a three-hour course, but can be altered for any time slot, including an all-day program. The presentation
includes Power Point slides, handouts, an interactive group exercise, and favors that have specific uses in
pediatric dentistry.
Content for this course comes from more than 25 years of personal experience in general and pediatric dentistry,
as well as interviews with pediatric dentists, obstetricians, and dental product representatives. Other course
content will come from information and research from dental and dental hygiene journals, from the American
Academy of Pediatric Dentists, from the National Children's Oral Health Foundation, and from the National Center
for Education in Maternal and Child Health.
Everyone who has had children or thought about having children is aware of the importance of maternal and child
health. It’s a big topic today. Because we’re hygienists, we also think about the smaller, but no less important sub-
topic: dental health during pregnancy and childhood. How do the choices of a mother-to-be influence her child’s
future dental health? How can you help the young women in your practice give their families the best possible
start for lifelong oral health? This course will teach you.
Learning objectives
Providing the Best for Patients and Parents
Continuing education course proposal
By Cathy Hester Seckman, R.D.H.
© 2007
This is a three-hour course, but can be altered for any time slot. It can be combined with “Gimme That Ding-
Dong!” for an all-day program. The presentation includes Power Point slides, handouts, an interactive group role-
playing exercise, and favors that have specific uses in pediatric dentistry.
Content for this course comes from more than 25 years of personal experience in general and pediatric dentistry,
as well as interviews with pediatric dentists, psychologists, and dental product representatives. It also includes
information and research from dental, dental hygiene, and psychology journals, and from the American Academy
of Pediatric Dentists and the Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Having a fussy five-year-old in the schedule can be a nightmare experience for a dental hygienist. Instead of
simply dreading it, hygienists who attend this program can learn to embrace the challenge, conquer their own
insecurity, and make dental visits better for challenging children. The first section of the program is designed to
give hygienists a workbox of management tools to use with difficult children and worried parents. The second
section focuses on home care tips and techniques; and the final section on building lasting relationships with
patients and families.
Learning objectives
o To understand the reasons behind problem behaviors
o To master techniques for defusing tantrums, calming fears, and encouraging good behavior
o To know the latest facts on pediatric topics like thumbsucking, fluoride varnish, and more
o To empower parents for better oral health care at home
o To learn to build continuing relationships with child patients and parents
Gimme that Ding Dong!
Tooth-Friendly Nutrition for Kids and Parents
Continuing education course proposal
By Cathy Hester Seckman, R.D.H.
© 2007
This is a three-hour course, but can be altered for any time slot. It can be combined with "Screamers, Whiners,
and Fussers" for an all-day program. The presentation includes Power Point slides, handouts, an interactive
group exercise, and favors that have specific uses in pediatric dentistry.
Content for this course comes from more than 25 years of personal experience in general and pediatric dentistry,
as well as interviews with pediatric dentists, nutritionists, and dental product representatives. Insights from Cynthia
Stegman, R.D.H., co-author of “Dental Hygienist’s Guide to Nutritional Care,” are also included. Other course
content will come from information and research from dental and dental hygiene journals, and from the American
Academy of Pediatric Dentists, the American Dietetic Association, and the School Nutrition Association.
Ding-Dongs for supper? It happens, and not just in families with low socioeconomic status. Parents who don’t
know enough about nutrition can be college-educated homeowners who vacation in the Caribbean, but their pre-
schoolers have 18 surfaces of decay. Hygienists who attend this three-part program will first receive a thorough
grounding in the science of nutrition as it applies to oral health, including the latest information on vitamins,
minerals, and xylitol. The second section teaches hygienists to help parents make better choices for their families
by learning to interpret nutrition labels, adapt recipes, and choose health over convenience. The third section
includes tips and techniques to make mealtimes easier for fussy children and busy parents.
Learning objectives
o To understand how nutrition directly and indirectly affects oral health in children and teens
o To understand and apply pediatric nutritional principles
o To empower parents in their nutritional choices
o To be able to affect positive change in family nutritional habits
Pre-natal to Pre-school:
Great foundations for pediatric oral health
This is a three-hour course, but can be altered for any time slot, including an all-day program. The presentation
includes Power Point slides, handouts, an interactive group exercise, and favors that have specific uses in
pediatric dentistry.
Content for this course comes from more than 25 years of personal experience in general and pediatric dentistry,
as well as interviews with pediatric dentists, obstetricians, and dental product representatives. Other course
content will come from information and research from dental and dental hygiene journals, from the American
Academy of Pediatric Dentists, from the National Children's Oral Health Foundation, and from the National Center
for Education in Maternal and Child Health.
Everyone who has had children or thought about having children is aware of the importance of maternal and child
health. It’s a big topic today. Because we’re hygienists, we also think about the smaller, but no less important sub-
topic: dental health during pregnancy and childhood. How do the choices of a mother-to-be influence her child’s
future dental health? How can you help the young women in your practice give their families the best possible
start for lifelong oral health? This course will teach you.
Learning objectives
- To understand how pre-natal choices affect child health
- To understand how future oral health fits into early childhood development
- To use those understandings to offer patients the best in information and advice , pre-natal to pre-school
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From 2010 Pediatric Nutrition seminar (Ohio Tri-County DHA)
From 2009 Pediatric Management and Pediatric Nutrition seminars (Montgomery- Bucks County DHA)
From 2007 Pediatric Management seminar (Under One Roof)
Comments from 2006 Writing Realities seminar (Under One Roof)
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| With sponsorship from GC America and Philips Sonicare, I present three programs for dental hygienists. I also speak occasionally about writing, indexing, and motorcycling. The dental programs, which I've presented in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, are: Screamers, Whiners and Fussers: Providing the Best for Patients and Parents Gimme That Ding Dong! Tooth-Friendly Nutrition for Kids and Parents Pre-natal to Pre-school: Great Foundations for Pediatric Oral Health Course descriptions and objectives are below. To contact me about presenting a program, click here |