Meet Sheryl - an Account Executive and Oral Systemic Educator

Meet Sheryl Start, BS, RDH, CH-OSE from Kalamazoo, Michigan! She is a proud founding member of NNHH, and an account executive for Dasco, a medical equipment company.

Her current role is 100% administrative, yet she dreams of educating in a hospital setting some day;  making rounds alongside physicians to educate patients about oral systemic connections. She enrolled in the Oral Systemic Educator Certificate Program to further her education and move toward her dream job, and to remind us all that even if we are no longer in clinical hygiene practicing direct patient care, knowledge about systemic health is relevant in our daily lives.

For her Capstone Project she chose to speak to a group of cancer survivors on the effects of chemotherapy and/or radiation on the oral cavity. She wanted to educate individuals on the importance of oral care before, during and after treatment and created a handout so that the information could be presented to new members ongoing.

“I provided a handout that outlined some of the common oral side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, xerostomia, and mucositis. It discussed the importance of visiting a dentist's office before, during, and after cancer treatment. Furthermore, it highlighted how important saliva is to the oral cavity; ways to increase saliva through salivary substitutes, benefits of xylitol products, and importance of a meticulous oral hygiene regimen.”

Oncology support is near to her heart after losing a hygiene school friend at the young age of 24 to stage 4 colon cancer. “While enduring several chemotherapy treatments, the effects on her oral cavity were evident, but at least (as an RDH) she knew how to help herself. As oral health professionals, we know this is not true for most patients undergoing cancer treatment,” Sheryl said.

If you are considering elevating your credentials with an accredited certificate program, Sheryl would tell another hygienist to “Go for it! It’s important that we keep learning, growing, and promoting our profession.”

Learn more about the Oral Systemic Educator Certificate Program HERE