ArDHA Annual Conference 2025

Research is identifying increased oral-systemic links and patients are seeking improved understanding of their oral care needs. As a dental professional with a drive and passion for the advancement of preventive care within the community, Katrina Sanders, RDH, BSDH, M.Ed., RF believes it is the responsibility of dental education to produce competent, skilled and empathetic providers who possess the psychomotor and affective skills required to meet the growing demands of the dental industry.

Katrina Sanders is a clinical dental hygienist, author, award-winning educator, consultant, podcaster, international speaker, sommelier, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and dog lover. Her mission is to elevate the profession by creating an undeniable movement that educates, encourages, and empowers the dental profession to rise in its power. Known as the “Dental WINEgenist™,” she pairs her unwavering desire for excellence in the dental industry with her knowledge and passion for wine. She has charmed audiences around the world with her lectures on provocative topics that leave the participants with a call to action and a renewed sense of pride for their industry. She is enthusiastic about creating an environment where the course participants are supported, energized, and connected. Her message of empowerment and her zest for dental hygiene are infused throughout her content as she brings her own unique blend of knowledge, inspiration, charisma, and humor in her approach to continuing dental education.

Katrina is the Clinical Liaison, Hygiene Excellence and Innovation for AZPerio, the country’s largest periodontal practice. She treats advanced periodontal patients clinically, while working alongside Diplomates to the American Board of Periodontology in the surgical operatory. Katrina perfected hand skills during L.A.N.A.P. surgery, suture placement, IV therapy and blood draws. She instructs on collaborative professionalism and standard of care protocols while delivering education through hygiene boot camps and study clubs.

Katrina is the host of Fast Facts Perio Edition Podcast with A Tale of Two Hygienists and co-host the Floss & Flip Flops Podcast with her sister Dr. Elizabeth Sanders, DPM. She is a published author with RDH Magazine, Inside Dental Hygiene, Oral Health Group, DentalTown and Today’s RDH, a columnist and advisory board member for Modern Hygienist, editorial advisory member for the Dental Academy of Continuing Education and

brand ambassador for Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. Her philanthropic efforts include dental humanitarian work in developing countries, most recently in Kigali, Rwanda, supporting abused and homeless animals and spreading awareness about the benefits of organ and tissue donation in loving memory of her late mother, Linda Marie Sanders.

The ‘gold standard’ of periodontal disease management is pivoting as patients are looking to non-invasive approaches to safely, efficiently and definitively treat disease and subsequently promote health.

Despite our best efforts to study, treat and manage diseases of the periodontium, research continues to indicate increasing prevalence of oral inflammatory conditions, unpack challenges with our existing protocols and challenge the dental profession with paradigm shifts.

The ever-changing environment of health care delivery is now focusing on the convergence of precision medicine, implementation science and learning health care system studies to synergistically improve clinical health outcomes. While our medical colleagues have adapted these paradigm shifts into avant-garde approaches to patient care, dentistry is now called upon to become part of this trailblazing movement.

Join periodontal hygienist and international speaker Katrina M Sanders as she discusses a revolutionary concept of ‘Precision Periodontics’ , critically examining the current landscape of oral inflammation with a deep focus on contemporary interventions aimed to transform non-invasive care for the periodontal patient, improve clinical outcomes and optimize management of periodontal diseases.

We see patients in a perceived state of health. Despite the unending research around the prevalence of oral disease, dental providers are met with a myriad of challenges when it comes to optimized case acceptance for advanced dental treatment.

These challenges are often barriers to upholding fundamental educational principles, connecting patients to their value system and dental IQ, to name a few. The complication: these challenges are getting in the way of patients receiving the optimal treatment and level of care they need, it is affecting the metrics of the dental practice, and most concerning: oral disease prevalence continues to soar.

Using the “Assessment – Strategy – Knowledge” technique, learn how you can achieve high level treatment case acceptance simply by changing the dialogue around dentistry and ultimately: getting them to ask you for their needed treatment! Learn about how the ASSESSMENT phase provides critical insights to develop a STRATEGY to support patients in empowering themselves to approach dental communication from a space of KNOWLEDGE aimed to optimize their complex care.

Info: Learning Objectives:
Define implementation science and identify how this emerging discipline is focusing treatment strategies
Discuss precision medicine and the evidence-based interventions available to improve clinical outcomes
Evaluate paradigm shifts in the provision of periodontics and the trends in inflammatory management for the dental professional
Review the results of optimal therapy in a non-invasive approach to treating periodontal disease

Info: Learning Objectives:
Understand how the ASSESSMENT phase is a powerful educational tool for dental patients.
Develop a customized STRATEGY to foster patient- centered, value-driven conversations.
Learn to integrate KNOWLEDGE throughout the dental hygiene process to enhance patient awareness of oral and systemic health.
Collaborate in a workshop setting to apply diverse communication styles in patient care.

Host or Publisher Arkansas Dental Hygienists Association