Provider Profile, Karen Hall, RDH, LAP
In 2004, after more than 15 years as a hygienist in private practice, Karen Hall took the opportunity to volunteer with Northwest Medical Teams in Honduras. “It changed my thinking,” said Hall. “Working with patients who had so little and needed so much made me want to shift my focus to public health and work with communities who are underserved.”
When a position opened at Virginia Garcia, it was a perfect fit. Hall joined VG Dental in Hillsboro in 2007 and was part of the planning and implementation of VG Dental OB Dental program. “When a pregnant woman comes to the dental clinic, I do the initial exam and cleaning and set up a schedule for periodic visits throughout her pregnancy. I also work with women to educate them about the importance of oral hygiene not just for themselves, but also for their families.”
A graduate of OHSU's dental hygiene program, Hall works with students from Pacific University who do a rotation at VG Dental. The OB Dental classes are held at the Virginia Garcia Hillsboro Dental Clinic and serve over 200 women Pictured above, Alicia Garcia Rodriguez and Karen Hall
per year.
Virginia Garcia also developed an innovative program called First Tooth. First Tooth provides training and education in oral hygiene and risk assessment for primary care providers and dentists around the state. Hall has been involved with First Tooth from the first pilot programs in Washington and Clackamas Counties.
“The goal of the program is to help medical providers recognize the early signs of decay and to get dentists to take on the three years and under year age group.” said Hall. The five steps in the First Tooth program include: oral screening, risk assessment, fluoride treatment, patient evaluation and referral to a dentist. “The reception to First Tooth in Washington and Clackamas Counties has been very positive,” said Hall. “Primary care providers appreciated the extra training.” This spring, Hall will begin traveling around the state to offer First Tooth to some of Oregon’s underserved communities. “I’ve always been a clinician,” said Hall, “but this is an opportunity to promote and carry out a program about which I’m very excited.”
Hall’s work doesn’t stop at the end of her work week. In her ‘spare time,’ she is organizing mobile dental clinics as part of ‘Love Inc. in churches around Newberg where she lives. Hall works to get providers to donate their time and supplies. A-dec, a dental equipment manufacturing company in Newberg has generously offered to provide some equipment, according to Hall. Recently a pediatric dentist who knew of Hall’s efforts opened his clinic on a day the clinic is regularly closed and volunteered his services at no charge. “I’m going to do this once a month,” he told her.