Learning Objectives: 

• Recognize the interconnected roles of airway health, hormonal balance, and skeletal integrity in the development of conditions such as osteoporosis, metabolic dysfunction, and sleep-disordered breathing.  
• Identify clinical signs and red flags during routine dental hygiene care that may signal underlying systemic diseases or imbalances.  
• Apply practical screening tools and interdisciplinary communication strategies to support early detection, patient education, and collaborative whole-body health care.

Join us for an eye-opening session that uncovers the often-overlooked connections between airway and breathing, hormone imbalances, and skeletal health concerns like low bone density.  As front-line providers, dental hygienists are in a unique position to recognize subtle signs of systemic imbalance during routine care that often go unnoticed by other healthcare providers. This course will dive into how fluctuations in hormones like estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, and insulin can directly impact both airway function and bone health, contributing to issues such as sleep-disordered breathing, and metabolic disorders like osteoporosis. In turn, explore how compromised airways and chronic inflammation may raise the risk for endocrine and metabolic disorders, and even sexual dysfunction.   From tongue posture and parafunctional habits to changes in bone architecture and signs of hormonal shifts, hygienists can play a powerful role in identifying early red flags that can transform everyday hygiene visits into opportunities for whole-body health detection and intervention. Walk away from this course with practical screening tools, clinical insights, and the confidence to collaborate with other healthcare providers in supporting whole-body health, starting right from your dental operatory. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your impact and expand your role in integrative care.