Better Together with Kathy Rezba: Enhancing Smiles Through Mobile Dentistry

By Dakota Richardson, Aspiring Dental Hygienist

Have you ever wondered what happens to someone’s dental care when they can no longer make it to a dentist’s office? For many seniors in nursing homes and assisted living communities, this is their reality. But thanks to visionaries like Kathy Rezba, founder of Hygeia Corp. Mobile Dentistry, these seniors don’t have to go without essential oral healthcare.

A Passion Born in School

As a high school student dreaming of becoming a dental hygienist myself, I was thrilled to interview Kathy Rezba about her journey. Rezba’s vision for mobile dentistry began during her college years in a “Community Dental Health” course. While her classmates focused on more common healthcare issues, Rezba’s group chose to address the specific needs of the elderly, particularly those in nursing homes where dental care often gets neglected.

“There wasn’t a clear path for what I wanted to do,” Rezba explained. “It took a lot of research to figure it out on my own.”

Although she worked in traditional dental offices for years after graduation, Rezba never lost her passion for bringing dental care directly to seniors who couldn’t come to a clinic. This dream eventually led to the creation of Hygeia Corp. Mobile Dentistry, a 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to improving the quality of life in the elderly population.

More Than Just Teeth: Why Senior Oral Health Matters

What struck me most during our conversation was how passionate Rezba is about the connection between oral health and overall health. She explained that poor oral care in long-term care settings can lead to serious health risks, including:

• Three times higher risk of pneumonia
• Complications with heart disease and diabetes linked to gum disease
• Increased hospital admissions that could be prevented with routine dental care

“As we age, our oral health becomes vital to our overall health,” Rezba emphasized. “By offering dental care to seniors, we’re making a big impact on their quality of life.”

A Day in the Life of Mobile Dentistry

Hygeia provides a range of services including professional dental cleanings, dental x-rays, tele-dentistry, fluoride treatments, and silver diamine treatments. But how does this work in practice?

At each nursing home, Rezba typically sets up in a designated area—often the beauty shop or a community room. She brings all her equipment, including drills, suction equipment, and a portable X-ray machine. This setup allows her to see both scheduled patients and walk-ins.

“Each patient is different,” she says. “Some are in wheelchairs, some are bed-bound, so I have to adjust how I work with them.”

This flexibility is essential in her line of work. Rezba currently travels for up to an hour to serve areas like Green Bay and Manitowoc, with plans to expand her reach to Appleton and Sheboygan.

Challenges and Dreams

Starting a mobile dentistry business wasn’t without its challenges. As a hygienist, Rezba faced limitations in the services she could provide.

“As a hygienist, there were certain practices I couldn’t offer, like fillings or extractions,” she explained. “But I can offer Dental Prophylaxis, Oral Health Assessments, Oral Cancer Screenings, Periodontal Screenings, Fluoride Treatments, and Necessary Referrals.”

Looking ahead, Rezba has big dreams for Hygeia. One of her main goals is to have a hygienist on staff at each nursing home to oversee regular dental checkups for residents. She’s also hoping to acquire a dedicated mobile unit—possibly a bus—equipped with everything needed to provide care on-site.

“Having everything in one place would make patient care easier,” she says, though she acknowledges it would need to be ADA compliant to meet everyone’s needs.

Advice for Future Oral Health Professionals

As someone planning to enter the field of dental hygiene, I was eager to hear Rezba’s advice. Her words have stuck with me:

“Never stop learning,” she said with conviction. “Go for your bachelor’s and keep finding new ways to do things. You always want as much experience as you can get.”

Rezba shared that one of her few regrets is not pursuing her bachelor’s degree earlier in her career. “I wish I had gotten my bachelor’s right away instead of waiting, so I could teach and provide dental care at the same time,” she reflected.

Making a Difference One Smile at a Time

Recently, Hygeia received a grant from The Green Bay Packer Foundation to provide educational training to nursing home staff about oral health for their residents. This kind of community support shows the growing recognition of the importance of senior oral health care.

As I prepare to participate in NEWAHEC’s upcoming Future Oral Health Workforce Day on April 15 at Lakeshore Community Health Care’s Sheboygan Clinic, I’m inspired by Rezba’s dedication. Her work with Hygeia isn’t just about treating teeth; it’s about building relationships, advocating for seniors, and ensuring they receive the respect and care they deserve.

After speaking with Kathy Rezba, I’m more excited than ever about my future in dental hygiene. I can’t wait to see where my dental career takes me and how I can help people too.

Looking Forward: The Journey Continues

My exploration of dental career paths doesn’t end with mobile dentistry. Next, I’ll be sharing my shadowing and interview experience at Bloom Family Dental located at 3233 Superior Ave, Sheboygan, where I’ll get to see how a traditional practice operates. I’m eager to explore the workflows and patient interactions in a fixed location versus the adaptive approach Rezba has mastered with her mobile services. As I continue my journey toward becoming a dental hygienist, these firsthand experiences are shaping not just my career goals, but my understanding of how dental professionals can truly make a difference in their communities. Stay tuned to hear all about my day in the life at Bloom Family Dental!