Ashley Morin DH '77, BSDH '10 Works to Raise the Standards of Care
10/8/2010
Since graduation, much of Ashley Morin's scope of practice has been chairside in various private practices. She also spent 2 ½ years at Boston University's School of Dental Medicine serving as the only dental hygienist participating as a member of "Team Clinic," a federally-funded program designed to teach third- and fourth-year dental students the art of managing a practice using expanded-function assistants and hygienists. She later served as the Oral Hygiene therapist for University Hospital Spinal Cord Unit and Institute for the Correction of facial Deformities, adopting hygiene tolls and creating specialized home care protocols for patients and was also a dental radiography instructor at Warren Community College in Washington, N.J.
While at Warren Community College, Ashley realized that she enjoyed being an educator and that in order to change her career from chairside to clinical she needed to complete her bachlor's degree. Family responsibilities delayed her pursuit, but when her oldest daughter was a freshman at Drexel University, she began a four-year transition into the classroom after a 30 year absence and enrolled in MCPHS' online dental hygiene bachelor degree completion program. The program required 2 externships with a mentor; she contacted a friend who was a former director for Newark N.J. Division of Youth and Family Services (Child Protective Services). During this externship she became emotionally involved with the plight of sexually abused and neglected children, and it slowly became her "raison d'être" and led to her research that was published as a feature article in RDH magazine titled Mandatory CE for our Children? Would a required course increase reporting of child abuse?
Ashley lives in Whitehouse Station, N.J., and is currently involved with the Oral Health Coalition in New Jersey and with the New Jersey Dental Hygienists Association. She is diligently working to raise the standards of care for the underprivileged and striving to change the continuing education requirements for re-licensure for dental hygienist to include mandatory CE in child abuse and neglect. Her document is currently under review by the N.J. State Board of Dentistry.
Ashley is a wonderful example of a dental hygiene alum who is making a difference in our world!