2026 Missouri Dental Hygienists' Summit Speaker Lineup
Kathy S. Forbes, RDH, BS, FADHA
Course Titles & Descriptions
What is the CDT Procedure Code for a "Cleaning"?
Oh Wait-There isn't one! 3CEs
Many dental professionals use the term "cleaning" to describe preventive and periodontal services, yet no CDT procedure code exists for a "cleaning." Accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, documentation, and code selection are essential to providing appropriate patient care and ensuring billing accuracy.
This course reviews the ADA CDT descriptors for the most commonly used preventive and periodontal procedure codes, helping clinicians better understand when and why each code should be used. Participants will also explore current evaluation codes, ICD-10 diagnostic codes, dental insurance considerations, and communication strategies that support patient understanding and case acceptance.
Learning Objectives
*Understand CDT codes related to evaluations, preventive services, periodontal therapy, and dental hygiene procedures.
* Review dental insurance fundamentals and current reimbursement trends.
* Improve patient communication to support treatment acceptance and long-term oral health outcomes.
Speaker Bio
Kathy S. Forbes, RDH, BS, FADHA is a dental hygienist, educator, speaker, author, consultant, and seminar leader with more than 40 years of experience in clinical practice and professional education. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in periodontal classification, treatment planning, documentation, and CDT procedure code selection.
Kathy serves as Chair of the ADHA Coding Committee and has been actively involved in the ADA Code Maintenance Committee process since 2017. She is a frequent contributor to professional publications and, through Professional Dental Seminars, Inc., provides interactive education focused on clinical decision-making, coding accuracy, and periodontal patient care.
Karmen Vaughn, BSDH, RDH
Keynote
Finding Your Voice: Advocating for Yourself, Your Patients, and Your Profession .5CEs
Gain the confidence to advocate for yourself, your patients, and the future of dental hygiene. Karmen Vaughn's inspiring keynote will empower attendees to find their voice, embrace leadership opportunities, and make a lasting impact on the profession and the communities they serve.
Speaker Bio
Karmen Vaughn is a Registered Dental Hygienist and public health leader with more than 14 years of experience advancing oral health access across Missouri. She is active in statewide advocacy efforts through the Missouri Dental Hygienists’ Association, working to strengthen the dental hygiene workforce and promote patient-centered care. Karmen is passionate about prevention, community collaboration, and improving access to oral health services for underserved populations across the state.
Megan Krohn, DDS
Session Topic
The State of Missouri’s Oral Health: A Landscape Overview 1.5 CEs
From Awareness to Action: Understanding Missouri's Oral Health Needs and Your Impact as a Hygienist
Attendee Transformation:
*Understand statewide oral health trends
*Gain insight into workforce and access-to-care challenges
*Better understand the role hygienists play in improving public health
*Leave feeling connected to a larger professional mission
Speaker Bio
Megan Krohn, DDS serves as the Chief Dental Consultant for The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) within the Office of Dental Health (ODH). Krohn is responsible for developing and overseeing core public health activities aimed at improving oral health in Missouri. Her focus is on providing clinical expertise to drive forward the strategic initiatives of the department ensuring there is access to oral health information and services for all Missourians.
Dr. Krohn previously served as the Executive Vice President of Dental Services at Swope Health, one of Missouri’s largest federally qualified health centers. Krohn increased access to patient care through clinic expansions, mobile dental care and development of innovative practices such as integrated care models. Krohn also has experience in private practice, portable dentistry and board service. She graduated from UMKC School of Dentistry in 2016 with oral surgery honors.
Dr. Krohn is a member of the American Dental Association, Missouri Dental Association, and the Greater Kansas City Dental Society. She is also a member of the National Network for Oral Health Access where she serves on multiple committees. She is a member of the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. In 2024, she was inducted as a Fellow to the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Incisal Edge Magazine honored Krohn as a “40 under 40” honoree for her work in expanding access to oral health care. Krohn brings a wealth of knowledge around social drivers of oral health, alternative care models and innovative thinking in how to bridge the gap between all dental practice modalities.
Brenton Guice, MA, LPC, RDH
Course Title and Description
From Fear to Trust: A Relational Approach to Dental Anxiety, Managing Anxiety on Both Sides of the Dental Chair, The Emotional Toll of Dentistry: Burnout, Boundaries, and Self Preservation 2CEs
Learn how to better support anxious patients while protecting your own well-being and reducing the emotional toll that dentistry can take on clinicians.
Speaker Bio
Brenton Guice, MA, LPC, RDH is a licensed professional counselor and registered dental hygienist with over 16 years of experience in the dental field. After more than a decade of clinical practice in dentistry, he transitioned into mental health, where he now specializes in working with adults and couples navigating trauma, anxiety, grief, and life transitions. Brenton brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective by integrating his background in dentistry with clinical mental health training. His work focuses on helping dental professionals better understand patient behavior through a psychological and relational lens, with an emphasis on anxiety, trauma responses, and communication within the operatory. He is the owner of The Mental Hug, a private therapy practice based in Kansas City, MO and provides both in-person therapy and virtual online therapy
Diann Bomkamp, RDH, BSDH, CDHC, FADHA
Session Title and Description
Protecting the Profession: Your Scope, Your State, Your Voice 1.5 CEs
From Concern to Confidence: Learn How to Protect and Advance the Profession You Love
Attendee Transformation:
*Understand current legislative and regulatory threats
*Learn how advocacy actually works
*Gain confidence speaking up for the profession
*Leave empowered to influence change rather than simply react to it
Speaker Bio
Diann Bomkamp, BSDH is a graduate of Marquette University with more than 56 years of experience in dental hygiene, primarily in periodontics. She also holds a certificate in Community Dental Health and previously served as an Oral Health Consultant with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, helping establish Missouri's Preventive Services Program (PSP). Diann has also served as a dental hygiene examiner, educator, and advocate for oral health access throughout her career.
A past President of the Greater St. Louis Dental Hygienists' Association, the Missouri Dental Hygienists' Association, and the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA), Diann continues to provide leadership as Chairperson of MO Hy-PAC and a legislative advocate for improved oral health policy in Missouri. Her many honors include the ADHA Alfred C. Fones Award, ADHA Excellence in Dental Hygiene Award, Marquette University Dental Hygiene Alumna Award, and the Missouri Dental Hygienists' Association Life Service Award, which was named in her honor in 2023.