Smiles By Diana

Diana's dream of owning her own mobile hygiene service arrived after many years of hard work and persistence. Upon attending a Dental Hygiene Seminar in Madrid, Spain; Diana heard firsthand the remarkable story of the woman who pioneered this alternative service, Judy Boothby.

Judy Boothby is a dental hygiene pioneer who was sued several years ago by the California Dental Association along with a small group of licensed hygienists to stop them from practicing in alternative settings. In 1987, The California legislature and the governor approved a pilot program in which Boothby and 17 other hygienists were given the authority to work independently of dentists. The state would later use this experiment to expand the option to all hygienists. Through careful review, this pilot program was expanded and has treated over 15,000 patients very successfully. Based on this pilot's success, the state passed a law in 1997 allowing specially trained and licensed hygienists to operate independently.

DIANA'S COMMITMENT TO ALTERNATIVE PRACTICE
Diana's specialized license allows her to provide professional Dental Hygiene care to an underserved population without the need for them to travel outside a facility or home residence. Diana is a dedicated, experienced hygienist who is willing and able to meet the needs of the elderly, the mentally, physically and developmentally disabled, and home-bound patient. It is this dedication and commitment to oral health and hygiene service that Diana finds rewarding. It is Diana's goal to serve the entire South Bay and Central Coast communities by providing a service within an familiar environment for the patient whom would otherwise not seek treatment due to physical or mental ailments.

Diana has always been a person who is concerned with the welfare of others. Early on, she knew she wanted to provide health care services and maintains a personal commitment to the health of others. Diana received her AA degree from Monterey Peninsula College in 1988 after completing a diversity of courses including nursing, health, fire and safety classes. After many years working in the public sector as a police/fire 911 dispatcher, she put herself through Dental Hygiene school at Cabrillo Community College. Upon graduation from Dental Hygiene in 1997, she took the California State Board exam and received her State License as a Registered Dental Hygienist. She immediately began working full-time for various dental offices in the bay area. In 2006, she completed an intensive training program to satisfy the State of California requirements to be licensed as a Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP).

Diana has been a practicing Registered Dental Hygienist since 1997. Today she continues to work full-time for local dental offices, maintaining a professional relationship with local Dentists, so that my special care patients will have immediate referrals and access for issues requiring actual dental services by a licensed dentist.

Diana enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking and traveling. She and her husband reside in the historic town of San Juan Bautista, California.