Working

by Tom Molony

Shelby Kahl, AAS, RDH, CMT

Through her considerable experiences in almost every aspect of the dental hygiene profession, Shelby Kahl, AAS, RDH, CMT, of Windsor, Colorado, has discovered that dental hygiene is far more complex than a “healthy mouth, healthy body.” She feels that a third component, “healthy mind,” has as much to do with diagnosing and treating oral and systemic health related illnesses as the other two combined. This discovery lead her to open her own alternative practice called the Complementary Integrative Salubrious Service (CISS)—a place where, she says, dental hygiene and massage therapy coincide to have an effect on overall health.

Raised on an orchard in rural Colorado, Kahl never thought she’d have a life outside of growing and selling fruits. “The thought of an indoor occupation was not inviting to me.”

Then she turned 16, was set to graduate high school, and visited her dentist to receive a prophy from a dental hygienist for the first time. It was during her cleaning when the dental hygienist asked Kahl about her plans after graduation. “Taking full advantage of having her hands in my mouth, [the dental hygienist] described the Rangely campus at Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC). I went home and talked about it with my parents, applied [to the dental hygiene program], interviewed, and was accepted that fall.” Kahl, at the age of 19, graduated from CNCC in 1981.

After graduation, she immediately jump-started her career by becoming a dental hygienist at DentaHealth, a first-of-its-kind national chain dental practice that had recently made its way to Denver, Colorado. Then, she was exposed to general dentists, periodontists, and orthodontists among others. “It was an excellent experience in all aspects of dentistry,” Kahl says. “I was able to assist and have hands-on experience with all of the specialties right after graduating from hygiene school. The perio experience refined my crude new skills as a clinician [in a short amount of time].”

While gaining valuable on-the-job experience at DentaHealth, Kahl also began to learn how to run a business, which would ultimately play a role in her future endeavors. “The owner of the franchise taught me a lot about the business of dentistry, goal setting, production, and working smarter rather than harder,” she says. Even before Kahl turned 21, she was helping to set the standard of practice for the dental hygienists in her workplace.

As Kahl continued to practice, she began to pay closer attention to routine oral cancer evaluations. She referred clients to oral surgeons who assured her that what she was feeling were not cancerous growths. “After spending time with the oral surgeon, I realized my palpations of the head and neck area were detecting ischemic muscle tissue: tissue that is stuck together due to lack of hydration, stretching, and chronic repetitive use,” she says. This new knowledge was enough to spur her to pursue massage therapy, in which she became a certified in 2001.

How do oral hygiene and massage therapy work together? Kahl sees the entire body working together to heal itself, not just one muscle group, one joint, or one bone at a time. “The body asks for help all the time to realign,” Kahl says. “I give the client measurable recommendations with supportive evidence to aid the body in self healing.”

But, don’t expect Kahl’s practice to conjure up visions of ancient witch doctors, medicine men, or even the new trend toward dental practices offering spa-type amenities, because CISS is a state-of-the-art “direct access dental hygiene facility.” A guest is exposed to holistic procedures alongside current technologies, Kahl points out. CISS not only offers ultrasonic teeth cleaning and perioscopy, but colorpuncture (the combined use of focused colored light and acupuncture), aromatherapy, homeotherapy, and therapeutic massage for a total-body approach to health. “Mind, body, and spirit are treated with equal significance during initial assessment, treatment planning, and while services are rendered,” Kahl says. Another facility very similar to hers recently opened its doors to clients, which suggests that there is a demand for this type of holistic treatment.

Though Kahl remains busy with both her dental hygiene and massage therapy duties, she somehow manages to squeeze in time as a sales representative, consultant, and independent contractor for three separate oral health firms in the Rocky Mountain region (one firm is in Colorado, one in Montana, and another is in Arizona). Her varied pursuits have not gone without recognition. Kahl has received numerous awards including the Colorado Dental Hygienists’ Association’s (CDHA)1997–98 Distinguished Service Award, the 2000 Ethel Covington Award, and the Colorado Women’s Leadership Coalition 2001 Woman Leader of Excellence Award.

In what little spare time she has, Kahl enjoys all things relating to the sun, water, and nature. “Anything to do with the water is where you will find me,” Kahl says. “[Whether it be] water skiing, Jet Skiing, or diving.” She also enjoys spending time in the mountains. “I like to visit places new to me on this planet [and] I have much gratitude every day for being here.”