In 1974, Air Force veteran Kenneth Boudreaux become Louisiana's first licensed male dental hygienist. Now, after about 40 years in practice, he has retired after treating four generations of some families, according to an Associated Press (AP) article.
Boudreaux became a hygienist after joining the Air Force in 1968. Now you can request a certain job description, but back when he joined you were "dumped" into a certain job, he noted. Boudreaux got selected to be in the dental profession.
After starting as a dental assistant, Boudreaux cross-trained into dental hygiene and worked for the Air Force in Shreveport until 1972. Since the military wasn't accredited for private dental work and he wanted to stay in the profession, Boudreaux applied to Tyler Junior College in Tyler, TX.
The transformation of the dental industry during the time Boudreaux has practiced has been "amazing," he said. The technology has changed a lot, he noted. For example, x-rays have gone from hand-developing them to digital with much less radiation.
"It's just a shame that you can't take the 40 years of experience and transfer that into the person with all the new knowledge," Boudreaux told the AP.
