Plain and simple, my decision to do this was to allow myself to continue practicing as a dental hygienist until my retirement age. I knew my days were limited in the office setting I was working in due to my hearing loss becoming worse and worse.
I began losing my hearing very gradually at about age 20. I bought my first set of hearing aids at age 24. By the age of 40, my hearing was making it more and more difficult to communicate with my coworkers, employers, family and most importantly, my patients.
I became deaf to the point that I had to clip a Bluetooth microphone onto every patient and ask them to speak into it so I would be able to understand what they said. Most patients were very sympathetic and very willing to help me with this, but many were not and it created a very tense and embarrassing time spent together for that hour they were in the dental chair with me.
In the Summer of 2015 I began being mentored by a group of hygienists in Denver who were becoming very successful with their Independent dental hygiene practices. They shared a lot of the logistics of what had to happen to open my own practice.
I made the decision to go for it and began the tedious process doing the legwork while I had a 2 month hiatus (after shoulder surgery). I had been working in the same dental practice for 20 years. I was very fortunate that when I went back to work after my surgical leave and told my employers of my plans, they were understanding and supportive and allowed me to continue working for them while I got my business up and running.
So, that was my reason to begin this journey. I have since become very convicted to practice in a way most dental offices cannot due to the amount of overhead they have. I decided to practice within my means and not create a lot of debt for myself which would force me to have to squeeze a certain number of patients into my daily schedule.
I have more flexible hours including early mornings, evenings and weekends. My patients continually comment on my thoroughness of the exams, cleanings and explanations of the x rays and pictures I take so they will truly understand their needs.
Colorado is one of the few states that allow dental hygienists to practice Independent of a dentist. I am very confident to be able to recognize problems I find in peoples mouths which would require a referral to a dentist. I can easily email the x rays and pictures to your current dentist or help you find the right dentist for you. I have good relationships with many Colorado Springs dentists and can help you find the right fit. Please know that I ALWAYS have a dentist double check all x rays taken in my office and I am required to recommend that you have a periodic examination by a dentist once a year.
At Serene Dental Hygiene, we cater to the unique needs of each patient as an individual. Our goal is to provide exceptional dental care for those who may not normally seek dental treatment.We understand that many who normally wouldnt see a dentist due to dental anxiety, concerns about comfort, or other reasons,will see a hygienist.
At Serene Dental Hygiene, we use digital x-ray and camera technology to thoroughly screen patients for periodontal and other dental issues. We will share this information with you immediately and communicate with your current dentist after every visit.
Lori Kinzer, RDH, was born and raised in Central Pennsylvania where she still has a lot of family. She went to the University of Pittsburgh and then moved to the Washington DC/ Maryland area where she worked for about 10 years. In 1993, she moved to Colorado Springs with her husband where they raised their 3 children, Nikki, Jenna and Mitch.
Family life was always the first priority of Loris life. She has been married to her college sweetheart, Ken, for over 30 years. Ken currently works as a contractor for Verizon doing IT work, Their children were always active in sports from a young age and they primarily settled into Volleyball and Hockey for their high school years at Rampart High School. Their girls went on to play College Volleyball at UCCS and Fort Lewis College in Durango. Their son, Mitch, currently goes to Colorado Film School in Denver and their middle child, Jenna, is pursuing her doctorate degree for Physical Therapy at Midwestern University in Arizona. Their older daughter Nikki is a high school teacher at Rampart HS and is head volleyball coach their as well. Nikki was married June 2017 to Pat Bloemen who also coaches and teaches at Rampart. So with the empty nest now, Ken and Lori have their two dogs to keep them entertained. Rosco and Rufus are Aussiedoodles and are pretty cool.
Lori enjoys hiking and biking in her free time and getting together with friends. She values deep relationships with her friends which carries over to why she appreciates building relationships with her patients as well. You can trust her to be honest and real with you.