She will be mad at me when she reads this, but when a dentistry icon is retiring, one must share the news. After 44 years on the veterinary frontlines, Vickie Byard, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), is stepping back from daily clinical practice. Vickie Byard teaches a group of technicians and assistants about the finer points of dentistry at Silo Academy Education Center. Photo courtesy Dr. John R. Lewis Byard attended Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and became a certified veterinary technician. After performing her practicum at the University of Pennsylvania, Byard’s first exposure to veterinary practice was in a small, single-doctor practice. She learned much from this experience. Though this first job may not have been the perfect learning environment, there are always lessons to glean from any situation if you are astute enough to realize it. She moved on to a position at Rau Animal Hospital in Glenside, Pa., where she worked for decades on its dental patients. While working at Rau in 2000, she became a member of an organizing committee to create a specialty in dentistry for technicians and became a founding member of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (AVDT).1 I first worked with Byard when we teamed up to teach CE events in 2014. After each event, we would gather with the CE staff to see what worked and what might require improvement. Byard always had excellent suggestions for improving the experience for attendees. After sitting in on her lectures, it became obvious she was a gifted teacher with a passion for her work in the dental field. Byard continues to do an amazing job teaching a technician “tooth camp” for us at the Silo Academy Education Center. In 2019, I began working with her full time at our new dentistry and oral surgery practice/teaching facility. That was when I realized how good she was at helping patients and helping their owners during challenging times. Veterinary technicians are more than technicians. The term “technician” does not convey a sense of scope for all the things veterinary nurses do for us, for our patients, and for their owners. Veterinary nurses are often the first and last lines of communication with pet owners. In the morning, when clients are nervously presenting their pets for anesthesia, vet nurses are there to answer questions and provide support. In the afternoon, vet nurses play a critical role in the discussion of postsurgical care. Throughout the day, vet nurses take the best care of pets while communicating with clients as they sit on the edge of their chair waiting for the next update. As veterinarians, we can do amazing periodontal surgeries, but if the home care does not occur, recurrence of periodontal disease is likely. Technicians take time to ensure clients understand what the procedure entails. They take time to ensure clients know what must be done in the immediate postoperative period and beyond. They take the time to create and review thorough discharge instructions. They discuss an appropriate time to begin home care through daily brushing and tips/tricks on how to accomplish it. Byard embraces these roles so completely; it is impossible to count the ways she has enriched the lives of pets and their owners. Byard assists in performing root canal therapy on a mountain lion at Elmwood Park Zoo. Photo courtesy Dr. John R. Lewis The role of the VTS in dentistry can be just as lifesaving as what nurses in the ER and ICU do, but in a different way. Systemic health problems may be prevented by teaching daily brushing techniques at a young age when puppies and kittens are amenable to training. Puppy owners can be taught about chewing options that avoid fractured teeth. Pet owners can be taught how to look in the mouth to identify oral cancers while still an operable size. Paying attention to the little things adds up to years of additional life for our patients. Vet nurses play a vital role in our practices. Think of all the ways they are utilized to improve clients’ and patients’ experiences: greeter, consoler, phlebotomist, liaison, phone call receiver, update provider, anesthetist, recovery nurse, radiology technician, dental hygienist, teacher, surgical assistant, inventory manager, and educator of clients and fellow colleagues. The pathway to become a VTS allows for continual learning opportunities. When we teach, we learn. In her “free time,” Byard not only lectures regularly at Silo Academy, but she also has created a veterinary education training resource for veterinarians and vet nurses.2 She has created a series of videos that teach how to provide homecare for dogs and cats, and visits practices to teach how to use dental equipment properly and how to diagnose oral diseases. Byard says, “I do not believe every practice should be mirror images of each other. Each has its philosophy, culture, and heart. However, I do believe we are all in this for the same reason: to provide extraordinary care to those that cannot care for themselves.” If providing extraordinary care to your patients and clients was your goal, Ms. Byard, your mission has been accomplished. The baton can be handed off to the next generation of talented VTS nurses. Vickie Byard’s last full week of work ends on May 29, so join me in wishing her a wonderful retirement by sending her a note to info@siloacademy.com. John R. Lewis, VMD, DAVDC, Fellow, AVDC OMFS, practices at Veterinary Dentistry Specialists and teaches at Silo Academy Education Center, both in Chadds Ford, Pa. References https://www.avdt.us https://peted4vetce.com
