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Trafficking Happens Here: Human Trafficking Training for Dental Professionals

Trafficking Happens Here: Human Trafficking Training for Dental Professionals

By: Kandice Swarthout, M...Kandice Swarthout, M.S., RDH, LPC

Post Date: 10/9/2026

CE Amount: 1

Categories: Practice Management ...Practice Management Training

COURSE OVERVIEW

Human trafficking is a rapidly increasing public health and safety issue in the United States. It is the fastest-rising commerce in the world, with over 200,000 minors at risk in the United States.

 

People are forced into labor or sexual exploitation with deception and intimidation. It is reported that up to 80% of victims are seen by a healthcare provider while captive. Often, victims will not identify themselves as such due to the fear of being further abused by their captors.

 

Dental care providers are perfectly positioned to identify the signs and report suspected human trafficking. By educating dental clinicians, victims of trafficking may be more likely to be rescued and receive the appropriate resources for recovery. This course will define types of trafficking, differentiate between sex trafficking and sex work, identify at-risk populations, describe how to identify and report trafficked patients, and discuss trauma-informed care.

 

This course is approved by the Texas Health and Human Services.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By attending this webinar you will learn how to:

  • Analyze the definition of human trafficking, populations at risk, recruitment techniques, and the various types of trafficking.

  • Differentiate between sex trafficking and sex work, as well as trafficking and smuggling, using key legal and contextual distinctions.

  • Evaluate clinical indicators and screening methods to detect potential trafficking situations, and determine when mandatory reporting is required.

  • Apply appropriate reporting procedures for suspected trafficking cases in accordance with legal and institutional guidelines.

  • Apply and integrate principles of Trauma-Informed Care into interactions with individuals who may have experienced trafficking.

  • Assess and prioritize local and national resources to support and refer individuals affected by trafficking.

COURSE SPEAKER

Kandice Swarthout, M.S., RDH, LPC
Kandice Swarthout, M.S., RDH, LPC

Kandice Swarthout is a Registered Dental Hygienist and Licensed Professional Counselor with nearly 30 years of experience in dentistry and over a decade in mental health. She is trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy, a trauma-focused treatment modality, and serves as an educator in Texas, teaching community and research courses to future dental professionals.

A passionate advocate for human trafficking awareness, Kandice is the founder of Reclaim Smiles, a free dental day for survivors living in safe houses. She is an approved provider of human trafficking training for healthcare professionals through Texas Health and Human Services and speaks nationally on trauma- informed care, clinician wellness, and mental health in dentistry.

Kandice is the author of the Mental Health Spotlight column in Today’s RDH and was awarded the Sunstar Award of Distinction in 2025 for her research focused on trafficking survivors. She is an AGD PACE-approved provider of continuing education and the co-founder of Muffins & Mimosas Dental Study Club, offering innovative, relevant CE to dental professionals nationwide.

You can follow or contact Kandice on social media at The Counselor Hygienist.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This course is intended for Dental Assistant and Hygienist from novice to advanced.

EDUCATIONAL METHOD

Self Instructional Online CE Course

IMAGE AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT

No images in this presentation have been altered.

SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY STATEMENT

Information shared in this continuing education activity is developed from clinical research and represents the most current information available from evidence-based dentistry.

KNOWN BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS

Information in this continuing education activity is derived from data and information obtained from the reference section.

DISCLOSURE

Dental Learning presentation is made possible through the continued support of Sunstar Gum. Kandice Swarthout, M.S., RDH, LPC is a consultant and/or speaker for the following companies and/or organizations: Dental Learning, Sunstar Gum. Kandice Swarthout, M.S., RDH, LPC may receive an honorarium as compensation from the CE Supporter of this presentation and/or from Dental Learning for the time involved in preparing and delivering this online presentation.

Dental Learning is an approved AGD PACE Provider and California State Dental Board Provider of dental continuing education. Dental Learning strives to deliver balanced, objective and clinically relevant information grounded on scientific research. Lecturers who are invited to deliver Dental Learning CE webinars are advised to substantiate their claims with research-supported data and to disclose all commitments to, or relationships with, any commercial entity within the dental industry. In many cases, lecturers are sponsored by a dental manufacturing company, which provides them with support in the form of honorarium and/or dental products and equipment in order to help with clinical presentations. Prior to each live CE webinar, lecturers are made aware of the importance of delivering their presentations without commercial bias, and where appropriate, to mention a variety of different product choices that may be relevant to the subject matter of the lecture, for the educational benefit of the participant.

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