Burnout Bites

In this episode of Burnout Bites, Kari Carter-Cherelus sits down with Misti Lenoir, RDH, a dental hygienist with 16 years of experience and a passion for transforming oral healthcare through innovation, education, and community outreach. Misti shares her journey in dental hygiene, discussing how her commitment to comprehensive oral-systemic care has shaped her career and fueled her dedication to i...

In this episode of Burnout Bites, Kari Carter-Cherelus sits down with Cheryl Calmis, RDH, BS, MEd, a respected dental hygienist, educator, and advocate with more than 30 years of clinical experience. Cheryl shares her journey from clinical practice to becoming a nationally recognized speaker and educator. With expertise in periodontics, laser therapy, and Guided Biofilm Therapy, she discusses how...

In this episode we discuss: • Amanda’s journey becoming a dental hygienist as a deaf professional • Barriers students with hearing loss face in dental hygiene programs • The mission behind That Deaf RDH and the importance of mentorship • How representation and advocacy can improve diversity in healthcare • The role of myofunctional therapy and airway health in dentistry • Why early intervention in...

In this episode, we’re joined by Joy Lantz , owner of Joy Lantz: Transforming Oral Health , internationally recognized speaker, educator, and airway advocate who is helping dental professionals rethink oral health from infancy through adulthood. With nearly 30 years in dentistry, Joy specializes in oral myofunctional disorders, airway health, lactation support, and interdisciplinary collaboration....

In this episode of Burnout Bites , we sit down with Dr. Sonya Dunbar, affectionately known as The Geriatric Toothfairy . Sonya is an international speaker, award-winning author, Mindset Detox Coach, and a visionary healthcare leader with over 30 years of experience in dental hygiene and geriatric oral health. She’s also the CEO and Co-Founder of Mobile Dental Xpress, transforming access to dental...

In this inspiring episode, Kari sits down with Jayla Bryant , a former dental assistant and current dental hygiene student who is passionate about elevating and educating the next generation of dental professionals. Jayla shares her journey from dental assisting to pursuing her dream of becoming a dental hygienist, opening up about what motivated her transition, the challenges she’s overcome, and...

Listen as I discuss the importance of mental health with Sydney Reece who is the VP of operations at Mind Body Optimization. We discussed why mental health is so importance for overall wellness and how burnout can effect every area in our lives. As we celebrate May as Mental Health Awareness Month, lets make sure we we are creating a culture where we make sure we support one another and take time...

Lynn Pencek has had a diverse career as a dental hygienist. From working as a clinical dental hygienist to working with companies such as Nobel Biocare, Hu-Friedy, and Orascoptic to delivering her own dynamic presentations on implant maintenance and more. Listen as we discuss how she has successfully navigated the dental industry to have a diverse career that affords her the opportunity to pursue...

Dental Hygienists are interested in nonclinical alternative options that are available to them. Many are however unsure how to go about getting these positions that they adamantly desire as either a side gig or to transition from clinical to nonclinical positions. In this episode listen as I talk with Allison Norris is the founder and CEO of The Dentele Group, LLC about how we can successfully att...

Daily dental professionals present treatment options to their patients and are asked "what does my insurance cover?" We know that unfortunately, dental benefits might be barrier for patients in receiving the treatment the desperately need. Kandra Sellers, RDH, BA has been able to successfully bridge the gap between medical and dental benefits, by focusing on oral systemic health and medical billin...

In this episode, Janoa Hayes, LDH, and I discuss the importance career and personal development while advocating for ourselves and our profession. Janoa Hayes is the hygiene training developer for Heartland Dental. Janoa was born and raised in Lexington, KY and attended the Dental Hygiene Program at Lexington Community College. She and her husband live in Indianapolis, IN and has one daughter. Jan...

In this episode I took the show on the road and interviewed attendees of the RDHUOR conference in Denver Colorado. I attended as a speaker and an exhibitor and was able to ask professionals what they loved about dental hygiene and what they did to prevent burnout. Listen as I speak with Amanda Hill, Tanya Dunlap, Kerry Lepicek, Machell Hudson, Melissa Calhoun, Irene Iancu, Dr. Joy RDH, Toni Meyerk...

In this episode, Caitlin Parsons, and I discuss the importance of alignment in our career, body, and mind for overall health and wellness. Caitlin Parsons is a Registered Dental Hygienist of 15 years turned Certified Yoga Therapist, Ergonomics Consultant, and the founder of The Aligned Hygienist. Caitlin helps dental professionals prevent and overcome work-related pain, manage stress, and optimize...

In this episode I discuss with Karese Laguerre RDH, COMP, MAS and Christopher Williams RDH, the importance of creating and cultivating a positive work culture, so as to attract and retain team members throughout various industries. We delve into how imperative it is to create a diverse environment that supports all team members and the patients or clients that we serve. Their upcoming convention D...

In this episode, Bethany Montoya, BAS, RDH and I discuss the prevalence of bullying within the dental industry and the effects it has on professionals, career longevity, and our mental health. Bethany is a practicing dental hygienist, editorial director of DentistryIQ 's Clinical Insights newsletter and serves as an educational ambassador within the dental industry. She has advanced knowledge and...

In this episode, Amanda Hill, RDH, BSDH and I take a deep dive into working in the industry in diverse careers. She wears many hats in the industry. She is an enthusiastic speaker, innovative consultant, and award winning author who brings over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene and education to dentistry. Amanda is also known as the Waterline Warrior who strives to make topics in dentistry accur...

In this episode I discuss with Alicia Murria, RDH how she has managed to have such a diverse dental hygiene career as she wholeheartedly advocates for herself, her patients, and her colleagues. With this episode we discuss how we can uphold the oath we took as healthcare professionals by making sure we practice the standard of care and to "always do the right thing." We discuss how integrating tec...

In this episode I discuss with Heather McGuire, Rdh how she has managed to have such a diverse dental hygiene career. She has been in the industry for 20 years working clinically, as a sales representative, a consultant, and now is the Director of Hygiene Development for Seva Dental Team and sponsorship coordinator of Sober Life Rocks. https://soberliferocks.com/ With this episode we discuss how w...

In this episode, Astrida Curis and I take a deep dive into working in dentistry while navigating motherhood with new borns. Many dental hygienists wonder how they will be able to pump for their babies at work in the midst of seeing patients. Some offices are not supportive or understanding of the importance or dynamics of being a new caregiver. A supportive work culture effects the employee as the...

In this episode Fionna Mattrasingh who is a non-traditional dental hygienist and I share our personal experiences about having side gigs in addition to working as a clinical dental hygienist. Many are unaware of the unconventional non-traditional opportunities available to dental hygienists such as teaching, writing, consulting, coaching, speaking, social media influencing, content creation, produ...

In this episode we discuss the introduction to the podcast. Burnout is a syndrome that effects workers in all industries. Although the World Health Organization classifies it as a occupational syndrome in my opinion its not just work related. We can feel burnout as parents, caregivers, and within our own personal relationships that can effect our mental and physical health as well. We can take eff...