A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast

A Tale of Two Hygienists continues its series on how professionals have integrated oral health care with other medical practices in new and innovative ways by speaking with employees of a vital public health organization.   Both of this episode's guests are hygienists based in Phoenix, Arizona and who work for Dignity Health, which is made up of over 60,000 caregivers across the United States and...

Teledentistry.  You have heard it used, but what does it mean?  Telehealth is helping people all over the world, but dentistry has been a bit slower in adopting this type of technology.  Eden Ivie, RDH, gives us some definitions and ways that teledentistry could be used.  You may be surprised when and where we could use teledentistry in our profession and how simple it really is!   Thank you to Mo...

A Tale of Two Hygienists is launching a series on how professionals and patients integrate dental treatment with other forms of medical care. For this week, Andrew and Michelle have invited a guest who specializes in oral health care for the senior population.   Sonya Dunbar has been a dental hygienist for over 30 years. Known as "the Geriatric Toothfairy," she is the founder and CEO of Mobile Den...

Saddle stools are not "one size fits all" and how you sit in them is different than a traditional stool.  Cindy Purdy breaks down how to sit in a saddle stool, how to decide which one is best for you (and no! the ones on Amazon are not for you -- that is Michelle's opinion and not the official Crown Seating statement LOL), and what to expect when you sit in one for a long period of time.   Thank y...

It's A Tale of Two Hygienists' monthly student roundtable episode, which means Andrew and Michelle have invited a trio of guests to educate student listeners on a chosen topic. This episode's subject is all about sealants: what are the most effective sealing materials? What can they prevent? And when can they prove to be a hazard?   Jason Luchtefeld (previously heard on episodes 64 and 145 of A Ta...

Polypharmacy.... is that a new term for you?  This TIPisode discusses what this means.  This TIPisode can benefit YOU, your loved ones, and your patients.  Medication interactions are a big deal and we need to know about them when reading through medical histories.   With over 30 years' experience as a pharmacist, educator, speaker and author, Tom Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P. has earned his reputation as...

For the final installment in A Tale of Two Hygienists' series on myofunctional therapy, guest and myofunctional expert Sarah Hornsby discusses how to integrate this kind of therapy into a clinic's practices, develop a business around it, or even bring it online. Sarah K. Hornsby, RDH, is a myofunctional therapist, speaker and mentor. Her interest in myofunctional disorders arose from her own myofu...

Dr. Ryan Nolan talks about preventive products and the three pillars of disease: biology, chemistry, physiology.  A healthy biofilm in one person may be an unhealthy biofilm in another.  Dr. Nolan breaks that down for us in this week's TIPisode Thank you to Elementa for sponsoring this week's TIPisode! Ryan Nolan, DMD is a practitioner, commentator, and creator of the amazing podcast The Biofilm F...

A Tale of Two Hygienists continues its series on myofunctional therapy by looking at how these issues manifest in older children and adults and how early we should act in order to most effectively treat them. Joining Michelle again for this series is Sarah Hornsby!   Sarah K. Hornsby, RDH, is a myofunctional therapist, speaker and mentor. Her interest in myofunctional disorders arose from her own...

This week's tip is all about increasing patient acceptance with the use of an intra-oral camera.  A picture speaks a 1000 words, right? With these tips, you will be able to help patients see what their needs are and get them on board with the necessary treatment. You can win an intra-oral camera by signing up at this link!  Eden Ivie is a dedicated dental hygienist with a strong interest in public...

A Tale of Two Hygienists is continuing its miniseries on myofunctional therapy with Sarah K. Hornsby. This week, she shines a light on how myofunctional disorders develop in babies and infants and how widely-accepted nurturing practices can enable them.   Sarah K. Hornsby, RDH, is a myofunctional therapist, speaker and mentor. Her interest in myofunctional disorders arose from her own myofunctiona...

Ergonomics is no longer just a trendy buzz word.  Join Cindy on this TIPisode as she discusses personal injuries in the dental office.  Did you know we are #1 on a list! But don't get too excited, this isn't going to be a good list to be on!   Multiple decades (!) of clinical dental hygiene has fueled Cindy's passion for equity of care. Currently, she developed a hybrid traditional/virtual dental...

A Tale of Two Hygienists is starting the New Year off with a brand new series focusing on myofunctional therapy, which focuses on the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. To walk us through this complex subject, we have a very special guest accompanying us over the next few episodes.   Sarah K. Hornsby, RDH, is a myofunctional therapist, speaker and mentor. Her interest in myofunctional disorders ar...

Next stop, vulnerability station! As a kind of New Year's gift, Andrew and Michelle have wrapped up a special bonus episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists! To open the year, they're getting pretty real by discussing the low points of working as a dental hygienist and dealing with the ins and outs of working in a practice.   Inspired by a recent article in OSAP's journal, they touch on professional bu...

For the latest student roundtable, A Tale of Two Hygienists has invited on three guests who either work with patients affected by HIV/AIDS or have studied the virus to debunk myths and misconceptions surrounding this epidemic.   Daniel Lopez has been a hygienist since 2012; since graduating, he's been working with Access Community Health Center in Manhattan, which focuses on LGBTQ patients and the...

Dr. Uche Odiatu is back and here to get you started in 2020!  Are you setting a goal or resolution?  If so, you need to hear this!  Dr. Odiatu is a practicing dentist, certified trainer, author, speaker, and repeat AToTH guest.  He always brings us content that we can use to make us and our patients happy and healthy.  Be sure to check out the many episodes with Dr. Uche and head over to our YouTu...

Sometimes the real challenge in treating an airway disorder is getting the patient to actually take our advice—which can mean encouraging the other care providers a patient has to speak to them about the problem. This week's guest believes in not only treating airway disorders within our profession, but reaching out to other medical fields to ensure these problems are comprehensively addressed.  ...

While you might not see the connection at first, there is a connection between poor oral health, poor sleep, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. To interview this week's guest about the subject, Michelle is joined by the similarly named Machell Hudson, who co-hosts the Reflection Health Podcast on channel 1 of A Tale of Two Hygienists' own Dental Podcast Network!   Anne O. Rice is...

This week's TIPisode is with Noel Brandon-Kelsch. The ultrasonic bath is more important in the sterilization process than you may have given it credit for.  Noel breaks down how it works, how we monitor, and why hand scrubbing instruments is not advised.   Send in your infection control questions!  Noel would love to answer them for you.  Medicom sponsors this episode.  Head over to their website...

Michelle is joined by co-host Eva Masters Ramsey for the latest A Tale of Two Hygienists interview to discuss anything and everything pertaining to the unexpected relationship between sleep, vitamin intake and oral health.   Stasha Gominak is a neurologist-turned-sleep coach who learned of the link between chronically poor sleep and chronic illness. As part of RightSleep, she investigates how a li...

Dr. Tom Viola does an excellent job of explaining osteoporosis and osteonecrosis. We have so many patients, friends, family members, and maybe even one of us that will have issues with bone density and the medications we need. Tom breaks down some concerns with medications and what to look for with certain meds.  With over 30 years' experience as a pharmacist, educator, speaker and author, Tom Vio...

A Tale of Two Hygienists is once again hosting a roundtable of guests for the benefit of you soon-to-be graduates. This discussion, recorded at Collaboration Cures in Nashville earlier this October, tackles the subject of collaborative care, wherein dental and other health practitioners work together for the benefit of the patients they share.   Doug Thompson is a dentist and the owner of Integrat...

Generation EZ... Teresa explains to us why we all fall under that generation umbrella.  Are you making visits to your office easy?  Teresa gives us great suggestions for ways we can accommodate our patients in this technology-driven world.   Teresa Duncan, MS is such a wealth of knowledge. Please visit her website and enjoy her awesome resources! For more info from Teresa, see below!  Teresa Dunca...

Continuing its deep dive into the business side of dentistry, this week A Tale of Two Hygienists is examining the nitty gritty of office budgets and what makes for a healthy working relationship between a dentist and their hygienists.  Dianne Glasscoe Watterson, RDH, has been working in the dental industry since 1972. She actually started her career not as a hygienist but as a dental office manage...

Dr. Uche Odiatu is back and has 21 strategies to help us all survive the holidays. Office parties, family feasts, and holiday baking create a minefield for the most well-intentioned dental professional. It's that time of year to eat, drink and be merry but with New Year's is right around the corner.... Our frequent contributor wanted to help with some pre-emptive damage control Dr. Odiatu is a pra...