Dental Assistant Nation

In this episode, long-time dental assistant Mila McNeely joins the show to discuss how she believes dental assistants can be an asset when it comes to the oral health of African-Americans. An important way to start off 2023!

It's nearing the end of 2022 and IgniteDA co-founder Kevin Henry has a message for every dental assistant out there as the year winds down.

In this episode, IgniteDA co-founder Kevin Henry shares his thoughts about acknowledging milestones along life's journey and giving yourself the freedom to celebrate and breathe during them as well as at the end of the year. A short, quick-hitting must-listen as the holidays approach.

In this episode, Dr. Grace Yum, the founder and CEO of Mommy Dentists in Business, joins the show to discuss what she is hearing from female dentists about working with their teams and how the rise of females in the practice is changing the industry. She also discusses communication tips for within the practice and more.

In this episode, Kelly Tanner, PhD, RDH, joins the show to give advice on how to navigate the tricky path of difficult conversations in the dental practice. She shares her advice compiled through the years as a dental team member and consultant.

Dr. Tanya Sue Maestas joins the program to talk about what she has seen in her young career working with dental assistants and what advice she would give to dentists and assistants about their skills and working relationship with each other, as well as the relationship with patients. This wide-ranging interview provides plenty of insights for both sides of the chair.

Dr. Chelsea Fosse joins the show to discuss some of the findings from a recent study done by the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute on the state of today's dental assistant, including satisfaction with job and career, plus a look at what benefits are desired and if the job market is really changing. What does the outlook look like for assistants in 2023? We ask Dr. Fosse in a wi...

Tom Viola, RPh, dental's pharmacology expert, joins the show to discuss what he is hearing about the rise of anti-depressants as the holidays approach and how dental assistants need to not only be on the lookout for patients who might be struggling, but also know the warning signs to take care of their own mental health as well. A timely and important discussion.

In this episode, Amanda Hill, RDH, joins the show to talk about how dental assistants can have more patience and kindness to each other and patients as the end of the year approaches and stress levels might be rising. With stress levels on the rise, this is a show that can help lower blood pressure and change perspectives.

In this episode, Kyle Zak of DentalPost joins the show to talk about the company's recent job and salary survey that covers the entire dental industry, including what is going on with dental assistants. In this quick-paced interview, we talk about the hiring crisis and what lies ahead for dental assistants and dental practices.

In this episode recorded at ADA's SmileCon 2022, Sameer Bhasin of CareCredit joins the show to give tips to dental assistants on how to have more productive conversations about treatment costs and patient financing in the dental practice. When the conversation turns to money, how can assistants best help patients understand what's truly best for them? We talk about that and more in this informatio...

Recorded at the ADA Annual Session in Houston, Dr. Emily Letran joins the show to discuss the thought about high performance dental practices and how dental assistants not only fit into that framework, but also can be high performers themselves. Let's talk communication tips, getting along in the practice, and more.

Teresa Duncan of Odyssey Management joins the show to talk about her views of how today's dental assistant can begin exploring opportunities at the front desk and how the cross-trained assistant is important more than ever. She shares her advice with assistants and gives her opinions on what comes next.

In this episode, dental assistant Dee Bradford and recent dental school graduate Dr. Savanah Craig join the show to discuss how they have learned to work together and what are the secrets to success in the dentist-assistant relationship from both sides.

In this episode, practice management consultant Dayna Johnson joins the show to discuss the value of dental assistants (and dental practices) standing out from the crowd. What is the differentiator for every dental assistant? It always varies, but Johnson shares what she has seen in some practices. Learn more about her at www.novonee.com.

In this episode, Kevin Henry details a recent trip to Chicago where being stuck on the Red Line underground for 70 minutes provided him three life lessons to share with every dental assistant. Life doesn't always go according to plan so how do we adjust? Let's talk about that and more in this episode.

In this episode, Dr. Jane Whang from Benevis joins the podcast to discuss how dental assistants can help their patients who might not have the economic advantages that some of their other patients might enjoy. She details a white paper produced on the subject that should be of interest to all in the dental industry. Find it here ... https://info.benevis.com/dental-divide-white-paper

Brianne Novaes joins the show to give some tips to dental assistants on how they can be more pain-free. From stretching to exercise, we have you covered in this informative interview. For Brianne's YouTube channel —https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgdjfrUr6t7ynMHddEa7SZQ For Brianne's Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/built_by_brianne/

We celebrate our 250th episode by tackling one of the topics in dentistry that has impacted everyone at some point in their careers. Dr. Laura Brenner shares her own story of burnout and how she is now helping dental professionals get through their struggles. Learn more about her at lolabeescareercoaching.com.

A timely talk with one of dentistry's leading infection control experts, Mary Govoni, RDH, CDA, as we dive into what the CDC guidelines for going back to school have to do with dentistry and talk about two big health issues in the news — monkeypox and polio. This is a must-listen for any dental professional.

In this episode, Dr. Brenda Shah joins the podcast to discuss the value of education for today's dental assistant and what dental assistants can expect when they visit ADA SmileCon 2022 in Houston. Dental Assistant Nation will be there, so plan to visit us on podcast row!

Dental's pharmacology expert, Tom Viola, RPh, returns to the show to share some interesting words recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association about beta carotene and vitamin E and what the US Preventive Services Task Force is saying about them. This is a must-listen for dental professionals not only for themselves but their patients as well.

Lisa Hays, CDA, a dental assisting instructor at Midwest Technical Institute in Springfield, Mo., joins the show to discuss what is important to the next generation of dental assistants and how she has seen education change through the years. What are some of the biggest worries she is hearing from future DAs? We talk about that and more in this episode. Note: To learn more, visit www. MidwestTech...

Tina Clarke, RDH, joins the show to discuss her years of teaching anesthesia for dentistry and some of the biggest lessons she has shared with dental assistants through the years.

Dental's pharmacology expert, Tom Viola, RPh, makes a return to the show to discuss a new research study discussing the relationship between periodontal disease and heart failure. It's another example of the oral-systemic link and an important one for your patients to understand.