Dental Assistant Nation

In this episode, Mary Govoni, MBA, RDH, CDA, makes a return appearance to give dental assistants some infection control updates to take back to their practices. After the recent OSAP annual meeting, there is news to share, and Govoni is here to break down what you need to know.

In this episode, dentistry's pharmacology expert, Tom Viola, RPh, makes a return to discuss a fascinating new study on vitamins and how effective they really are. Are we throwing our money down the drain or are vitamins what we need them to be? Viola tells what dental professionals and patients should know.

Dr. Liran Levin joins the show to discuss dental implants and how dental practices should be discussing them with patients. Making sure patients are the right candidates and are prepared for what is to come is important, and we discuss how the assistant plays a role in that communication and the success of the implant. What do patients really need to know? We talk about it here.

In this episode, IgniteDA co-founder Kevin Henry joins the team from Oral Cancer Cause to talk about the many roles that dental assistants play in the practice when it comes to oral cancer screening, including teacher and comforter. If dentistry is going to be viewed as a true partner with medicine, oral cancer screenings are critical on so many levels.

With his years of dental industry experience and passion for helping dental teams embrace technology, Matthew Newman joins the podcast to discuss tips and trends surrounding technology and its impact on dental practices and dental patients.

Tija Hunter, CDA, EFDA, joins the show this week as we talk about some of the biggest challenges we have heard dental assistants having to face in the first half of 2022. We offer solutions and give our "hot takes" on how to make the second half of 2022 the best it can be for every dental assistant.

In this episode, IgniteDA co-founder Kevin Henry looks at the current dental industry landscape and how dental assistants are being asked to do more today than ever before. What can dental assistants do to help avoid being overstretched in their duties? If they reach that point, how can they deal with additional duties? We talk about that and more.

In this episode, IgniteDA co-founder Kevin Henry is back from some travel and shares what he heard at dental trade shows about the dental job market and what it means for dental assistants around the country.

In this episode, Dr. Theresa Groody joins the show to discuss current trends in dental assistant education and how the next generation of the dental assisting profession is being prepared for their careers. We also talk about the key steps of continuing the education journey once dental assistants have begun their career.

In this episode, Dr. Yvette Weir joins the show to discuss how she has developed a close working bond with her assistant and what is expected from each other in the practice. She also discusses what non-clinical traits are critical for every dental assistant to possess.

Dr. Jennifer Hirsch Doobrow, a Board Certified Periodontist, is the owner and CEO of Periodontal and Implant Associates, Inc., located in Cullman, AL. In this episode, she joins the show to discuss why dental assistants should always feel empowered in their practices and how she works with her team to accomplish this goal every day.

Susan Gunn, CFE, is a speaker, author, consultant, and certified fraud examiner. She speaks around the country on the matter of ethics in the dental practice, and that's what we discuss in this episode. How have ethics changed since COVID-19? What are ethics like in today's dental practice versus the one from a decade ago? This and more is discussed here. Susan can be reached at susan@susangunnsol...

Katie Burkett, the managing partner and executive coach for Fortune Management as well as a former dental office manager, joins the show to discuss communication in the practice and the role she sees dental assistants playing in leadership as dentistry continues to advance. For more information on her April 14 event, drop an email to katieburkett@fortunemgmt.com.

In this episode, Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH, joins the show to talk about the growing role of the infection control coordinator in the practice. What is it? Would it be a fit for any dental assistant? What impact can it have on the practice and patients? We talk about these questions and more.

In this episode, Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, the chief editor of Dental Economics magazine, stops by to discuss the ways that she believes dental assistants impact their patients during and after every visit. She shares some things that she has seen work in her practice, and tips that she believes can benefit every dental assistant.

Mary Govoni, CDA, RDH, MBA, returns to the show to discuss what dental practices should be doing about masking in the business now that we have reached another phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. She discusses the role of dental assistants and how important communication within the team and with patients about any changes to policy are. This is a timely, must-listen episode.

Stephanie Botts, BSDH, RDH, CEAS, rejoins the show to discuss the importance of ergonomics for every dental assistant. From tips on positioning with patients to the importance of micro breaks during the day, this show is a must-listen and is designed to have you feeling better at the end of the day.

In this episode, Dr. Jeanette MacLean, a pediatric dentist working in Arizona, discusses the important role that dental assistants play with our youngest patients as well as how dental practices can have greater success with them and their parents.

Dental's pharmacology expert, Tom Viola, RPh, returns to the show to talk about a new study on cannabis and its effects on your female patients. What do you need to know about the interesting study and how it can impact some of your patients (and potentially you as well)? We ask Viola for his expert opinion.

In this episode, Dr. Margaret Scarlett, who has been on the front line of infection control since the HIV/AIDS epidemic first appeared, joins the show to discuss how she has seen the role of dental assistants evolve. He also gives her thoughts on the power of assistants in today's dental practice.

In this episode, dental's pharmacology expert, Tom Viola, RPh, returns with some news from the FDA that will be of interest for every dental practice. Let's talk about that, its connection to opioids, and the dental assistant's important role in all of it.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Heather-Dawn Lawson-Myers, a dentist in Jamaica who has a passion for helping dental assistants grow in their careers. We talk about her program, dentistry in her country, and how she sees the relationship with her assistants. Join us for this international discussion!

In this episode, Dr. Greg Asatrian, an orthodontist working in Michigan and the founder of the "Braces Explained" YouTube channel, joins the show to talk about what dental assistants need to know about working in orthodontics and how he and his assistants communicate and work together. Plus, what separates good from great dental assistants? We discuss.

Dental's pharmacology expert, Tom Viola, RPh, returns to the podcast with two stories you must hear. He dives into the research on hand sanitizer and some allergic reactions that have been reported, as well as the trend of "mouth taping" on TikTok. This is an episode no one in dentistry will want to miss.

In this episode, we kick off 2022 with Tija Hunter, CDA, CDIPC, EFDA, CDIA, CDSO, CDSH, MADAA, one of the leading thought leaders in the dental industry for dental assistants. Hunter talks about mistakes she has seen when it comes to OSHA, documentation, and infection control, and offers ways to make sure your practice doesn't succumb to these errors.