Dental Hygiene Student Podcast with The Happy Flosser RDH

One of the most common emotions you will feel while you are in school is stress! We all have our own ways of dealing with the stress that comes our way. It is importantly to recognize that stress is temporary and manageable. Additional resources:  Study Sheets: https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/  Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School ⁠https://billie-lunt-s-school.teac...

When you are accepted into a dental hygiene program, you become a member of SADHA. SADHA is the Student organization of the American Dental Hygienists Association. It is important to become and remain an active member of your professional organization. Networking, advocacy, and support are three main reasons to belong to the ADHA. In this episode, I will review the framework, structure, and goals...

What do we do with all the information we are evaluated on? How can we impact the oral health status of the population? Expansion and growth are the essential elements needed to ensure broader access to care. The dental hygienist is equipped with the depth of knowledge required to treat patients safely and effectively in and out of an office. Additional resources:  Study Sheets: ⁠https://thehappyf...

In dental hygiene school, you have to take pharmacology. Drugs are an important component of the medical history and are used to support patients with a variety of conditions. It is important for the dental hygiene student to understand drug pharmacological effects, adverse reactions, side effects, and dental considerations. As providers, we should have an understanding of drug uses and precaution...

Our life unfolds as a series of small incremental steps and decisions that lead us down a path. The path takes many twists and turns - this is the journey we call life. In this episode, I speak with Melondy Martin, Owner of Improved Dental Solutions. Melondy is a Dental Hygienist and entrepreneur passionate about growth over time. Melondy shares her own story with our audience to express the need...

Shavonne Healy is defined by me as a true change agent for the profession of dental hygiene. Shavonne and I did our masters degree program at the University of Bridgeport together. I had the opportunity to get to know Shavonne during that time and admired her ability to speak out about the challenges of our profession as it relates to access to care. Shavonne is a brave ambassador for the field an...

In this episode, I have guest Christine Phillips who owns RDHPro Connect. Christine shared her journey to becoming a RDH and the discovery of how we can sometimes fail our way to the best successes. Christine was driven by her desire to support others in the profession to create RDHPro Connect. Listen in as Christine shares some of her journey and advice on the field of dental hygiene. Reach out t...

For every recare patient you treat, there should be a comprehensive chart audit that takes place prior to the patient walking into the office. Are you prepared with all the necessary information about your patient? Performing an effective chart audit provides you as the provider with the essential foundational information you need to maximize your efficiency during the appointment sequence to prov...

As a licensed provider, it can be tricky to make a move across state lines. There are some challenges we face as licensed providers if we want to relocate and obtain licensure in another state. A Dental Compact provides us with "Compact Privilege" to allow us the opportunity to work in a remote state without having licenses in multiple states. Additional resources:  Study Sheets: https:/...

As I begin my fourth year as a podcaster, I can’t help but reflect on the journey of becoming. All of you continue to keep me motivated to grow and improve. I draw strength, persistence, and guidance to continue producing and creating content. Additional resources:  Study Sheets: ⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠ Specialized Course: How to be successful in Dental Hygiene School ⁠⁠https://bil...

Adam Van Sickle is a practicing dental hygienist and accomplished educator affiliated with Dr. Jen Oral Care. Adam has delivered lectures to hundreds of dental offices, captivating audiences with his expertise in the science of nano-hydroxyapatite. His educational outreach extends to dental hygiene programs, where he imparts this knowledge to aspiring students. Adam's contributions have garner...

Ashlie Mardis a.k.a @redhead.rdh is a recent graduate who has paved her way with passion and purpose. She has followed her heart into the field of dental hygiene and is inspiring others to practice with compassion and empathy "putting the patient first" Ashley shares some great tips for the new graduate to make the transition from school to the real world. Here are a few words from Ashli...

After performing NSPT on our patient, what is the next step in the process of care? How will we know our patient has healed from the treatment we have provided? What are the indicators of successful outcomes? How are we measuring this success? In this episode, we will look at the process of reevaluation for our periodontally involved patients. Additional resources:  Study Sheets: ⁠https://thehappy...

As a dental hygienist, it is important for us to understand the process of how decay happens in the mouth. We are prevention specialists charged with providing our patients with the information, knowledge, and skills required to mitigate the risk of dental decay. The selection of topicals and at home products continues to grow and expand. It is important to keep an eye on the research to properly...

Providing patient local anesthesia is a gift from the advocacy gods of the profession! Never take it for granted that you are able to provide this for your patients. In this episode we will take a look at one of the most important considerations of using local anesthesia on a patient - vasoconstrictors, specifically your good friend epinephrine! It is important to understand the workings of epinep...

Many of our dental patients present in the office with some level of dental anxiety. Often times it takes a bit of time working with our patients to discover the level of anxiety they have or the source behind their dental anxiety. Marna Pacheco is the owner of CapeAble. She has developed weighted products that align with current neuroscience using smartweight technology to optimize more nerve con...

Taking a diagnostic set of radiographs requires skill and lots of practice. As a dental hygienist, you are responsible to take diagnostic radiographs to provide the dentist with images to assess and diagnose the presence of dental disease. In this episode, I will review proper sensor placement for taking radiographs on your patient to allow you the opportunity to review the techniques. As I say......

Are you aware of bias? Kristine is an expert in helping the dental hygienist identify their own bias related to patient care. As providers, we need to be aware of our bias. Kristine talks about ways in which we can identify bias and how to navigate through situations where we identify our bias. The first step is identification, become aware of how you speak, what you say, and how you say it. Consi...

We use many tools and instruments in the clinical setting to measure the extent of dental disease. The PSR probe is an example of a dental instrument that helps a clinician quickly and easily make a determination of the presence of health or disease during the screening process. The PSR will help the clinician determine if there is a need for a comprehensive evaluation. It is also used in several...

The perspective of others is important to hear as you are about to embark on the world of dental hygiene. In this episode, I speak with Laura Bettencourt and Danielle Avila about their journey along the path in dental hygiene. They share what lead them to develop a coaching program and where they want to see the profession grow in the future. We discuss the essential benefits all of us discovered...

Radiographic density brings us back to elementary school science class experiments. It is important to understand the correlation between the density of the object you are imaging and how it presents itself on an image. Several factors impact density that you need to know as a clinician. Let’s discuss this today so your images are top-notch! Additional resources:  Study Sheets: https://thehappyflo...

Dental anxiety is a real barrier to care for many patients. It can keep patients from seeking preventive care and limit their ability to maintain a healthy mouth. Let’s talk about the role of the dental hygienist in supporting the needs of patients to overcome some of the obstacles related to the dental anxiety they experience. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resource...

We treat patients with all sorts of Cronin disease and conditions. In this episode, we will discuss the patient who suffers from seizure disorders. It is important as a clinician to understand our patients level of risk, needs, and dental challenges. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resources:  Study Sheets: ⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserrdh.etsy.com/ ⁠⁠ Specialized Course:...

Taking the national board exam can provoke significant levels of anxiety, stress, and doubt. There is so much content covered on the exam that students can feel a bit overwhelmed when they first start the preparation process. In this episode we are going to cover what is on the exam, how to prepare for a successful outcome, and tips that will help you in the weeks leading up to exam day. Some of t...

Non narcotic analgesics are a commonly prescribed and widely used drugs for mild to moderate pain. It is important for the dental hygienist to be aware of the therapeutic effects, side effects, contraindications, dental implications, and precautions surrounding this category of drugs. As I say.... "Those who know will grow." Additional resources:  Study Sheets: ⁠⁠https://thehappyflosserr...