Today’s episode has Angie Stone with us again, but this time it’s on location at CAREERfusion 2017 in Daytona Beach, FL!
I wanted to capture the moment of CAREERfusion, because as an out of the box thinking hygienist, I’ve been told for many years by many peers that “I just needed to be there”. It took me years to, and thanks to the DebbieZ Pay It Forward Fund, I was chosen this year as a scholarship recipient!
Angie and I spend time talking about what has helped her outside of the box career, where HyLife Oral Health Alliance is going, and what prompted her to write “Dying From Dirty Teeth” (Amazon Best Seller).
She believes CAREERfusion is unique because nowhere else will you find the people who have the ability to help move you in the direction you that you are built for. It also can propel your career in ways you’d never imagine. It’s like a specialized tribe for dental hygienists!
We get into the importance of pivoting when needed and investing in yourself
Career Fusion – Angie’s message to hygienists thinking about it is "Do It"
Shirley Gutkowski and Primal Air
DebbieZ and the National Cancer Network
and explains how hygienists can get involved with her company and mission. As a HyLife Oral Care Specialist, hygienists can see residents for brushing and in between the teeth cleaning (this is not dental hygiene)
With hygienists acting as caregivers and the care team administering xylitol not only is oral health improved, but life span and quality of life can be greatly enhanced! 30% of pneumonia is aspiration pneumonia. When mouth bacteria build up, it can be inhaled during coughing and choking. When that bacteria hits the lungs, we’ve got issues!
Having an Oral Care Specialist on your team helps increase the value of life, impact the quality of life and enhance the client experience! Do it for the resident, the resident’s family and the care team!
Angie appeared in a previous podcast all about xylitol – listen here
Angie would love it if you:
Liked the HyLife Oral Health Alliance Facebook page
To learn more about HOHA, or to get involved as a hygienist, click here
Today I brought in my friend Dr. Bilal Saib, DDS (Pronounced Bill-Al) aka Dr. B to talk about what a “night guard” does, why a good fitting guard is so important, what to expect in the impression and placement process and what to look for in a dentist who is recommending one, when you decide it’s time to invest it’s important to know what can happen in the mouth if someone decides to wear a “night guard” (both good and bad).
Thankfully Dr. B walks us though the differences.
Protecting your teeth from the strong forces of grinding may be important if you are trying to avoid teeth that break, crack, become sensitive, prematurely yellow or gums that recede. Also, much of the pain and destruction in the muscles of the head, neck and jaw joints can change when wearing a properly fitted guard, but can be worse if the guard isn’t properly fitted to your mouth, and adjusted as the muscles relax and begin to change.
Dr. B and I spend a lot of time talking about this!
As a travelling hygienist, I’ve had the opportunity to work in hundreds of offices, which means I’ve seen thousands of people that have night guards, yet they don’t wear them due to discomfort or even feeling like it makes them grind more. Fortunately, I’ve also worked in offices where I have seen correctly fitting guards change people’s lives and provide comfort from pain and destruction of the mouth.
That’s what drew me to Dr. B. He’s one of those dentists who “get it”, and I am so thankful that he sat down today to give us some insight about why not all night guards are created equally.
The ones I’ve seen work most often are like the ones Dr. B provides his patients and advocates for.
These guards are meticulously created and adjusted for the patient as their muscles relax, and their bite changes. They often are more expensive, but by the end of today’s episode I hope you will have a better understanding as to why, and you’ll be wanting to seek out a dentist that thinks this way too for yourself.
When Dr. B isn’t being interviewed for podcasts, he’s busy interviewing people for his own podcast “The Passionate Dentist”, or changing lives and smiles in his dental practice Chapel Hill Advanced Dentistry in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Guards are called by many names. Occlusal guard, night guard, mouth guard for teeth grinding, dental guard, nocturnal bite plate and bite splint are the most common terms used. There are many different reasons that someone may be needing a guard, but the bottom line is you want to make sure that the person performing the service is someone that is looking at all the pieces to the puzzle of why you need one.
Thanks Dr. B for your insight, we appreciate you!
You can learn more about Dr. Bilal Saib at:
Jasmin Haley RDH on Investing in Yourself, Avoiding “Imposterism” and CAREERfusion.
Jasmin and I got the chance to sit down at CAREERfusion the first week of January. We were both first-time attendees, and at the end of the third day, we took a few moments to reflect on the experience we were in the middle of.
She opens up about how she has been able to be vulnerable here, and the validation she felt from this meeting.
Jasmin is a hygienist carving her own path as a speaker, blogger, and podcaster. She is adjunct faculty in a hygiene program, and like many, she is temping part time.
She schools me on Brick vs. The Brick, which I completely failed!
She shares her takeaways from CAREERfusion
We reflect on 2016 RDH Under One Roof’s Keynote speaker Colette Carlson’s talk about “making an ask out of yourself”
Jasmin gives her thoughts about the importance of healthy patients and how oral health coaching is an amazing adjunct for patients in the dental office who are trying to control cavities and gum disease.
How getting people to change is difficult, and as a public health instructor “the health belief model” requires that people believe they are at risk for disease and how that often doesn’t happen in a traditional appointment
We talk about the book “The Power of Habit” and habit loops vs keystone habits and how that relates to patient care and behavioral change.
Links:
Drug addiction crisis and the dental professional with Edie Gibson
Think beyond the prophy
I really enjoyed sitting down with Jasmin, and I look forward to what 2017 holds for her!!
Trust is a major factor in any relationship. Have you ever experienced working with a dentist or hygienist that focuses on helping you get healthy (even if that means telling you things you may not want to hear) all while building your trust, because you can see in their eyes that they want the absolute best for your health?
Have you ever had dental work done so that when you are finished you want to climb to the top of a mountain and shout out everyone about it (or post it to all of your social media accounts)?
Believe it or not, some people have had positive life changing experiences in a dental office. Dr. Jonathan Abenaim of Jonathan Dental Spa talks with us today about the importance of finding the right team to trust when it comes to your dental needs and oral health concerns.
In an age where we are constantly feeling rushed, it’s refreshing to hear from a health care provider that prides himself and his team member’s stance on taking the time to build trust with the patients he sees. He shares what drives him to create a successful practice, and why he feels called to help other dentists treat people the way that he does.
If you’ve visited a dentist where you didn’t get the best vibe, or if you’ve worked in an office that you don’t love, then this podcast is for you! As we close out this year, let’s make it a point to work with professionals we trust moving forward, and let’s identify some key factors to consider before jumping in with treatment (or a job) you’ll be disappointed in.
You deserve to have a dental provider that you feel has your best interest in mind, and that only happens when someone takes the time to get to know you, not just treat you.
And, if you’re willing to give 100% to making your patients experience an amazing one, you too deserve to work with a team like this!
Dr Jonathans’ commitment to trust and good dentistry has propelled him into writing a book about creating an amazing team…and if you’re not the dental field, it’s still full of great insight on how to follow your “true north”, and do what’s right by yourself and others.
Links: