1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,720 Hello, everyone. This is Erica Spicer Mason with 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:04,960 Becker's Healthcare. Thank you so much for tuning 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,219 into the Becker's Healthcare podcast series. 4 00:00:07,839 --> 00:00:10,259 So today we'll be talking about patient engagement 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:11,779 and education in dentistry. 6 00:00:12,335 --> 00:00:14,735 And joining me for this conversation, we have 7 00:00:14,735 --> 00:00:15,714 April Welker, 8 00:00:16,095 --> 00:00:18,574 a regional dental hygiene coach with Dental Care 9 00:00:18,574 --> 00:00:19,074 Alliance, 10 00:00:19,535 --> 00:00:22,435 and Kim Davis, also a dental hygiene coach 11 00:00:22,574 --> 00:00:23,875 at Dental Care Alliance. 12 00:00:24,269 --> 00:00:26,190 April, Kim, so glad to have you on 13 00:00:26,190 --> 00:00:28,030 the podcast today. Thanks so much for making 14 00:00:28,030 --> 00:00:28,690 the time. 15 00:00:29,470 --> 00:00:31,390 Thank you, Erica. We are so happy to 16 00:00:31,390 --> 00:00:33,630 be part of this podcast today. Yes. Thank 17 00:00:33,630 --> 00:00:35,549 you, Erica. We really appreciate you having us 18 00:00:35,549 --> 00:00:36,049 today. 19 00:00:36,484 --> 00:00:39,284 Yeah. Thrilled to have you. And before we 20 00:00:39,284 --> 00:00:41,445 get into the conversation, I wanted to see 21 00:00:41,445 --> 00:00:43,204 if you could both share just a little 22 00:00:43,204 --> 00:00:45,204 bit more about yourselves, your work in the 23 00:00:45,204 --> 00:00:47,125 dental space, really whatever you think will be 24 00:00:47,125 --> 00:00:48,825 helpful for listeners to know. 25 00:00:49,469 --> 00:00:51,070 And Kim, if you wanna kick us off, 26 00:00:51,070 --> 00:00:52,450 go ahead and introduce yourself. 27 00:00:52,829 --> 00:00:53,329 Absolutely. 28 00:00:54,030 --> 00:00:56,429 Thank you again for having us. I have 29 00:00:56,429 --> 00:00:58,670 been in the dental profession for nearly eighteen 30 00:00:58,670 --> 00:01:00,990 years. I began my career as a clinical 31 00:01:00,990 --> 00:01:03,649 hygienist, and I've later expanded into leadership. 32 00:01:04,385 --> 00:01:06,385 Over time, I've had the opportunity to serve 33 00:01:06,385 --> 00:01:10,084 in multiple capacities from chairside clinically and educator, 34 00:01:10,625 --> 00:01:13,025 lead hygienist, and in leadership as a hygiene 35 00:01:13,025 --> 00:01:13,525 coach. 36 00:01:14,064 --> 00:01:15,984 Each stage of my career has shaped how 37 00:01:15,984 --> 00:01:17,284 I view leadership and hygiene. 38 00:01:17,745 --> 00:01:20,780 What's begun as a focus on clinical excellence 39 00:01:20,780 --> 00:01:23,180 has evolved into a passion for developing people, 40 00:01:23,180 --> 00:01:25,500 building culture, and now I'm able to elevate 41 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:27,280 the standard of care across an organization. 42 00:01:28,379 --> 00:01:30,459 Fantastic. Kim, so great to learn more about 43 00:01:30,459 --> 00:01:32,159 you. Thank you for being here again. 44 00:01:32,474 --> 00:01:34,155 And April, how about you? Tell us about 45 00:01:34,155 --> 00:01:34,655 yourself. 46 00:01:35,674 --> 00:01:38,715 Sure. I feel just incredibly blessed to have 47 00:01:38,715 --> 00:01:40,635 had this twenty year career in the dental 48 00:01:40,635 --> 00:01:43,594 field, and I've had the opportunity to work 49 00:01:43,594 --> 00:01:46,395 with some very talented doctors in both general 50 00:01:46,395 --> 00:01:47,694 and periodontal offices. 51 00:01:48,469 --> 00:01:51,270 And later, I spent about seven years supporting 52 00:01:51,270 --> 00:01:54,329 private practices through focusing on team building, 53 00:01:54,790 --> 00:01:57,689 strong communication and leadership, and implementing systems. 54 00:01:58,310 --> 00:02:00,950 And that's what really prepared me for my 55 00:02:00,950 --> 00:02:03,634 current role, with DCA Now. And I love 56 00:02:03,634 --> 00:02:05,954 that I get to have consistent one on 57 00:02:05,954 --> 00:02:07,494 one hands on coaching 58 00:02:07,954 --> 00:02:10,435 and training with each hygienist, and that's something 59 00:02:10,435 --> 00:02:11,814 that I truly love to do. 60 00:02:12,995 --> 00:02:15,634 Thank you so much, April. And it's really 61 00:02:15,634 --> 00:02:17,659 clear from both of you how passionate you 62 00:02:17,659 --> 00:02:20,040 are about your work in dentistry and, 63 00:02:20,460 --> 00:02:22,620 and patient care. So I'm glad to have 64 00:02:22,620 --> 00:02:23,439 your expertise, 65 00:02:24,300 --> 00:02:26,000 on the line for our listeners today. 66 00:02:26,539 --> 00:02:28,860 And I know April, you just had started 67 00:02:28,860 --> 00:02:32,474 touching on this idea of coaching hygienists and 68 00:02:32,955 --> 00:02:34,555 that really does align with something that we're 69 00:02:34,555 --> 00:02:35,694 seeing more organizations 70 00:02:36,075 --> 00:02:38,555 invest in intentionally. You know, we're seeing them 71 00:02:38,555 --> 00:02:39,055 prioritize 72 00:02:39,355 --> 00:02:40,655 dental hygiene coaching. 73 00:02:41,514 --> 00:02:43,754 So I'd love to know, and Kim, maybe 74 00:02:43,754 --> 00:02:45,509 you can get us started with this one. 75 00:02:45,590 --> 00:02:46,949 Can you tell us a little bit more 76 00:02:46,949 --> 00:02:49,349 about the role of a hygiene coach and 77 00:02:49,349 --> 00:02:52,789 what strategic challenges or opportunities are really driving 78 00:02:52,789 --> 00:02:55,430 more dental groups to formalize this position right 79 00:02:55,430 --> 00:02:55,930 now? 80 00:02:56,549 --> 00:02:57,930 Yes. That's a great question. 81 00:02:58,395 --> 00:03:00,955 A hygiene coach is responsible for building and 82 00:03:00,955 --> 00:03:04,794 sustaining an ideal hygiene department. We're focusing on 83 00:03:04,794 --> 00:03:05,294 clinically, 84 00:03:05,594 --> 00:03:08,415 culturally, and operational aspects of the department. 85 00:03:09,115 --> 00:03:12,895 Dental practices are facing significant retention challenges nowadays. 86 00:03:13,340 --> 00:03:17,180 There's rapid technology advancements and increasing expectations around 87 00:03:17,180 --> 00:03:18,319 patient care standards. 88 00:03:18,860 --> 00:03:21,439 Hygiene coaching addresses all three of these. 89 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:24,139 The role has been providing a support system 90 00:03:24,139 --> 00:03:27,520 for clinicians, someone who understands both clinical realities 91 00:03:27,659 --> 00:03:28,400 of the operatory 92 00:03:28,865 --> 00:03:30,965 and the operational priorities of the organization. 93 00:03:31,665 --> 00:03:33,284 That alignment is critical. 94 00:03:33,824 --> 00:03:36,865 We're also seeing hygienists eager to expand beyond 95 00:03:36,865 --> 00:03:38,645 the traditional prophy only mindset. 96 00:03:39,105 --> 00:03:40,784 They wanna practice at the top of their 97 00:03:40,784 --> 00:03:43,585 license and integrate new technologies and elevate their 98 00:03:43,585 --> 00:03:44,564 quality of care. 99 00:03:44,939 --> 00:03:47,419 Coaching creates that framework to support the growth 100 00:03:47,419 --> 00:03:48,800 while maintaining consistency, 101 00:03:49,180 --> 00:03:49,680 accountability. 102 00:03:50,699 --> 00:03:53,739 Ultimately, the role shifts the focus from a 103 00:03:53,739 --> 00:03:56,319 volume driven to quality driven outcomes, 104 00:03:56,699 --> 00:03:59,419 which benefits patients, providers, and the business as 105 00:03:59,419 --> 00:04:00,080 a whole. 106 00:04:00,905 --> 00:04:02,425 Yeah. It's great to hear you touch on 107 00:04:02,425 --> 00:04:05,625 those quality outcomes. Kim, I know that as 108 00:04:05,625 --> 00:04:08,824 you mentioned, that spans not just actual clinical 109 00:04:08,824 --> 00:04:11,465 care, but also patient experience and, of course, 110 00:04:11,465 --> 00:04:13,724 you know, organizational repute reputation. 111 00:04:15,090 --> 00:04:17,490 So, April, I'll turn the next question to 112 00:04:17,490 --> 00:04:19,410 you. With all of this in mind, for 113 00:04:19,410 --> 00:04:22,930 clinicians who might be exceptional at chairside care 114 00:04:22,930 --> 00:04:25,410 and delivering high quality care, what does it 115 00:04:25,410 --> 00:04:28,290 actually take to transition into an effective hygiene 116 00:04:28,290 --> 00:04:30,105 coach? You know, maybe you can walk us 117 00:04:30,105 --> 00:04:31,485 through what the day to day 118 00:04:31,865 --> 00:04:33,865 reality of the role looks like and and 119 00:04:33,865 --> 00:04:36,105 even maybe some mindset shifts that are required 120 00:04:36,105 --> 00:04:38,285 to lead and elevate other hygienists. 121 00:04:38,824 --> 00:04:40,904 I'd be happy to. And, you know, when 122 00:04:40,904 --> 00:04:42,125 Kim and I were discussing 123 00:04:42,470 --> 00:04:45,189 some of these questions earlier, we really felt 124 00:04:45,189 --> 00:04:47,830 that, you know, moving from chair psych care 125 00:04:47,830 --> 00:04:51,270 into coaching requires a hygienist to really essentially 126 00:04:51,270 --> 00:04:53,110 take off their loops. You have to step 127 00:04:53,110 --> 00:04:55,404 away and and look at the entire office. 128 00:04:55,404 --> 00:04:58,045 And sometimes as clinicians, we can become very 129 00:04:58,045 --> 00:04:59,985 linear in our day to day routines. 130 00:05:00,524 --> 00:05:03,245 Coaching really requires us to take a broader 131 00:05:03,245 --> 00:05:04,845 lens and look at the whole office and 132 00:05:04,845 --> 00:05:05,665 the whole team. 133 00:05:06,045 --> 00:05:08,384 It really does take a lot of patience, 134 00:05:08,524 --> 00:05:09,584 time, and flexibility. 135 00:05:10,199 --> 00:05:12,939 As we all know, schedules can change rapidly. 136 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,480 You really have to be willing and able 137 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:16,540 to pivot quickly. 138 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,400 One thing that's also really important is setting 139 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,759 realistic goals is so helpful. Realizing that every 140 00:05:22,759 --> 00:05:24,860 hygienist learns very differently 141 00:05:25,319 --> 00:05:27,875 and results aren't always going to be immediate. 142 00:05:28,254 --> 00:05:31,134 But coaching always comes with its challenges too. 143 00:05:31,134 --> 00:05:33,935 And so there are really tough conversations that 144 00:05:33,935 --> 00:05:34,914 had to be had. 145 00:05:35,375 --> 00:05:37,055 The truth of the truth of it is 146 00:05:37,055 --> 00:05:39,230 not everyone always wants to be coached. And 147 00:05:39,230 --> 00:05:41,170 so in those really hard situations, 148 00:05:41,629 --> 00:05:43,889 we do need to take time to reflect, 149 00:05:44,589 --> 00:05:47,889 change our approach, and always be willing to 150 00:05:48,350 --> 00:05:49,870 go into this in a in a different 151 00:05:49,870 --> 00:05:50,370 way 152 00:05:50,824 --> 00:05:53,464 and be willing to work within these sometimes 153 00:05:53,464 --> 00:05:54,444 difficult situations. 154 00:05:55,625 --> 00:05:57,865 Yeah. You you're raising some really good points 155 00:05:57,865 --> 00:06:00,665 here, April, and I appreciate how it sounds 156 00:06:00,665 --> 00:06:01,165 like 157 00:06:01,785 --> 00:06:04,125 the coaching opportunity can really help 158 00:06:04,569 --> 00:06:06,830 help parts of the workforce see their organization 159 00:06:06,889 --> 00:06:08,889 from a broader lens and maybe more of 160 00:06:08,889 --> 00:06:11,149 an operational lens, which I'm I'm sure 161 00:06:11,689 --> 00:06:14,170 has some benefits to it from, you know, 162 00:06:14,170 --> 00:06:14,830 a satisfaction 163 00:06:15,449 --> 00:06:18,134 standpoint as as someone in the dental workforce, 164 00:06:18,194 --> 00:06:20,675 but then also growing their own skills and 165 00:06:20,675 --> 00:06:21,175 communication, 166 00:06:22,355 --> 00:06:23,415 skills and expertise. 167 00:06:24,355 --> 00:06:26,915 So I appreciate you shedding some light on 168 00:06:26,915 --> 00:06:28,694 opportunities and challenges there. 169 00:06:29,470 --> 00:06:31,629 And, Kim, as a follow-up to that, when 170 00:06:31,629 --> 00:06:34,269 hygiene coaching is done well, what kind of 171 00:06:34,269 --> 00:06:34,769 measurable 172 00:06:35,149 --> 00:06:37,490 impact does it have across the organization, 173 00:06:37,790 --> 00:06:40,930 whether it's, you know, benefits to patients, providers, 174 00:06:41,230 --> 00:06:41,730 operations, 175 00:06:42,189 --> 00:06:43,410 whatever it may be? 176 00:06:44,224 --> 00:06:46,224 I have to agree with April. You really 177 00:06:46,224 --> 00:06:47,824 do have to take on a different different 178 00:06:47,824 --> 00:06:48,324 perspective. 179 00:06:49,185 --> 00:06:50,485 The measurable impact 180 00:06:50,865 --> 00:06:53,504 shows up in several meaningful ways. First, do 181 00:06:53,504 --> 00:06:55,104 you start to see an elevated standard of 182 00:06:55,104 --> 00:06:57,764 care, strong perio programs, improved diagnostics, 183 00:06:58,740 --> 00:07:00,439 more confident case presentation, 184 00:07:00,900 --> 00:07:02,520 and it's rooted in patient education. 185 00:07:03,220 --> 00:07:03,720 Secondly, 186 00:07:04,020 --> 00:07:06,360 I would say that you see improved retention, 187 00:07:06,819 --> 00:07:09,240 both hygienist retention and patient retention. 188 00:07:09,620 --> 00:07:12,040 When clinicians start to feel supported and aligned, 189 00:07:12,420 --> 00:07:13,800 burnout starts to decrease. 190 00:07:14,324 --> 00:07:17,764 When patients experience comprehensive care and consistent care, 191 00:07:17,764 --> 00:07:19,625 trust and loyalty starts to increase. 192 00:07:20,324 --> 00:07:22,805 Third, I do see that I noticed operational 193 00:07:22,805 --> 00:07:25,544 alignment. Coaching connects the clinical priorities 194 00:07:25,845 --> 00:07:28,939 with the business objectives, creating consistency across the 195 00:07:28,939 --> 00:07:30,240 teams and across locations. 196 00:07:30,860 --> 00:07:33,339 But, honestly, I think the most impact is 197 00:07:33,339 --> 00:07:34,959 the cultural impact that it makes. 198 00:07:35,980 --> 00:07:38,160 When I think about hygiene coaching, 199 00:07:38,620 --> 00:07:40,495 I don't think about numbers or check lists. 200 00:07:40,495 --> 00:07:41,634 I think about energy. 201 00:07:42,014 --> 00:07:44,254 I think about passion. I think about walking 202 00:07:44,254 --> 00:07:46,675 into practice and feeling that spark again. 203 00:07:47,134 --> 00:07:48,495 So I guess I would say a true 204 00:07:48,495 --> 00:07:50,735 hygiene coach really helps bring back that spark. 205 00:07:50,735 --> 00:07:52,754 And when you're creating a culture where hygienists 206 00:07:52,814 --> 00:07:54,254 don't just show up to work, they start 207 00:07:54,254 --> 00:07:56,350 to light up, where they feel proud of 208 00:07:56,350 --> 00:07:58,290 the impact they're making every single day, 209 00:07:58,670 --> 00:08:01,330 coaching is done well. Something starts to shift. 210 00:08:01,389 --> 00:08:03,389 Hygienists start remembering why they fell in love 211 00:08:03,389 --> 00:08:05,089 with the profession in the first place 212 00:08:05,470 --> 00:08:08,350 and relationships, the trust, the ability to truly 213 00:08:08,350 --> 00:08:09,889 change someone's health and confidence. 214 00:08:10,555 --> 00:08:12,074 I feel that it creates a space where 215 00:08:12,074 --> 00:08:15,274 growth feels exciting. Feedback starts to become more 216 00:08:15,274 --> 00:08:16,975 empowering and not so critical. 217 00:08:17,675 --> 00:08:20,154 The team starts to rally, and they all 218 00:08:20,154 --> 00:08:22,634 have a shared purpose of elevating patient care 219 00:08:22,634 --> 00:08:23,134 together. 220 00:08:23,449 --> 00:08:25,129 And that's honestly when I start to see 221 00:08:25,129 --> 00:08:26,029 the magic happening. 222 00:08:26,569 --> 00:08:28,169 You can feel it in the room. The 223 00:08:28,169 --> 00:08:30,970 energy is different. There's laughter. There's confidence. There's 224 00:08:30,970 --> 00:08:33,210 ownership. People are getting excited to come to 225 00:08:33,210 --> 00:08:34,990 work because they know that they matter. 226 00:08:35,529 --> 00:08:37,129 That's the kind of culture that we believe 227 00:08:37,129 --> 00:08:38,490 in. That's the kind of culture I believe 228 00:08:38,490 --> 00:08:38,990 in. 229 00:08:39,345 --> 00:08:42,384 When one, when passion is reignited, purpose is 230 00:08:42,384 --> 00:08:44,704 clear and hygiene teams start to thrive. And 231 00:08:44,704 --> 00:08:46,384 when a team is energized and proud of 232 00:08:46,384 --> 00:08:48,384 the care that they're starting to deliver, that 233 00:08:48,384 --> 00:08:49,924 enthusiasm becomes contagious. 234 00:08:50,304 --> 00:08:52,784 It starts to influence patients, providers, and the 235 00:08:52,784 --> 00:08:54,164 organization as a whole. 236 00:08:55,579 --> 00:08:57,659 I appreciate the clear picture you painted there, 237 00:08:57,659 --> 00:08:59,440 Kim, you know, using words like 238 00:08:59,899 --> 00:09:00,399 energized, 239 00:09:00,940 --> 00:09:03,019 getting the passion back, you know, bringing back 240 00:09:03,019 --> 00:09:03,679 a spark. 241 00:09:04,059 --> 00:09:06,620 It's clear that, you know, something that starts 242 00:09:06,620 --> 00:09:09,154 as this kind of one one on one 243 00:09:09,214 --> 00:09:10,834 relationship or coaching scenario, 244 00:09:11,134 --> 00:09:12,815 it can have a lot of profound impact 245 00:09:12,815 --> 00:09:16,575 across clinical care, patient experience and operations. So 246 00:09:16,575 --> 00:09:18,514 thank you so much for outlining all that. 247 00:09:19,054 --> 00:09:21,634 And April, I wanna turn this last question 248 00:09:21,695 --> 00:09:25,370 over to you. You know, as organizations consider 249 00:09:25,829 --> 00:09:29,289 ways to retain dental hygienists and improve care, 250 00:09:29,589 --> 00:09:31,909 what advice would you offer leaders who are 251 00:09:31,909 --> 00:09:34,709 considering this model, this coaching model, or even 252 00:09:34,709 --> 00:09:37,110 hygienists who maybe are aspiring to step into 253 00:09:37,110 --> 00:09:39,394 a coach a coaching role? I'd be happy 254 00:09:39,394 --> 00:09:41,654 to talk about that. I think it really 255 00:09:41,794 --> 00:09:43,714 starts with tying in a lot of what 256 00:09:43,714 --> 00:09:45,654 you and Kim just touched on as well. 257 00:09:45,794 --> 00:09:47,394 I love the words that she said too, 258 00:09:47,394 --> 00:09:50,514 the energy, culture, excitement, magic. Those are things 259 00:09:50,514 --> 00:09:53,419 that we sometimes forget about because we are 260 00:09:53,419 --> 00:09:55,179 in our day to day, and sometimes we 261 00:09:55,419 --> 00:09:58,059 sometimes hygienists and teams are experiencing that burnout. 262 00:09:58,059 --> 00:10:01,019 And when you're really thinking about bringing a 263 00:10:01,019 --> 00:10:03,784 coaching role into your organization, it's so important 264 00:10:03,924 --> 00:10:05,225 to really think about 265 00:10:05,605 --> 00:10:07,845 why you're doing it, what you want to 266 00:10:07,845 --> 00:10:09,605 accomplish by doing it, and what that really 267 00:10:09,605 --> 00:10:11,684 means to your organization. How are you going 268 00:10:11,684 --> 00:10:12,424 to bring 269 00:10:12,884 --> 00:10:14,964 those things that Kim talked about, the energy, 270 00:10:14,964 --> 00:10:16,485 the culture? How are you going to bring 271 00:10:16,485 --> 00:10:16,860 that 272 00:10:17,339 --> 00:10:19,419 to your organization by bringing in a coach? 273 00:10:19,419 --> 00:10:21,659 And so I think, you know, for me, 274 00:10:21,659 --> 00:10:23,039 there's a lot of similarities 275 00:10:23,419 --> 00:10:25,980 between what we do and, like, say a 276 00:10:25,980 --> 00:10:27,440 sports coach. For example, 277 00:10:27,820 --> 00:10:30,314 our role is to motivate, cheer on the 278 00:10:30,314 --> 00:10:33,115 hygienist in the team. We're training them or 279 00:10:33,115 --> 00:10:35,834 encouraging or holding them accountable and to a 280 00:10:35,834 --> 00:10:36,654 higher standard. 281 00:10:37,034 --> 00:10:38,554 Like I said earlier, we have to have 282 00:10:38,554 --> 00:10:41,514 those hard conversations, and that's exactly what coaching 283 00:10:41,514 --> 00:10:43,509 is. I think that's a really good way 284 00:10:43,509 --> 00:10:45,610 to visualize that for your teams. 285 00:10:45,990 --> 00:10:48,470 But it's also important to really hire for 286 00:10:48,470 --> 00:10:51,269 the right attitude. A leadership mindset is just 287 00:10:51,269 --> 00:10:54,629 not about the clinical skills. And so Kim 288 00:10:54,629 --> 00:10:56,709 and I, again, really thought about this question 289 00:10:56,709 --> 00:10:58,875 and talked about what what it would really 290 00:10:58,875 --> 00:11:01,115 mean. So you can have a really great 291 00:11:01,115 --> 00:11:03,615 hygienist that's very strong in her clinical skills, 292 00:11:03,835 --> 00:11:05,615 but that might not always translate 293 00:11:05,915 --> 00:11:06,415 into 294 00:11:06,795 --> 00:11:09,774 real world coaching and how those behaviors, 295 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,799 attitudes, mindset shifts can switch once you're in 296 00:11:12,799 --> 00:11:14,799 a different role. And so you really have 297 00:11:14,799 --> 00:11:17,440 to be aware of personality types, who you're 298 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,639 working with. And just as important as picking 299 00:11:20,639 --> 00:11:21,460 the right person, 300 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,075 you also want to be mindful of 301 00:11:24,875 --> 00:11:26,715 the structure that you're creating in the training 302 00:11:26,715 --> 00:11:29,355 process and the mentoring program for that coach 303 00:11:29,355 --> 00:11:31,035 so they can learn to grow and be 304 00:11:31,035 --> 00:11:32,575 successful in that role too. 305 00:11:34,394 --> 00:11:37,049 All great points, April. Thank you so much 306 00:11:37,450 --> 00:11:40,250 for elaborating on how other organizations can make 307 00:11:40,250 --> 00:11:43,149 this possible and and put coaching into practice. 308 00:11:43,850 --> 00:11:45,850 Before we close, I'd love to give both 309 00:11:45,850 --> 00:11:48,009 of your thoughts on maybe anything we didn't 310 00:11:48,009 --> 00:11:49,850 cover or if there are any final thoughts 311 00:11:49,850 --> 00:11:51,629 that you think our listeners should know. 312 00:11:52,394 --> 00:11:55,034 I really want to, I guess, end to 313 00:11:55,034 --> 00:11:56,875 conclude on a note where we remind ourselves 314 00:11:56,875 --> 00:11:58,815 that hygiene is not just about procedures. 315 00:11:59,355 --> 00:12:01,434 It's not just about teeth or charts or 316 00:12:01,434 --> 00:12:04,014 appointments on a schedule. It's about people. 317 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,259 It's about health. It's about lives. 318 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:08,720 And we really are spending a lot of 319 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,779 time focusing as hygienists. We're on 320 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:13,940 the forefront of early detection. 321 00:12:14,399 --> 00:12:16,424 We're often the first to recognize the subtle 322 00:12:16,504 --> 00:12:18,684 signs of systemic disease, the inflammation. 323 00:12:19,464 --> 00:12:20,524 We see the patterns, 324 00:12:21,065 --> 00:12:23,065 the changes that tell the bigger story. And 325 00:12:23,065 --> 00:12:24,664 I love how April said, we take off 326 00:12:24,664 --> 00:12:26,745 our loops and and really get a different 327 00:12:26,745 --> 00:12:27,245 perspective. 328 00:12:27,784 --> 00:12:30,269 We're not just cleaning teeth. We're identifying risk, 329 00:12:30,509 --> 00:12:32,830 educating patients, and in many cases, we're changing 330 00:12:32,830 --> 00:12:34,050 and even saving lives. 331 00:12:34,509 --> 00:12:36,750 As coaches, we have the responsibility and the 332 00:12:36,750 --> 00:12:37,250 privilege 333 00:12:37,629 --> 00:12:39,710 to help others see that bigger vision, to 334 00:12:39,710 --> 00:12:43,330 elevate confidence, to strengthen standards, to inspire excellence. 335 00:12:44,375 --> 00:12:46,695 I love that we get to remind every 336 00:12:46,695 --> 00:12:49,174 hygienist that their role is powerful, it's essential, 337 00:12:49,174 --> 00:12:50,475 and it's deeply impactful. 338 00:12:51,174 --> 00:12:53,735 When we embrace both those roles, clinician and 339 00:12:53,735 --> 00:12:56,394 coach, we don't just improve practices. We elevate 340 00:12:56,455 --> 00:12:57,195 our profession. 341 00:12:57,699 --> 00:13:00,100 And when hygienists truly understand the weight and 342 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:01,539 the worth of the role that they play 343 00:13:01,539 --> 00:13:04,100 in early detection and whole body health, passion 344 00:13:04,100 --> 00:13:05,079 starts to return. 345 00:13:05,379 --> 00:13:06,919 Their purpose feels deepened 346 00:13:07,299 --> 00:13:10,120 and their impact extends far beyond the operatory. 347 00:13:10,664 --> 00:13:13,065 And I think April can actually agree that 348 00:13:13,065 --> 00:13:15,004 this is the legacy that we're building. 349 00:13:15,945 --> 00:13:18,745 April, anything you wanted to finish with? Yeah. 350 00:13:18,745 --> 00:13:20,985 Absolutely, Kim. That was a perfect answer. I 351 00:13:20,985 --> 00:13:22,824 don't know if I can say anything more, 352 00:13:22,824 --> 00:13:24,284 but what I will add 353 00:13:24,649 --> 00:13:27,210 is that, you know, hygienists are are truly 354 00:13:27,210 --> 00:13:29,289 the life of the practice. We bring so 355 00:13:29,289 --> 00:13:32,009 much value, insight, and energy, education to the 356 00:13:32,009 --> 00:13:35,049 patient experience every day. And as Kim said, 357 00:13:35,049 --> 00:13:39,215 purpose, impact, legacy are such strong, meaningful, impactful 358 00:13:39,915 --> 00:13:42,315 words that and we just wanna say that 359 00:13:42,315 --> 00:13:44,555 we are just so incredibly proud of all 360 00:13:44,555 --> 00:13:48,075 of our DCA hygienists, and our coaching team 361 00:13:48,075 --> 00:13:50,235 is phenomenal. And we just we look forward 362 00:13:50,235 --> 00:13:51,695 to continuing to help 363 00:13:52,259 --> 00:13:53,480 strengthen our team. 364 00:13:54,820 --> 00:13:57,540 Well, it's been such a pleasure, April Kim, 365 00:13:57,540 --> 00:14:00,179 having you on the podcast today. Your both 366 00:14:00,179 --> 00:14:02,660 of your energies are infectious, I have to 367 00:14:02,660 --> 00:14:04,200 say, so I can understand 368 00:14:04,654 --> 00:14:06,335 how this is a role based on everything 369 00:14:06,335 --> 00:14:07,774 you've described. I can see how this is 370 00:14:07,774 --> 00:14:09,855 a role that's resonated with both of you 371 00:14:09,855 --> 00:14:10,595 and also, 372 00:14:11,134 --> 00:14:13,375 kind of how that energy and passion and 373 00:14:13,375 --> 00:14:14,835 kind of reigniting for 374 00:14:15,615 --> 00:14:18,335 maybe connecting to your why as a hygienist. 375 00:14:18,335 --> 00:14:19,679 I can see how you're able to cascade 376 00:14:21,759 --> 00:14:23,519 thank you so much again for joining the 377 00:14:23,519 --> 00:14:25,460 podcast today and sharing all your insights. 378 00:14:25,919 --> 00:14:27,839 Thank you, Erica. We're really honored to be 379 00:14:27,839 --> 00:14:29,839 on your podcast, and and we thank Dental 380 00:14:29,839 --> 00:14:32,019 Care Alliance too for giving us this opportunity 381 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,320 to take part in this role and make 382 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:34,980 a difference. 383 00:14:35,605 --> 00:14:37,365 Yes. Thank you so much, Erica. We really 384 00:14:37,365 --> 00:14:38,504 appreciate this opportunity. 385 00:14:39,285 --> 00:14:41,605 Oh, likewise. Well and we also, on behalf 386 00:14:41,605 --> 00:14:44,164 of Becker's, wanna thank our podcast sponsor for 387 00:14:44,164 --> 00:14:45,785 today, Dental Care Alliance. 388 00:14:46,483 --> 00:14:48,643 Listeners, be sure to tune into more podcasts 389 00:14:48,643 --> 00:14:51,283 like this from Becker's Healthcare by visiting our 390 00:14:51,283 --> 00:14:54,823 podcast page at beckershospitalreview.com.