Most dental assistants are not struggling because they are not capable. They are struggling because no one ever trained them properly.

Dental assisting is one of the most hands-on roles in dentistry, but many assistants are expected to perform, communicate, and anticipate everything without structured training or mentorship.

In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Julie Varney, RDA with 33 years chairside, to talk about the real skills nobody teaches, how to read your doctor, how to stay 10 steps ahead of the procedure, how to handle the anxious patient who walks in assuming the worst, and why so many dental assistants shut down when they feel picked at instead of supported.

This is not about clinical skills alone. It is about the system behind the role, and why so many talented assistants end up feeling overwhelmed, undervalued, or stuck.

Julie Varney, RDA, CDA, COA, CDIPC, FAADOM, is an experienced clinical dental assistant with over 30 years of chairside expertise. She specializes in efficient workflow, instrumentation, and real-time support that helps procedures run smoothly and predictably.

Julie is known for strengthening infection control protocols and clinical excellence without slowing down productivity. She works closely with dentists and their dental assistants to enhance communication, anticipate clinical needs, and improve overall patient care. Her hands-on approach helps dental teams build confidence, consistency, and clinical excellence.

Julie’s mission is to elevate the chairside clinical experience for both providers and patients through practical, results-driven

systems.

Connect with Julie: https://www.instagram.com/dentalassistantsrock/

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com

Dental infection control and OSHA compliance aren’t optional, but many practices are still missing critical steps.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your office is truly compliant, this conversation will give you clarity.

In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Monica Satake to unpack the real gaps in infection-control training and why so many dental teams are unintentionally putting themselves at risk.

This episode is for dental hygienists, dental assistants, dentists, practice owners, and educators who want to better understand OSHA requirements and how to apply them in everyday practice.

You’ll learn:

• The most commonly missed OSHA and infection control protocols

• Why improper onboarding leads to long-term compliance gaps

• The risks of everyday habits (including clinical attire and exposure)

• How to advocate for safer systems, without conflict or resistance

• What a true culture of safety actually looks like in a dental practice

Monica shares her journey from chairside to educator to consultant, offering practical insights you can apply immediately, whether you’re new to dentistry or leading a team.

This isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing what matters, the right way. If this episode resonated with you, share your biggest takeaway in the comments or send it to someone on your team who needs to hear it.

Connect with Monica:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicasatake

https://www.facebook.com/monica.satake

https:/www.instagram.com/monica.true_north

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com

Dental hygiene is about far more than scaling and polishing.

In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with hygienist and educator Barbara Tritz, RDH, to explore how dentistry can move beyond “just cleaning teeth” and begin addressing the deeper systemic factors that influence oral health.

This conversation is for dental hygienists, dentists, practice owners, and dental educators who want to rethink prevention and reconnect with the reason they entered healthcare in the first place.

Barbara shares her personal journey from burnout in clinical hygiene to rediscovering purpose through biological dental hygiene, oral-systemic connections, airway health, and diagnostic tools like phase-contrast microscopy.

Together they explore questions many clinicians are quietly asking:

• Are we treating symptoms instead of root causes?
• What happens when we actually see the bacteria driving disease?
• How can hygienists become true prevention specialists in healthcare?

You’ll learn how biological dentistry, airway awareness, and patient education can transform the operatory from a routine hygiene visit into a meaningful health intervention.

If you’ve ever wondered whether dentistry could be more impactful, more preventive, and more fulfilling, this episode is for you.

Barbara K. Tritz, BRDH, MSB, BSDATE, is an internationally recognized speaker and biological dental hygienist practicing at Green City Dental in Edmonds, Washington. She is also the owner of Washington Oral Wellness in Kirkland, WA, specializing in orofacial myofunctional therapy and biological dental hygiene.

Barbara is accredited in Biological Dental Hygiene by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) and serves as chair of the IAOMT Biological Dental Hygiene Committee.

👇 We’d love to hear from you:

What changed your perspective about prevention in dentistry?

Connect with Barbara: queenofdentalhygiene.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-tritz-2021/

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com

Dental leadership isn’t linear — it’s built through growth, setbacks, and purpose.

In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Anissa Broussard to explore what it really takes to evolve beyond the operatory.

This conversation is for dental hygienists, dentists, practice owners, and healthcare leaders who feel the pull toward “what’s next” — but may also feel the fear that comes with it.

Anissa shares her journey from clinician to entrepreneur, educator, marketing innovator, and founder — and why growth in dentistry is rarely a straight line. Instead, it’s a series of dips, pivots, and courageous decisions.

They unpack: • Why setbacks are often prerequisites • How honoring your word builds confidence • The mindset shift from ego to service • Why stillness — not hustle — creates clarity • How purpose-driven leadership fuels sustainable growth

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re “more than” your current role in dentistry, this episode offers grounded encouragement without unrealistic promises.

Dr. Anissa Broussard is a renowned expert in digital marketing for dentistry. She holds a Fellowship with the Dental Speaking Institute and has been invited to keynote at major events including the AACD, Social Media Marketing World, and Funnel Hacking Live.

Her work has been featured in Dental Economics and highlighted in Russell Brunson's Expert Secrets. Dr. Broussard is also the founder of Digital Floss, a full-service dental marketing agency, and Dentalflix, the premier online education platform delivering top-level training for both independent and group practices.

What season are you in right now — a climb or a dip?

https://www.instagram.com/digitalfloss

https://www.digitalfloss.com/

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com

Dental leadership can feel isolating. But broken culture is fixable.

In this episode of The Dental Handoff Podcast, Dr. Kelly Tanner talks with Stacey Sloan, RDH, founder of ChairSide Collaborative, about the real challenges of dental leadership, practice culture, and scaling a growing dental organization.

If you are a dental hygienist stepping into leadership, a dentist managing rapid growth, or a practice owner trying to build a healthy team culture, this conversation offers practical insight into alignment, accountability, and leadership strategy.

Stacey shares her transition from clinical hygiene to executive leadership and explains why culture problems are rarely surface level. Most breakdowns come from misalignment, unclear expectations, and leadership gaps, not personality conflicts.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why dental leadership often feels lonely
• How culture forms by default, not by design
• The role of accountability in team morale
• How alignment improves practice performance
• Why scaling requires shared leadership

With 25 years in dentistry, Stacey combines clinical experience, operational leadership, and culture strategy to help dental teams grow sustainably. Through ChairSide Collaborative, she works with dentists and leadership teams to build thriving practices focused on clarity, collaboration, and execution.

If you’re navigating growth, leadership stress, or culture challenges in your dental practice, this episode will resonate. Leave a comment and share what leadership lesson you’re currently learning.

Connect with Stacey: https://www.chairsidecollaborative.com/

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com

Dental hygiene leadership meets denturism and minimally invasive dentistry in this powerful episode of The Dental Handoff.

Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Sarah Luetke, RDH, Denturist, to discuss independent hygiene, nursing home dentistry, and expanding access to care for aging populations.

This episode is for: • Dental hygienists (RDHs) • Dentists and practice owners • Public health advocates • CE-driven clinicians • Healthcare leaders focused on prevention

Sarah shares how she transitioned from private practice hygiene into independent mobile care — serving nursing homes, navigating COVID, and later returning to school to become a denturist.

They discuss: • Why prevention must come before extraction • The role of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in aging care • The realities of Medicaid and access • What it really takes to start your own practice • How hygienists can expand leadership roles without replacing dentists

Sarah Luetke, LD, RDH, is a notable Dental Public Health Specialist, Geriatric Oral Health Advocate, and Minimally Invasive Dental Provider. She founded Sound Dental Care, which brings dental care to the geriatric and special needs populations through a mobile delivery model.

She currently serves in both administrative/management roles and clinical roles as a denturist and dental hygienist. Advocacy and policy change are her other passions. Sarah also co-founded MOBY Dental Alliance, a 501 (c) (3), which is a Minimally Invasive Dental platform connecting searching patients to providers.

If you've ever wondered how dental professionals can do more, without overstepping, this conversation is for you.

What part of Sarah’s journey resonated most with you? Share below.

https://www.sounddentalcare.com

https://www.mobydental.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-luetke-ld-rdh-8a7aa1172

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com

Dental leadership isn’t failing because people don’t care; it’s failing because we forget we’re human.

In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with practice management consultant Kristin Haynes to talk about empathy, burnout, and the unseen emotional load carried by dental teams and doctors alike.

This conversation is for dental hygienists, dentists, practice owners, and educators who feel the tension between clinical excellence, business pressure, and human connection.

Kristin Haynes is a consultant, speaker, and founder of KH Productivity Management, where she helps dental practices achieve growth with clarity and confidence. Through her signature Assessment to Clarity Framework™, Kristin guides practices to optimize three essential pillars: People Clarity to align team roles and leadership; Operations Clarity to streamline systems and increase efficiency; and Valuation Clarity to position the business for scalable growth or successful transition.

With over 25 years of deep experience in dentistry, Kristin is a trusted partner for doctors navigating expansion, adding associates, or preparing for a future sale. Her clear, actionable approach equips leaders with the structure and strategy needed to move forward decisively.

You’ll hear why:

• Burnout isn’t just physical, it’s emotional and cultural
• Vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s leadership
• Empathy builds stronger teams and stronger businesses
• Consultants and leaders must partner, not bulldoze

If you’ve ever felt like you had to “wear the mask” at work, this episode will resonate.

Join the conversation: What does empathy look like in your practice, and where do you wish it showed up more?

www.khpromanagement.com

www.linkedin.com/in/khpm

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com

In this episode, Dr. Kelly sits down with Krystal Afzalzada, a Canadian RDH, educator, and CE speaker who works at the intersection of:

🧠 Aging & dementia

🦷 Oral health & prevention

🤍 Fear, empathy & advocacy

They talk about:

• Why “if you can imagine the path, it might be yours”
• Turning fear into “Face Everything And Rise”
• How to slow down in a 30–45 min appointment and actually listen
• Supporting aging patients, caregivers, and long-term care teams
• The human side of dentistry we don’t talk about enough If you’ve ever felt rushed but knew a patient needed more than “see you in 6 months,” this one’s for you.

Krystal Afzalzada is a Registered Dental Hygienist, educator, and speaker with a passion for advancing oral healthcare through empathy, education, and interprofessional collaboration.

With experience teaching in post-secondary dental programs and developing continuing education focused on aging populations and cognitive health, Krystal brings a thoughtful, human-centered approach to leadership, communication, and care. Her work bridges clinical practice, education, and advocacy, helping professionals better support patients, caregivers, and one another.

👇 Tell us in the comments:

Connect with Krystal:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-hurteau-rdh

https://www.instagram.com/krystal.afzalzada.rdh/

Let's Connect! Book a Call today to see how I can help you create high-performance teams, discuss educational programs, or how I can be of assistance.

https://calendly.com/drkellytanner/30min

Visit us at https://www.nextleveldentalhygiene.com