You get Dr. Brady Smith.

And yes… this is actually our SECOND time recording this episode. The first one was apparently too unhinged for technology to handle. 😂

Dr. Brady Smith is a dentist, comedian, speaker, practice owner, and creator of Laughing My Gas Off, the show where he combines dentistry, comedy, celebrity guests, teeth cleaning, and sometimes a little nitrous. Because apparently practicing dentistry normally wasn’t entertaining enough.

In this episode, we get into everything from comedy and bombing on stage to dentistry, dental hygiene, prevention, production, access to care, Medicaid, and why Brady STILL does his own hygiene.

We talk about:

🦷 Why a dentist actually chooses to clean teeth 😂 How Brady went from class clown to stand-up comedian 🎤 What happens when a joke absolutely bombs 💨 The story behind Laughing My Gas Off 🪥 What dentists actually learn about periodontal care in dental school 💰 Hygiene production, compensation and why Brady hasn’t hired a hygienist 🏥 Access to dental care and treating underserved populations 🔥 Why dentistry takes itself way too seriously sometimes 🧠 Challenging the traditional dentist/hygienist model ❤️ Why enjoying your patients and your work still matters

And somewhere in there we discuss farting in relationships, Canadian tooth numbering, 69 merch that doesn't work in Canada, Hot Ones, Fortnite, and whether Lauren should eat chicken wings while Brady cleans someone’s teeth.

You know. Healthcare. 😂

Underneath all the chaos is a conversation we LOVE having on this podcast:

Why do we do things the way we’ve always done them?

A cleaning is a procedure. Prevention is a philosophy.

Whether you’re a dentist, hygienist, assistant, or another healthcare provider, there’s room to question the model, challenge each other, laugh at ourselves, and maybe build something better.

🎙️ FIND DR. BRADY SMITH

Website: DrBradySmith.com Instagram + TikTok: Dr. Brady Smith YouTube: Laughing My Gas Off

🎧 THE UNHINGED HYGIENISTS

Follow us: @theunhingedhygienists

Hosted by: 🩷 Anastasia “Tasia” Dallas, RDH 🩵 Lauren Kennedy, RDH | The Myo Coach

🎙️ Helping hygienists think differently so patients can live differently.

We’re here to ask better questions, challenge the status quo, connect the dots across healthcare, elevate the role of the dental hygienist, and have a hell of a lot of fun while doing it.

🔥 YOUR TURN

If you laughed, learned something, disagreed with us, agreed WAY too hard, or yelled at your phone during this episode, WE WANT TO HEAR IT.

👉 Follow The Unhinged Hygienists 👉 Subscribe on YouTube + your favorite podcast platform 👉 Share this episode with a dentist or hygienist who needs to hear it 👉 Leave us a comment or review 👉 DM us and tell us what you REALLY thought.

What did you love? What made you think? What do you disagree with? What should we talk about next? Who should we bring on?

We read your messages, and this podcast is growing because of YOU.

Stay curious. Question everything. And for the love of God… let’s have some fun. 🎙️🦷🔥

But what if that’s only part of the story?

What if the bigger question isn’t “Where did all the hygienists go?”

What if it’s:

“What happened that made so many hygienists stop wanting to work HERE?”

🔥 In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia and Lauren are bringing the receipts. We dig into current workforce data, burnout, compensation, benefits, workplace culture, physical demands, professional autonomy, and the very real reasons dental practices are struggling to recruit AND retain hygienists.

And no, this isn’t a dentist-bashing episode.

There are incredible dentists, practice owners, DSOs, and hygienists out there. There are also problems on both sides of the operatory that we need to be willing to talk about.

• Is there actually a dental hygiene shortage, or do we have a retention problem?

• Why recruiting more hygienists won’t fix a workplace they don’t want to stay in

• The staggering number of hygienists reporting burnout

• Workload, unrealistic schedules, and toxic office culture

• The physical toll of clinical hygiene, including neck, back, shoulder, hand, and wrist pain

• Why “but hygienists make great money” completely misses part of the compensation conversation

• Raises, bonuses, PTO, health insurance, retirement, sick time, CE, and benefits

• Why an impressive hourly wage doesn’t necessarily equal an impressive compensation package

• The problem with “that’s just dentistry”

• Why yoga, lavender, gratitude journals, and box breathing cannot fix a structurally unreasonable schedule 😬

• Professional autonomy and being treated like a healthcare provider instead of a production machine

• Why hygienists ALSO have responsibility for their professionalism, education, documentation, ergonomics, communication, and clinical standards

• What dentists and practice owners should be asking when they repeatedly lose great hygienists

• What hygienists should consider before deciding they have to tolerate a workplace that is destroying them

Here’s the bigger conversation:

Most hygienists didn’t spend years getting educated, licensed, and trained because they hate dental hygiene.

Many of us love this profession.

We love our patients. We believe in prevention. We believe oral health IS health. We want to practice at a high clinical standard.

But loving dental hygiene shouldn’t require sacrificing our bodies, families, mental health, or clinical judgment.

And maybe the next generation isn’t ruining dental hygiene.

Maybe they’re refusing to normalize the things previous generations were taught to tolerate.

That isn’t necessarily entitlement.

Maybe it’s evolution.

Because the solution to the hygiene shortage cannot simply be producing more hygienists and pouring them into the same broken bucket.

We also need to create workplaces where great clinicians actually want to stay.

Hygienists: If you could choose ONE thing that would make you stay at an office for 10 years, what would it be?

Money? Benefits? Longer appointments? Autonomy? Culture? Flexibility? A doctor who actually listens?

Dentists & practice owners: What makes recruiting and retaining a great hygienist difficult from YOUR side of the equation?

This conversation needs both sides at the table.

👇 Drop your answer in the comments or DM us. We read them, and we genuinely want to hear what you have to say.

📲 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists 🎥 YouTube: The Unhinged Hygienists 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & your favorite podcast platforms 🌐 theunhingedhygienists.com

If this episode made you think, laugh, get a little pissed off, or yell “FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT”...

Subscribe. Follow. Comment. Share this episode with a hygienist, dentist, or practice owner who needs to hear it.

Because we’re not here just to talk about dental hygiene.

We’re here to challenge the status quo, ask better questions, connect the dots, and bring oral health back to the healthcare table.

Stay curious. Stay loud. Stay Unhinged. 🦷🔥

Yeah. We went there.

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Anastasia Dallas, RDH and Lauren Kennedy, RDH sit down with Dr. Brian Edwards, DDS, founder of 323 Dentistry, to talk about a radically different way of practicing dentistry: one built around prevention, transparency, exceptional patient care, a thriving hygiene department, and a team that actually enjoys coming to work.

And Brian didn’t arrive at this philosophy through some perfectly polished dental career.

His early years in dentistry included everything from discovering unethical behavior inside practices to being embezzled from, battling insurance reimbursement, running himself into the ground with volume, and realizing that being BUSIER wasn’t necessarily making his practice healthier, happier, or even more profitable.

Eventually, something had to change.

So he changed the damn system. 🔥

We get into:

🔥 Why Brian built 323 Dentistry around hygiene and prevention

🔥 Why he decided to drop insurance contracts and move toward fee-for-service dentistry

🔥 Why more patients doesn’t automatically equal more profit

🔥 How Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) helped transform his hygiene model

🔥 Why his hygienists see approximately seven patients a day instead of being slammed with volume

🔥 Why his hygiene team has a dedicated assistant

🔥 How longer appointments create room for periodontal charting, blood pressure screening, patient education, saliva testing, airway conversations and actual PREVENTION

🔥 Why standardized systems and language across the entire dental team matter

🔥 Why hygienists need the time, technology and support to actually use the education they’re investing in

🔥 Why dentists and hygienists should be working TOGETHER instead of operating like two completely separate departments

🔥 Why three-, four- and six-month recare should be based on the PATIENT, not an arbitrary calendar

🔥 How prevention can actually create a stronger, more sustainable dental practice

🔥 Why hygienists are not loss leaders

And maybe the biggest conversation of all:

What happens when we stop building dentistry around insurance and start building it around HEALTH?

Brian’s philosophy is refreshingly simple.

Create an environment where the team can thrive. Give clinicians enough time to actually care for people. Make fees transparent. Treat disease instead of repeating the same schedule because “that’s how we’ve always done it.” And build a practice patients WANT to come back to.

Because a healthy practice shouldn’t require burned-out providers and rushed patients.

Brian also has a message for the hygienists taking CE, learning new technology, studying airway, lasers, GBT, nutrition, saliva testing and oral-systemic health... only to return to an office that won’t let them implement any of it:

Keep learning anyway.

Your current office does not have to define the clinician you become.

Find the part of dentistry that lights you up, surround yourself with people practicing that way, advocate for yourself and find an environment aligned with the care you want to provide.

👏 YES. 👏 PLEASE.

Dr. Brian Edwards, DDS | ThreeTwoThreeDentistry

📱 Instagram: @threetwothreedentistry

Brian invites dental professionals interested in this model to DM him on Instagram. Mention The Unhinged Hygienists Podcast and ask about his playbook for practices looking to begin making these changes.

Anastasia Dallas, RDH 📱 Instagram: @anastasiadallas_rdh

Lauren Kennedy, RDH, BS, OMT | The Myo Coach® 📱 Instagram: @laurenthemyocoach 🌐 The Myo Coach: themyocoach.com

Helping hygienists think differently so patients live differently.

📱 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists 🌐 Website: theunhingedhygienists.com

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Amazon Music 📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube

If this episode made you think, “WHY DOESN’T MY OFFICE WORK LIKE THIS?”... send it to your dentist. 😂🔥

Like. Subscribe. Share. Start the conversation.

Because hygiene isn’t an afterthought.

It might just be the future of dentistry.

#TheUnhingedHygienists #323Dentistry #DentalHygienist #DentalHygiene #RDH #PreventiveDentistry #GuidedBiofilmTherapy #GBT #OralSystemicHealth #HealthcareHygienist #FeeForServiceDentistry #DentalPodcast #DentalPractice #PeriodontalHealth #Dentistry

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia and Lauren sit down with Kristin Evans, RDH, “The pH RDH,” a clinical dental hygienist with 34 years of experience, national speaker, and passionate voice in hormones, systemic bone health, and the oral-systemic connection.

And yes, we’re talking hormones. But this conversation goes WAY beyond estrogen and progesterone.

Kristin shares her personal journey of being diagnosed with severe osteoporosis at just 54, after years of chronic back pain and unexplained alveolar bone loss. Her diagnosis completely changed the trajectory of her career and sparked a mission to help dental professionals recognize systemic warning signs that may otherwise be missed.

We dive into the connection between systemic bone health and alveolar bone, and why unexplained bone loss, especially when the inflammation and clinical presentation don’t seem to match what we’re seeing radiographically, should make us stop and ask: What else is going on here?

Because maybe it isn’t just perio.

We talk about hormones, menopause, osteoporosis, nutrition, vitamin D, sleep, airway, inflammation, genetics, muscle health, medications, and why all of these things can matter when we’re looking at the person attached to the mouth.

We also discuss why conversations about bone health need to start much earlier than most people realize. Kristin explains that peak bone mass occurs around age 30, making adolescence and young adulthood an incredibly important window for education, prevention, nutrition, lifestyle, and understanding risk factors.

🦴 Why the bone in the mouth is NOT separate from the rest of the skeleton 🦷 What unexplained alveolar bone loss may be trying to tell us 🔥 Hormones, inflammation, periodontal disease, and systemic bone health 😴 Why sleep and airway health belong in this conversation 💪 The relationship between muscle mass and healthy aging 🥗 Nutrition, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and supporting bone health 💉 GLP-1 medications, nutrition, muscle loss, and looking at the whole patient 🩻 DEXA scans, bone-health screening, and recognizing risk factors earlier 🧬 Genetics and other factors that may influence osteoporosis risk 🔎 How hygienists can SCREEN without stepping outside our scope to diagnose 🗣️ Helping patients advocate for themselves when something doesn’t feel right 👩‍⚕️ Why hygienists are uniquely positioned to become healthcare detectives and oral-health coaches

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation?

Stop putting every patient into the same box.

A six-month recall isn’t right for everyone. The same home-care recommendations aren’t right for everyone. And healthcare shouldn’t be a conveyor belt of standardized protocols.

Individualize the care.

Look differently at the health history. Ask better questions. Recognize patterns. Understand risk factors. Collaborate with other healthcare providers. And when something doesn’t add up, don’t be afraid to dig deeper.

Dental hygienists see patients regularly. We educate. We screen. We monitor changes over time. We see radiographs, periodontal measurements, tissues, saliva, airway clues, medications, health histories, and lifestyle factors.

Sometimes we may be the healthcare provider who sees the clue everyone else missed.

The future of dental hygiene is bigger than the operatory.

It’s prevention. It’s screening. It’s collaboration. It’s patient advocacy. It’s individualized care.

And it’s understanding one very important thing:

Nothing in the human body exists in isolation.

Kristin Evans, BS, RDH is a national speaker, educator, writer, and clinical dental hygienist whose work focuses on hormones, systemic bone health, functional nutrition, pH, and the oral-systemic connection.

📲 Instagram: @ThepHRDH 💼 LinkedIn: Kristin Evans, BS, RDH | The pH RDH 📧 Email / Speaking Inquiries: kristinevansrdh@gmail.com 🦴 Bone & Balance for Life: Kristin’s bone-health education and advocacy program 🌐 Website & Resources: Available through the link in Kristin’s Instagram and LinkedIn profiles

Follow Kristin for more education on hormones, bone health, pH, prevention, and why dentistry needs to start looking beyond the mouth.

🎙️ THE UNHINGED HYGIENISTS

Helping hygienists think differently so patients can feel and live differently.

If this episode made you look at bone loss, hormones, or your role as a hygienist differently, send it to another hygienist or healthcare provider who needs to hear this conversation.

Follow @theunhingedhygienists for more conversations that challenge the traditional dental box, connect the mouth to the rest of the body, and occasionally get a little… unhinged.

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or replace individualized medical advice. Dental professionals should always work within their individual scope of practice, and listeners should consult with their appropriate licensed healthcare providers regarding their personal health.

What if dentistry stopped treating the mouth like it was somehow detached from the rest of the human body?

Yeah. We went there.

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia and Lauren sit down with Dr. Michelle Jorgensen, a conventionally trained dentist whose own health crisis completely changed the way she practiced dentistry.

After years of unexplained gut issues, neurological symptoms, memory problems, numbness, and eventually struggling to physically practice dentistry, Dr. Michelle began searching for answers. That journey led her into biological and health-based dentistry and forced her to question some of the very things she had been taught were simply “standard.”

And once she started asking questions? There was no going back.

🔥 WE TALK ABOUT:

• Dr. Michelle’s personal health journey and what changed the trajectory of her career • Mercury amalgam exposure and occupational considerations for dental professionals • Safe mercury amalgam removal protocols • Why staying current with research matters more than “this is how we’ve always done it” • Root canals and why they remain such a controversial conversation • CBCT imaging and what conventional 2D imaging may miss • Ozone therapy and how Dr. Michelle incorporates it into her practice • Dental waterlines, biofilm, and infection control • Oral microbiome testing and using the microscope chairside • Dental material sensitivities and the Clifford Materials Reactivity Test • Chronic inflammation around restorations • Cavitations and chronic inflammatory burden • The relationship between oral health and whole-body health • Why dental professionals may have a much bigger role in healthcare than we realize • How hygienists can begin thinking beyond “cleaning teeth” • What it actually means to practice health-based dentistry

One of our favorite ideas from this conversation:

The mouth is a dashboard for the rest of the body.

Dental professionals often see patients more regularly than many other healthcare providers. That gives us an incredible opportunity to notice patterns, ask better questions, educate our patients, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals.

This episode isn't about blindly accepting a different philosophy of dentistry.

It's about being willing to ASK QUESTIONS.

What does the current research say? What has changed since we graduated? What are we still doing simply because “that’s how we’ve always done it”? And most importantly, what could we be missing when we only look at teeth?

Because healthcare evolves.

And when we know more, we have an opportunity to do better.

🦷 ABOUT DR. MICHELLE JORGENSEN

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen is a dentist and educator focused on health-based dentistry and the connection between oral health and whole-body wellness. Her practice, Total Care Dental, attracts patients seeking a more comprehensive approach to dental care.

She is also the founder of Living Well with Dr. Michelle, where she shares education, resources, and products centered around healthier living, and Living Well Professionals, an educational platform for healthcare and dental professionals interested in incorporating health-based principles into practice.

Dr. Michelle also shares educational videos on YouTube, including deeper dives into many of the topics discussed in this episode.

📲 CONNECT WITH DR. MICHELLE

Instagram: @livingwellwithdrmichelle YouTube: Living Well with Dr. Michelle Practice: Total Care Dental Education for providers: Living Well Professionals Products & resources: Living Well with Dr. Michelle

🎧 FOLLOW THE UNHINGED HYGIENISTS

Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

Listen, subscribe, share the episode, and leave us a review.

We’re here to help hygienists think differently so patients can live differently, and to remind dental professionals that we absolutely belong at the healthcare table.

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. The views and clinical approaches discussed by guests are their own and should not replace individualized medical or dental advice. Always evaluate current evidence, professional guidelines, scope of practice, and individual patient needs.

Unhinged? Maybe. Asking better questions? Absolutely.

Because around here, oral care isn't just about making your mouth taste minty.

In this mini episode, Tasia and Lauren dig into products designed around a bigger approach to prevention: the oral microbiome, remineralization, nutrition, bone health and biofilm management.

Gum Health Mouthwash We're moving beyond the old-school idea that mouthwash needs to annihilate every bacterium in your mouth. Healthy doesn't mean sterile. We talk about supporting gum health, remineralization and a balanced oral environment.

Tooth & Bone Formula Plot twist: teeth need nutrition too. We talk calcium, magnesium, trace minerals and why teeth and bone don't exist independently from the rest of the body. Remineralization isn't only about what you're putting on your teeth. Nutrition matters too.

Gum Health Tooth Powder Lauren gets permission to go full hydroxyapatite nerd, and there is absolutely no turning back. 😂

We break down hydroxyapatite, enamel remineralization and sensitivity, plus ingredients including calcium carbonate, xylitol, bentonite clay and arginine.

Mint Toothpaste For those who aren't ready to join the tooth-powder club, we look at a more familiar option and ask a question we think more people should be asking:

What are the ingredients in your toothpaste actually doing?

Liquid Vitamin D3 + K And this is where Tasia happily leaves the mouth.

We discuss vitamin D, calcium absorption, bone metabolism and why oral and periodontal health aren't floating in some magical bubble separate from the rest of your physiology.

ReMints Tasia has already claimed these. Sorry, Lauren.

We talk xylitol, hydroxyapatite and why these can be another tool after coffee, meals or snacks when brushing isn't an option.

They're an additional prevention tool, not a replacement for brushing and interdental cleaning.

Hydroxyapatite Floss Because apparently regular floss wasn't nerdy enough for us.

We talk interdental cleaning, demonstrate proper flossing technique and make one thing very clear:

The superstar of flossing is still mechanical biofilm disruption.

No ingredient replaces actually disrupting the biofilm.

What we loved most about this box wasn't one magical product.

It was the philosophy behind it.

Biofilm management. Remineralization. Nutrition. Bone health. The oral microbiome. Prevention from multiple directions.

That's the conversation we're trying to make louder.

Your mouth isn't separate from your body. Oral health IS health.

We're also sitting down with Dr. Michelle Jorgensen of Living Well with Dr. Michelle for a deeper conversation, including hydroxyapatite and some of the questions being raised around it.

Have you tried any of these products? Which one do you want us to test or demonstrate next?

Comment or DM us. We actually want to hear from you.

If this episode made you laugh, taught you something, or made you question something you've been doing for years, follow, subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear the conversation.

Stay curious. Stay loud. Stay Unhinged. 🦷🔥

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not individualized medical or dental advice. Supplements and oral-care products may not be appropriate for everyone. Talk with your qualified healthcare or dental provider about what's appropriate for you.

What happens when you stop asking, “Is this all there is?” and start asking, “What else is possible?”

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia Dallas RDH and Lauren Kennedy RDH sit down with Lisa Trubey RDH, clinician, mentor, advocate, researcher, speaker, and the powerhouse behind Rooted Purpose RDH.

Lisa’s journey into dental hygiene was anything but traditional. After years in dentistry as a dental assistant, navigating divorce, single motherhood, anxiety, major life changes, and EIGHT years of working toward becoming a hygienist, she finally graduated in 2024.

And she didn’t quietly take her place behind the chair.

She got LOUD. 🔥

Lisa shares how getting involved in organized dental hygiene, networking, continuing education, research, mentorship, and advocacy completely changed the trajectory of her career.

We get into:

🦷 Why dental hygienists are so much more than “people who clean teeth”

🔥 Finding purpose outside the operatory

📚 Why your education and growth shouldn’t stop when hygiene school ends

💪 Failing your boards and refusing to let failure define you

🤝 Why networking can completely change your career

🗣️ Advocacy and why hygienists need to use their voices

🦷 The OPA conversation and protecting the education, training, and scope of dental hygienists

❤️ Supporting other hygienists instead of tearing each other down

🧠 Mental health, burnout, confidence, and imposter syndrome

🩺 Practicing as a healthcare provider and understanding the oral-systemic connection

🚭 Lisa’s research and advocacy surrounding nicotine cessation

🌎 Taking dental hygiene research and advocacy to an international stage

🌱 Finding YOUR niche, even when you have approximately 47 things you're passionate about

And maybe most importantly, we talk about what happens when you stop waiting for permission to build the career you actually want.

Lisa reminds us that growth doesn’t require having your entire life perfectly figured out. Sometimes your ducks are absolutely NOT in a row... and you keep moving anyway. 😂

Her philosophy behind Rooted Purpose says it beautifully: get rooted in what you believe, continue finding your purpose, keep learning, keep exploring, and keep growing outward.

Lisa also shares The Rooted Purpose Collective, her eight-week mentorship program designed to help dental professionals discover their purpose and recognize that impacting patients doesn’t have to happen exclusively inside the clinic.

Because sometimes the career you thought you were supposed to have is only the doorway.

You still have to walk through it. 🌱

🔥 FOLLOW OUR GUEST

Lisa Trubey RDH Rooted Purpose RDH Instagram: @rootedpurposerdh

Check out The Rooted Purpose Collective for mentorship, professional growth, advocacy, and finding purpose beyond the chair.

🎙️ FOLLOW THE UNHINGED HYGIENISTS

Hosted by: Tasia Dallas RDH Lauren Kennedy RDH | The Myo Coach

📲 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

🌐 Website: theunhingedhygienists.com

Our website is your home base for podcast information, guest submissions, intake forms, scheduling, and everything Unhinged.

🎥 Watch the full episodes on YouTube 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Amazon Music

💌 Want to be a guest, collaborate, sponsor an episode, or have a topic you think we NEED to talk about? Visit our website or send us a DM.

And if this episode lit a little fire under you, LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE & SHARE IT with another hygienist who needs the reminder that there is SO much more available to us.

We’re here to ask questions, challenge outdated thinking, connect the oral-systemic dots, and remind hygienists that we deserve a seat at the healthcare table.

Helping hygienists think differently so patients live differently. 🦷🔥

#TheUnhingedHygienists #DentalHygienist #RDH #DentalHygiene #DentalPodcast #DentalHygienePodcast #HealthcareHygienist #OralSystemicHealth #DentalHygieneAdvocacy #RDHLife #DentalProfessionals #DentalEducation #DentalHygieneCareer #WomenInDentistry #RootedPurposeRDH

On this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia Dallas RDH and Lauren Kennedy RDH are joined by their friend Nella, an internationally trained dentist, surgical dental professional, phlebotomist, former dental assistant instructor, and whole-body health enthusiast who brings a completely different perspective to the dental chair.

And yes… somehow we ended up talking about sex, perio, oral bacteria, airway, STIs, pubic hairs in mouths, patient confessions, and why dental assistants deserve WAY more respect.

Basically, a normal day at The Unhinged Hygienists. 💀

Nella shares her journey from dental school in Ecuador to working in dentistry in the U.S., and why her role goes far beyond “suctioning spit.” We get into what highly trained dental assistants actually do behind the scenes, from surgical procedures and phlebotomy to managing patients, doctors, schedules, labs, emergencies, and the organized chaos of a busy dental practice.

But then things get UNHINGED.

We talk about the questions patients actually ask us, including whether certain activities after dental treatment are… advisable. 👀

And that leads us into a conversation people rarely have:

Wherever your mouth goes, your oral bacteria goes too.

We discuss the connection between periodontal health, oral bacteria, intimacy, sexual health, and why what is happening inside the mouth may have implications far beyond teeth and gums.

Nella also shares an unforgettable clinical case involving a teenage patient with severe gingival inflammation and bleeding that ultimately required looking beyond “brush and floss.” The bigger message? When something clinically doesn’t make sense, KEEP LOOKING. Oral manifestations can sometimes be clues that something bigger is happening systemically.

Because dentistry should never be:

“Your gums are bleeding. Floss more. See you in six months.”

We also dive into:

🦷 Why dental assistants are healthcare professionals too 🦷 Whole-body dentistry and the oral-systemic connection 🦷 Periodontal disease and inflammation 🦷 Oral bacteria and intimate relationships 🦷 The absolutely WILD things patients tell us 🦷 When bleeding gums deserve a deeper investigation 🦷 Knowing when and where to refer 🦷 Why credentials alone don’t automatically equal great care 🦷 Airway, clenching, grinding and scalloped tongues 🦷 Sleep-disordered breathing and dental screening 🦷 Why comprehensive medical histories matter 🦷 Collaboration between hygienists, assistants, dentists, ENTs, periodontists and other providers 🦷 Why every member of the dental team sees the patient through a different lens

One of our biggest takeaways from this episode:

Dentistry is a TEAM SPORT.

The dentist sees something. The hygienist sees something. The assistant sees something. The airway provider sees something else.

No single provider catches everything, and the best patient care happens when we respect each other's knowledge, communicate, collaborate, and stop acting like healthcare exists in separate little boxes.

And yes, we also discuss how airway problems might be interfering with your sex life.

You're welcome. 😂

This episode is educational, inappropriate, hilarious, clinically interesting, and exactly why we started The Unhinged Hygienists: to talk about the things people are thinking but nobody wants to say out loud.

🎙️ THE UNHINGED HYGIENISTS

Hosted by: Tasia Dallas RDH Lauren Kennedy RDH | The Myo Coach

Follow The Unhinged Hygienists on Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

Watch us on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

💬 QUESTION FOR YOU:

What is the MOST unhinged thing a patient has ever said to you in the dental chair?

Drop it in the comments. We already know this comment section is going to be feral. 😂

And if you’re a dental assistant, hygienist, dentist, or other healthcare professional who believes dentistry is about a hell of a lot more than polishing teeth… you belong here.

LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 SHARE with your dental bestie and send us the topics nobody else wants to talk about.

Because around here, nothing is off the table.

#TheUnhingedHygienists #DentalHygienist #DentalAssistant #PeriodontalDisease #OralSystemicHealth #OralHealth #WholeBodyHealth #AirwayDentistry #DentalPodcast #DentalProfessionals #PeriodontalHealth #DentalHumor

What happens when a dentist, oral pathology specialist, immigrant, dental hygienist, speaker, author and professional party enthusiast walks into The Unhinged Hygienists podcast? 😂

You get an episode that goes WAY beyond memorizing weird lesions in a textbook.

This week, we sit down with Andreina Sucre, @ThePathoRDH, to talk about oral pathology, critical thinking, immigration, identity, dental hygiene, patient advocacy and finding your voice.

Because here’s the thing:

You don’t have to know everything. But you DO have to pay attention.

👄 IN THIS EPISODE

Andreina shares her journey from becoming a dentist in Venezuela, completing training in oral surgery and oral pathology, immigrating to the United States and eventually becoming a dental hygienist in Florida.

We talk about:

🦷 Why oral pathology shouldn’t just be memorizing images and diagnoses

🔎 How dental professionals can approach oral lesions like detectives

🧠 Why critical thinking is one of our most important clinical skills

🌎 What it feels like to immigrate and lose part of your professional identity

🪥 What Andreina learned about dental hygiene after becoming a hygienist herself

🔥 Why dental hygienists deserve respect, support and autonomy

🗣️ Language barriers and caring for Spanish-speaking patients

📚 Her bilingual oral pathology resource created with Amber Auger, RDH

🎤 Imposter syndrome, speaking, accents and finding your voice

❤️ Why patients need to feel heard, safe and understood

And yes...we also discuss the Vengaboys, Six Flags, songs that describe our personalities and whether “Girl on Fire” was chosen because Anastasia once had chronic hives. 😂

Welcome to The Unhinged Hygienists.

We eventually get to dentistry.

Usually.

📚 ANDREINA’S BOOK

Andreina co-authored the Dental Spanish Wordbook: Pathology Edition, a bilingual clinical resource designed to make oral pathology easier to understand while helping dental professionals communicate with Spanish-speaking patients.

Instead of memorizing endless lesions, the book helps clinicians describe what they’re seeing, categorize lesions by clinical appearance and ask better questions.

It includes English, Spanish and phonetic pronunciation to help bridge communication between provider and patient.

📖 Search Dental Spanish Wordbook: Pathology Edition on Amazon.

🔥 THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY

We don’t need to know everything.

We need to PAY ATTENTION.

Dental hygienists aren’t “just cleaning teeth.”

We’re looking for clues. We’re asking questions. We’re noticing changes. We’re connecting dots.

Because the mouth is talking.

Are we listening?

👩‍⚕️ CONNECT WITH ANDREINA

Andreina Sucre | The Patho RDH

📱 Instagram: @ThePathoRDH

📚 Author: Dental Spanish Wordbook: Pathology Edition

🎤 Oral pathology educator + speaker

🎙️ MEET YOUR UNHINGED HOSTS

Anastasia Dallas, RDH

📱 Instagram: @anastasiadallas_rdh

Lauren Kennedy, RDH | The Myo Coach

📱 Instagram: @laurenthemyocoach

🦷 THE UNHINGED HYGIENISTS

Helping hygienists think differently so patients live differently.

📱 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

🌐 Website: TheUnhingedHygienists.com

🎧 Listen on: Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Music

📺 Watch full episodes here on YouTube

💥 HELP US GROW

👍 Like this episode 🔔 Subscribe 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 📤 Share it with another dental professional

And tell us:

What should we get unhinged about next?

Drop it in the comments or DM us on Instagram.

Because we’re not here to tell you what to think.

We’re here to get you thinking.

#TheUnhingedHygienists #DentalHygienist #DentalHygiene #RDH #OralPathology #ThePathoRDH #OralHealth #OralSystemicHealth #HealthcareHygienist #DentalPodcast #Dentistry #DentalEducation #DentalSpanish #PreventiveDentistry

Now we have tap water, spring water, distilled water, reverse osmosis, alkaline water, hydrogen water, structured water, ozonated water, sparkling water, mineral water… and probably some $6,000 quantum-unicorn-vortex water machine that folds your laundry and pays your mortgage. 😂

So naturally, we had questions.

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia Dallas, RDH and Lauren Kennedy, RDH dive headfirst into the surprisingly wild world of WATER. Because patients are asking about it, wellness influencers are making some pretty massive claims about it, and hydration has a much bigger connection to oral and systemic health than most people realize.

Your dental hygienist can probably tell when you’re dehydrated before you ever mention it.

Dry tissues. Sticky cheeks. Thick or foamy saliva. Cracked lips. Bad breath. Increased plaque accumulation.

And saliva? She deserves way more respect.

Saliva helps lubricate tissues, neutralize acids, control bacteria, support chewing and swallowing, and contains enzymes involved in the beginning stages of digestion. Hydration plays a major role in keeping that entire system working the way it should.

Translation: water is part of oral health.

Not all tap water is created equal.

Where you live, the source of your water, municipal treatment, local contaminants and even the plumbing in your home can affect what eventually comes out of your faucet.

We get into:

• Tap vs. bottled vs. spring water

• PFAS, aka “forever chemicals”

• Lead, chlorine, microplastics and other contaminants

• Why knowing your LOCAL water quality matters

• Water testing and municipal Consumer Confidence Reports

• Why owning a filter means absolutely nothing if you never change the damn filter 😂

Rather than panicking about every possible exposure, the takeaway is to know your water before spending your money. Learn what’s actually in your local supply, test when appropriate, and choose filtration based on what you’re trying to remove.

Reverse osmosis gets some serious airtime.

RO systems use a semipermeable membrane to reduce many dissolved contaminants, and some systems also incorporate activated carbon filtration. But highly effective filtration can also remove naturally occurring minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which is why some systems include remineralization.

We also talk distilled water, whole-house systems, countertop systems, remineralization and water softeners.

And yes, somehow garbage disposals, eggshells, carrots, beets and what looked like a horrific crime scene under Tasia’s sink make their way into a podcast about hydration.

Because obviously.

Now things get interesting.

Hydrogen water is regular water with dissolved molecular hydrogen, and there is emerging research exploring potential effects related to oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolic health and exercise recovery.

Promising? Yes.

Miracle water? Settle down, Instagram.

As we discuss in the episode, the research is intriguing but still developing, and small studies shouldn't automatically be turned into universal health claims.

Can alkaline water completely change your body's pH, detoxify you and transform you into an immortal wellness goddess?

Probably not.

Your body tightly regulates blood pH. While there may be specific areas of research worth exploring, including reflux, that's very different from claiming alkaline water can “detox” the entire body or prevent disease.

And if the rest of your lifestyle is working against you, one fancy bottle of alkaline water isn't riding in on a white horse to save the day.

This is where we happily tumble down the rabbit hole.

Structured water. Hexagonal water. Living water. Vortex systems. Light-infused water. Crystals charging water.

There are fascinating questions being explored about the physical behavior and structure of water. But there's an important distinction between interesting science worth investigating and companies taking early research and sprinting straight into “THIS WATER HEALS EVERYTHING.”

Curiosity? YES.

Blindly buying the $4,000 magical countertop portal to eternal youth?

Maybe read the studies first.

We finish with some quick hitters, including:

Sparkling water: Fine, but constantly sipping acidic flavored varieties isn't exactly your enamel's dream day.

Lemon water: Enjoy it if you love it, but remember the acidity. Rinse with plain water afterward and don't immediately brush.

Copper bottles: Interesting, but the evidence behind some of the bigger health claims is still limited.

Crystal-charged water: Pretty? Absolutely. Scientifically life-changing? That's where we start asking questions.

This episode isn't about convincing you that there's one “perfect” water.

It's about something much bigger:

Critical thinking.

Ask questions. Read studies. Look at who funded the research. Pay attention to study size and controls. Question marketing claims. Question influencers.

And hell, question us too.

You don't have to choose between believing everything and believing nothing. There's a beautiful little place in the middle called critical thinking.

Know your water.

Filter it if it makes sense for where you live.

Protect your saliva.

Stay curious.

And for the love of your dry-ass mouth…

🎧 New episodes every Wednesday

Follow The Unhinged Hygienists on your favorite podcast platform, YouTube and social media.

🌐 Visit theunhingedhygienist.com for more information, episode blogs and scientific studies connected to the topics we discuss.

Stay curious. Stay hydrated. Stay unhinged. 💧🦷

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia Dallas, RDH and Lauren Kennedy, RDH sit down with Tosha Kozloski, RDH, educator, consultant, and founder of TOSH: Teaching Oral-Systemic Health, to talk about what may be hiding inside the biofilm we simply cannot see with the naked eye.

We’re diving into phase-contrast microscopy, biofilm, periodontal pathogens, salivary diagnostics, the oral-systemic connection, patient communication, and what happens when we stop treating periodontal disease like it’s simply a plaque-and-calculus problem.

Because sometimes the teeth look clean.

The probing depths don’t seem alarming.

The patient is brushing, flossing and showing up every six months.

And then you start scaling... and suddenly it looks like a crime scene. 🩸😂

So what the hell are we missing?

Tosha explains how microscopy can completely change the conversation by allowing patients to actually see what is happening in their own biofilm. Instead of another lecture about brushing and flossing, we can give patients objective information, involve them in the conversation, and help them understand WHY we’re recommending treatment.

• What phase-contrast microscopy can reveal about a patient’s biofilm

• Healthy vs. unhealthy microbial activity under the microscope

• Why seemingly “healthy” mouths can still bleed during treatment

• Why biofilm is about more than how much plaque we can see

• Microscopy vs. salivary diagnostics and why they can work together

• How to collect a useful plaque sample

• Why showing patients their own bacteria can completely change the conversation

• Moving away from blaming patients for their disease

• Why the language we use when discussing periodontal disease matters

• How to explain infection, bone loss and treatment without drowning patients in dental jargon

• Why we sometimes need to STOP talking and let the patient process what we’ve shown them

• Using open-ended questions instead of information dumping

• Making patients active participants in their own healthcare

• The role of home care and biofilm disruption

• Water flossing, lasers, GBT, ozone and modern periodontal tools

• Why you don’t need every shiny new piece of equipment to start improving periodontal care

• How to realistically implement microscopy into a busy hygiene schedule

• Looking beyond the mouth and considering the patient’s immune system and whole-body health

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation:

Microscopy isn't about scaring patients with creepy crawlies.

It's about making the invisible visible.

It’s about giving patients information they can actually understand and helping them connect what is happening in their mouth to their health.

Because sometimes everything looks fine...

until you actually look.

And you can’t treat what you don’t see. 🔬

Instagram: @toshardh

TOSH: Teaching Oral-Systemic Health: tosh.care

Mouthy Matters: mouthymatters.com

👩‍⚕️ Dental professionals: Visit Mouthy Matters and select “I’m a dental professional” to access Tosha’s verbal scripts for helping patients better understand gum infection.

🪥 Patients & health-curious humans: Select “I’m here for my own health” to access Tosha’s Six Minutes to a Healthier Mouth quick guide.

Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists TikTok: @theunhingedhygienists YouTube: The Unhinged Hygienists Spotify: The Unhinged Hygienists Apple Podcasts: The Unhinged Hygienists Website: theunhingedhygienist.com

💗 LIKE • SUBSCRIBE • FOLLOW • SHARE

If this episode made you rethink what you’re actually treating when a patient sits in your chair, send it to another hygienist who needs to hear this conversation.

We’re here to challenge old-school dentistry, ask better questions, and keep pushing hygiene toward whole-person healthcare.

Helping hygienists think differently so patients live differently.

Educate • Empower • Evolve

Stay unhinged. Stay curious. Keep asking better questions. 🔬🦠

What happens when a newly graduated hygienist refuses to sit quietly, accept the status quo, and become another production horse?

You get Matthew Bradley, RDH, better known online as The Guygienist.

Matthew joins Tasia and Lauren for a bold, honest conversation about finding your voice, owning your education, challenging outdated dental models, and preparing yourself for opportunities before someone finally calls you off the bench.

Matthew shares how growing up with constant cavities and difficult dental experiences ultimately led him into dental hygiene. What began as a plan to become a dentist evolved into a much bigger mission: to help move the hygiene profession forward.

The conversation dives into everything from male representation in dental hygiene and the controversial Preventive Oral Health Assistant role to medical-dental integration, patient education, insurance-driven care, prevention, burnout, corporate dentistry, professional advocacy, and the future of independent hygiene practice.

Matthew also explains why hygiene school is designed to help students pass their boards, not necessarily become the clinicians they ultimately want to be. That part? It is on us.

This episode is a reminder that graduation is not the finish line, experience does not automatically equal growth, and nobody else is responsible for building your career.

If you want more from this profession, it may be time to stop waiting for permission and start preparing to get in the game.

• How Matthew’s childhood dental experiences inspired his career

• Being a male in a predominantly female profession

• Finding an authentic voice on social media

• Using content to create change rather than chase an algorithm

• Why hygienists must prepare before opportunities appear

• The career trajectory that can lead hygienists toward burnout

• Getting involved in the profession before becoming discouraged

• Whether Preventive Oral Health Assistants could expand the hygienist’s role

• The importance of standardized education and demonstrated competency

• Opportunities for foreign-trained dentists within dental hygiene

• Why dentistry may eventually need multiple provider levels

• Medical-dental integration that actually includes medical professionals

• Collaboration with speech-language pathologists, oncologists, ENTs, cardiologists, and other providers

• Oral health considerations for patients undergoing radiation therapy

• Xerostomia, oral sensitivity, and supportive product recommendations

• Treating causes instead of repeatedly managing symptoms

• Why hygiene school teaches students to pass boards, not master every clinical skill

• The career-changing value of conferences and continuing education

• Why patient education matters more than the fanciest technology

• Disclosing biofilm and allowing patients to see disease for themselves

• The difference between insurance guidelines and evidence-based care

• How production-based compensation can influence clinical decisions

• Why patients often believe insurance determines what is medically necessary

• The limitations of procedure codes and the traditional dental insurance model

• Why preventive dentistry must become both effective and financially sustainable

• Matthew’s vision for independent hygiene practice

• Investing in your own instruments, education, conferences, and growth

• Why your employer cannot be solely responsible for your professional development

It prepares you to graduate, become licensed, and begin practicing. Becoming the clinician you truly want to be requires education, mentorship, experimentation, conferences, and real-world experience after graduation.

Your dentist, employer, manager, or corporate organization may support you, but they cannot care about your career more than you do.

Technology and advanced treatment modalities are valuable, but they cannot replace a patient’s understanding of their own disease, risk factors, and responsibilities at home.

A procedure is not unnecessary simply because an insurance company refuses to pay for it. Care should be based on the patient’s health, evidence, risk, and individual needs.

Medical-dental integration cannot only consist of dental professionals explaining why the mouth matters. We must learn what physicians, speech-language pathologists, oncologists, therapists, and other professionals see that we may be missing.

You may not currently work in your dream office, have complete autonomy, or receive every resource you want. Keep building your knowledge so that when the right opportunity appears, you are ready to step off the bench.

“Hygiene school teaches you to pass your boards. For you to become the hygienist you want to be, that’s on you.”

Matthew Bradley is a registered dental hygienist, educator, advocate, speaker, graduate student, and content creator known online as The Guygienist.

Although still early in his clinical career, Matthew has built a powerful voice around professional growth, patient education, advocacy, medical-dental collaboration, prevention, and expanding what is possible within dental hygiene.

His philosophy is rooted in refusing mediocrity, supporting other professionals, remaining curious, and creating opportunities that help the entire profession grow.

Follow Matthew on Instagram:

@the_guygienist

Connect with him for dental hygiene advocacy, professional growth, education, collaboration, and a refreshing perspective on where this profession could go next.

Want more candid conversations, clinical insight, blogs, and resources that challenge outdated thinking in dentistry?

Visit:

theunhingedhygienists.com

There, you can:

• Read our latest blogs

• Learn more about the podcast

• Explore additional oral-systemic health content

• Apply to become a guest on an upcoming episode

Follow The Unhinged Hygienists on Instagram for episode clips, behind-the-scenes chaos, clinical conversations, and the things everyone in dentistry is thinking but may be too polite to say out loud.

What part of your career have you been expecting someone else to build for you?

Share this episode with a hygienist who is ready to stop sitting on the sidelines, invest in their education, and create something bigger within this profession.

Subscribe, leave a review, and follow the show so you never miss an unfiltered conversation about dental hygiene, healthcare, professional growth, and the future of prevention.

Is charcoal toothpaste actually helping your teeth... or just making your sink look dramatic?

And who decided everyone should get their teeth cleaned every six months anyway?

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Anastasia Dallas, RDH, and Lauren Kennedy, RDH take a hilarious (and evidence-based) trip through some of dentistry's biggest myths, questionable marketing campaigns, and outdated advice that somehow refuses to disappear.

Nothing is off limits as they challenge everything from fluoride debates and hydroxyapatite to baking soda, mouthwash, water flossers, charcoal toothpaste, and the obsession with "burning means it's working."

If you've ever wondered whether your dental routine is based on science... or just decades of clever advertising... this episode is for you.

• The bizarre history of Listerine (it's even stranger than you think)

• Why the six-month recall isn't a one-size-fits-all recommendation

• The truth about fluoride and why the conversation is more nuanced than social media makes it seem

• Hydroxyapatite explained and why everyone's suddenly talking about it

• Why baking soda isn't nearly as abrasive as you've been told

• The problem with charcoal toothpaste

• Why foaming toothpaste doesn't necessarily clean better

• Oral probiotics and why killing every bacteria isn't the goal

• Mouthwash myths and protecting your oral microbiome

• Water flossers, tap water, filtered water, and why context matters

• How marketing has shaped what we believe about oral health

Science evolves.

Healthcare evolves.

Your oral care should evolve too.

The goal isn't to blindly follow trends or cling to old habits.

It's to stay curious, ask questions, and make decisions based on the best evidence available.

Which oral health myth shocked you the most?

Tell us in the comments.

What topic should we tackle next?

We might feature your idea in an upcoming episode!

Have a unique story, clinical passion, or perspective that could inspire healthcare professionals?

Visit The Unhinged Hygienists to learn more, read our blog, and apply to be a guest on the podcast.

🌐 Website, blog, guest applications, and more: https://theunhingedhygienists.com

🎙️ Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

📱 Follow The Unhinged Hygienists on social media for weekly episodes, behind-the-scenes content, clinical conversations, and plenty of unhinged moments.

Remember...

Question the marketing.

Question the myths.

Stay curious.

And never stop learning.

The question is...

Is dental hygiene changing with it?

In this passionate, honest, and occasionally unhinged conversation, we're joined by one of the profession's biggest disruptors, Melissa Obratka (The Badass Hygienist), to talk about why dental hygienists must stop thinking like "tooth cleaners" and start practicing like the healthcare providers we were educated to be.

From outdated dental hygiene education to insurance-driven care, Melissa challenges everything we've accepted as "normal" and shares her vision for transforming hygienists into confident healthcare professionals who understand inflammation, oral-systemic health, prevention, communication, and leadership.

If you've ever felt like you were made for more than scaling calculus...

This episode is for you.

🦷 Why dental hygiene education is failing future hygienists

🦷 Why hygienists are being taught procedures instead of critical thinking

🦷 The difference between a traditional hygienist and a Healthcare Hygienist

🦷 Why inflammation should be driving every appointment

🦷 Oral-systemic health and preventive medicine

🦷 Airway, sleep, chronic disease and whole-body health

🦷 Why hygienists need to stop practicing according to insurance companies

🦷 The real reason so many hygienists feel burned out

🦷 Why curiosity is one of the greatest clinical skills you can develop

🦷 Communication strategies that help patients actually listen

🦷 Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and building patient trust

🦷 Why mentoring and continuing education matter more than ever

🦷 The future of dental hygiene...and why we're just getting started

"There is no piece of calculus that's more important than preventing a heart attack."

"Healthcare hygienists don't just clean teeth...they help change lives."

"Medicine evolves. Why are we still practicing like it's 1995?"

"Stay loud. Stay disruptive. Keep leading by example."

✔ Melissa's OPSM Framework™ (Oral-Systemic Preventive Medicine)

✔ 10-week Healthcare Hygienist Transformation Program

✔ Guided weekly coaching calls

✔ Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)

✔ Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT)

✔ Airway & Sleep Dentistry

✔ Oral-Systemic Health

✔ Inflammation & Chronic Disease

📸 Instagram: @thebadasshygienist

🌐 Website: https://thebadasshygienist.com

🎓 Learn about the OPSM Framework™ and upcoming courses: https://thebadasshygienist.com

🌐 Website: https://theunhingedhygienists.com

Visit our website to:

• Read our latest blog posts

• Listen to every podcast episode

• Learn more about our mission

• Apply to be a guest on the podcast

• Connect with us and join the movement that's redefining dental hygiene.

📸 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

🎥 YouTube: The Unhinged Hygienists Podcast

If this episode inspired you...

⭐ Leave us a 5-star review

🎧 Follow the podcast

📲 Share this episode with another hygienist who needs to hear it.

Together we're creating a movement that reminds hygienists exactly who they are:

Healthcare providers. Prevention specialists. Leaders.

Not just people who scrape teeth.

"Stay curious. Stay disruptive. Stay unapologetically unhinged." 🎙️

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Tasia and Lauren dive into the fascinating connection between nutrition, gut health, sleep, inflammation, and oral health. They explore why bleeding gums aren't always about flossing, why your tongue might be trying to tell you something, and how dental hygienists can help connect the dots long before disease shows up elsewhere.

As always, expect a healthy dose of education... with plenty of squirrel moments.

🦷 Why oral health starts long before your toothbrush

🦷 The connection between gut health, inflammation, and periodontal disease

🦷 Why some patients do "everything right" but still have inflamed gums

🦷 What your tongue may reveal about nutritional deficiencies

🦷 Common signs associated with deficiencies in:

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin C
• B Vitamins (B2, B6, B12)
• Folate
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Iron

🦷 Why fiber deserves way more credit than it gets

🦷 Dry mouth and why it's a cavity's favorite invitation

🦷 How sleep affects inflammation, healing, and gum health

🦷 Why healthcare needs more collaboration between medicine and dentistry

🦷 Why hygienists should think like healthcare investigators instead of tooth cleaners

✔️ The mouth is connected to the rest of the body... every single system.

✔️ Healthy gums require more than brushing and flossing.

✔️ Nutrition, sleep, stress, hydration, medications, and gut health all influence oral health.

✔️ Bleeding gums are information, not just an inconvenience.

✔️ Prevention begins long before disease develops.

✔️ Dental hygienists are uniquely positioned to recognize early warning signs and help patients become curious about their health.

Tomorrow morning...

When you wake up and stretch...

👉 Pay attention to your teeth.

Were you clenching?

Let us know in the comments! We want to know if you passed the Morning Clench Challenge.

Have you ever discovered a health issue because of something happening in your mouth?

Did improving your nutrition, sleep, or gut health improve your oral health?

Message us or leave a comment. We love hearing your stories!

• Discuss nutritional concerns with your physician or registered dietitian.
• Speak with your dental professional if you're experiencing:
  • bleeding gums
  • dry mouth
  • burning mouth
  • recurrent canker sores
  • angular cheilitis
  • persistent inflammation

This episode is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical or dental advice.

🌐 Website: TheUnhingedHygienists.com

📸 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

🎙️ Interested in being a guest? Visit our website and complete the guest application.

⭐ Follow the podcast

⭐ Leave a review

⭐ Share this episode with a fellow hygienist or healthcare provider

Because the more we connect the dots, the healthier our patients become.

Stay curious. Stay hydrated. Stay unhinged. 😜

Pure unhinged magic.

In this episode, Holly Moons, RDH flips the script by taking over hosting duties and pulling surprise questions from her infamous "bowl of questions." Lauren and Anastasia have no idea what's coming next, leading to one of the funniest, most authentic, and thought-provoking conversations we've had on the podcast.

From mentorship and career growth to insurance frustrations, patient stories, periodontal therapy, professional advocacy, and even a heated pickle debate, this episode is packed with laughs, honesty, and practical takeaways for every dental professional.

• The power of staying curious throughout your career • Finding mentors who change your professional life • How conferences can completely shift your perspective • The patients we'll never forget • Difficult patient interactions and navigating challenging personalities • Why patient expectations matter more than we realize • Insurance and how it impacts patient care and our profession • Dental hygiene reciprocity and licensing frustrations across states • Standing up for yourself as a healthcare provider • Professional growth and investing in yourself • Favorite clinical products and periodontal therapy tips • Building confidence in your career • Funny stories from clinical practice • And yes...the great dill pickle vs. bread-and-butter pickle debate.

Whether you're a seasoned hygienist, a new graduate, or simply passionate about elevating healthcare, this episode reminds us why curiosity, community, and continuous learning matter.

Instagram: @hollymoonsrdh

Instagram: @laurenthemyocoach Website: https://themyocoach.com

Instagram: @anastasiadallas_rdh

Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists Website: https://www.theunhingedhygienists.com

Visit our website to:

• Read our latest blog posts

• Stay up to date on new episodes

• Access additional podcast resources

• Apply to be a guest on The Unhinged Hygienists podcast through our guest application form

We're always looking for passionate dental professionals and healthcare leaders with stories worth sharing.

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love your support!

⭐ Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave us a 5-star review ⭐ Share this episode with a friend or colleague ⭐ Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes content, clips, and updates

The Unhinged Hygienists is more than a podcast. It's a movement dedicated to empowering dental hygienists to think bigger, practice differently, and recognize the incredible role they play in healthcare.

Because we're not just cleaning teeth.

We're changing healthcare...one conversation at a time.

The real world? That's an entirely different curriculum.

In this episode, Anastasia and Lauren dive into the lessons no instructor could possibly prepare you for, from imposter syndrome and impossible schedules to office politics, career growth, ergonomics, and learning that perfection isn't the goal.

Whether you're a brand-new graduate waiting for your license or a hygienist with 25 years under your belt, you'll probably find yourself saying...

"Yep... nobody warned me about that."

This episode is packed with laughs, honest stories, practical advice, and reminders that you're doing better than you think.

🦷 The shocking transition from hygiene school to private practice

⏰ Why time management feels impossible at first

😬 Imposter syndrome (and why almost everyone experiences it)

💪 Protecting your neck, shoulders, wrists, and career

🔍 Why curiosity is your greatest career advantage

🏢 Questions every hygienist should ask during a job interview

📚 Continuing education that actually changes your career

🦠 Why staying current matters more than ever

❤️ How to stop chasing perfection and start building confidence

🌱 The importance of finding an office that aligns with your values

"You don't have to know everything. You just have to stay curious."

📸 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

🌐 Website: www.theunhingedhygienists.com

Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

If this episode helped you, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and share it with another hygienist, hygiene student, or healthcare professional.

During the episode, Anastasia talks about wanting to use "If You Must" by Del the Funky Homosapien as the show's intro music and shares that she'd already reached out to the artist's team about licensing it.

What happens when a dental hygiene student starts posting on social media during COVID and accidentally builds one of the most recognizable brands in the profession?

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Anastasia and Lauren sit down with the one and only Britt from Brush With Britt to discuss her journey from dental assistant to award-winning hygienist, educator, entrepreneur, podcast host, and one of the profession's most influential voices. Together, they explore what it means to advocate for patients, challenge outdated thinking, embrace innovation, and create a career that extends far beyond the operatory.

From surviving hygiene school during COVID to winning the World Hygienist Award, building a social media empire, navigating criticism, and championing prevention-focused care, Britt shares the lessons she's learned along the way and her vision for the future of dental hygiene.

This conversation is packed with laughs, inspiration, professional growth, and a healthy dose of unhinged honesty.

🦷 Britt's journey from dental assistant to internationally recognized hygienist

🏆 Winning the World Hygienist Award

📱 How Brush With Britt grew into one of the biggest hygiene brands online

🎙️ Building a community through social media and podcasting

💪 Developing confidence and thick skin as an advocate

🦠 Why prevention and oral-systemic health matter more than ever

✨ Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT), disclosing solution, and changing patient outcomes

🏥 Medical-dental integration and where hygienists belong in healthcare

👶 Fertility, pregnancy, cardiology, rheumatology, and the future opportunities for RDHs

🚀 Expanding the role of dental hygienists beyond the traditional operatory

"Create the content you wish existed. Find your people. Stay consistent. The opportunities will follow."

00:00 – Meet Brush With Britt

05:00 – Britt's path into dental hygiene

12:00 – Hygiene school during COVID

18:00 – The double-column debate

22:00 – Why GBT changed everything

30:00 – Building Brush With Britt

35:00 – Social media, trolls, and advocacy

40:00 – Hygienist-owned practices

46:00 – Medical-dental integration

49:00 – The future of dental hygiene

📱 Instagram: @brushwithbritt

🎙️ Podcast: https://brushwithbritt.buzzsprout.com/

Britt is an award-winning dental hygienist, educator, speaker, entrepreneur, content creator, and passionate advocate for prevention, oral-systemic health, and the advancement of the dental hygiene profession.

🌐 Website: www.theunhingedhygienists.com

💌 Join our email list for exclusive content, resources, updates, and upcoming guest announcements.

🌐 Lauren Kennedy: www.themyocoach.com

📸 Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

Hosted by Anastasia Dallas, RDH and Lauren Kennedy, RDH, The Unhinged Hygienists explores the conversations healthcare providers need to have but often don't. Through candid discussions, expert guests, and plenty of humor, we're on a mission to elevate the profession, challenge outdated thinking, and highlight the powerful connection between oral health and overall health.

Unhinged? Maybe. Necessary? Absolutely. 🦷🔥🎙️

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, Anastasia and Lauren take a deep dive into the fascinating connection between oral health, gut health, inflammation, and immune function. We explore the emerging science behind the oral-gut axis, discuss why symptoms often show up in different parts of the body, and explain why the mouth may be one of the earliest places to reveal that something deeper is happening.

From oral dysbiosis and chronic inflammation to food sensitivities, autoimmune disease, airway health, sleep, stress, and nervous system regulation, this conversation challenges the outdated idea that the body should be viewed as a collection of separate systems.

Because here's the truth:

Your body doesn't recognize specialties. It recognizes connection.

🦷 The oral-gut axis and why it matters

🦠 How oral bacteria may influence inflammation throughout the body

🔥 Why chronic inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of modern disease

💤 The role sleep, stress, and nervous system regulation play in overall health

🌱 Small lifestyle changes that can create meaningful health improvements

🧠 Autoimmunity, immune dysregulation, and microbiome imbalances

👄 Why your mouth often provides clues before symptoms appear elsewhere

🦷 The importance of biofilm management and oral microbiome health

🍽️ Food sensitivities, processed foods, and creating sustainable habits

💡 Why asking better questions may lead to better health outcomes

✔️ The mouth is not separate from the body.

✔️ Chronic inflammation rarely stays localized.

✔️ Oral health and gut health influence one another.

✔️ Symptoms are communication, not character flaws.

✔️ Small, consistent lifestyle changes often outperform extreme interventions.

✔️ Healthcare providers should be connecting dots, not treating symptoms in isolation.

✔️ Your body is always communicating. Learning to listen may change everything.

• Eddie Pinero – Your World Within

• Dr. Heather Finley – Love Your Gut Podcast

Follow The Unhinged Hygienists for honest conversations about oral health, airway, inflammation, nervous system regulation, gut health, and the future of healthcare.

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @theunhingedhygienists

🌐 Website: theunhingedhygienists.com

📧 Join our email list for exclusive content, episode updates, resources, giveaways, and upcoming events.

🌐 Lauren Kennedy, RDH | The Myo Coach themyocoach.com

If this episode helped connect a few dots in your own health journey, please share it with a friend, colleague, patient, or healthcare provider.

And remember:

The mouth is never just the mouth.

Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH: Why Dental Hygienists Need to Stop Asking Permission

What happens when a dental hygienist refuses to accept "because that's the way we've always done it" as an answer?

In this episode, we sit down with Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH—practicing hygienist, educator, entrepreneur, infection prevention expert, speaker, and owner of an independent dental hygiene practice.

Michelle shares her journey from feeling trapped in traditional hygiene to building a career that spans education, business ownership, infection prevention, travel hygiene, and healthcare advocacy.

We discuss:

✨ Why hygienists feel stuck—and how to break free

✨ The future of independent dental hygiene practices

✨ Why curiosity is the most important skill in healthcare

✨ Dental hygiene licensure frustrations across the United States

✨ Why "that's how we've always done it" is a dangerous mindset

✨ The importance of evidence-based thinking and challenging your own beliefs

✨ How to create change in dentistry without waiting for permission

✨ Why hygienists deserve a stronger voice in shaping the future of the profession

✨ The difference between being a scaler and being a healthcare provider

✨ Patient autonomy, informed refusal, and meeting people where they are

One of our favorite takeaways from Michelle:

"I got tired of asking permission to do the right thing."

If you've ever wondered whether there is more to dental hygiene than simply cleaning teeth, this episode is for you.

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CONNECT WITH MICHELLE STRANGE

📸 Instagram: @michellestrangerdh

🦠 Infection Prevention: @levelupinfectionprevention

🌐 www.michellestrangerdh.com

🌐 www.levelupip.com

🦷 www.smile-logic.com

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🎙️ Connect with The Unhinged Hygienists

🌐 Website: https://theunhingedhygienist.com

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunhingedhygienists

🌐 Lauren Kennedy, RDH: www.themyocoach.com

💌 Join our community, access resources, and stay up to date with new episodes, guest announcements, and oral-systemic health content.

🎙️ New episodes every Wednesday

Have a guest recommendation, topic idea, or want to collaborate with us? We'd love to hear from you.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

✔ Stay curious

✔ Challenge your own assumptions

✔ Progress happens when people ask better questions

✔ Dental hygienists are healthcare providers

✔ The future of dentistry is collaborative

✔ You don't need permission to create change

What if your bleeding gums, bad breath, cavities, fatigue, headaches, snoring, or even your child's bedwetting weren't random?

What if your mouth was actually trying to tell you something?

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, we're diving into one of our favorite topics—the oral-systemic connection. We discuss how signs in the mouth can reveal deeper issues involving airway health, sleep-disordered breathing, nutrition, gut health, chronic inflammation, stress, and nervous system dysregulation.

Because your mouth isn't separate from your body.

It's the messenger.

🦷 In this episode: • Why bleeding gums are never normal • Why snoring isn't cute or harmless • Airway health and sleep quality • The connection between oral health and gut health • Nutrition, inflammation, and cavities • Stress, cortisol, and your oral microbiome • Why healthcare providers need to collaborate more

If your hygienist is asking about your sleep, your diet, your digestion, or your stress levels… now you know why.

📩 Want to be a guest on the podcast? theunhingedhygienists@gmail.com

⭐ Follow, subscribe, and share with someone who needs to hear this conversation.

#TheUnhingedHygienists #OralSystemicHealth #AirwayHealth #WholeBodyHealth #DentalPodcast

What if one of the most important things a dental hygienist can do is stay curious?

In this episode of The Unhinged Hygienists, we sit down with Joy Davis, RDH, educator, airway advocate, biofilm enthusiast, and founder of Skip the Scrape. Together, we challenge some of dentistry's most common assumptions and explore what happens when hygienists stop accepting "that's how we've always done it" as the answer.

From air polishing and Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) to airway health, thyroid screenings, burnout, Medicaid dentistry, and the myth of the six-month recall, this conversation is packed with practical insights and plenty of unhinged moments.

Joy shares her journey from working in public health and Medicaid dentistry to becoming an educator who trains dental teams across the country. We discuss how curiosity can transform patient care, why hygienists should feel empowered to identify concerns beyond the teeth, and how embracing new evidence can help prevent burnout while improving outcomes.

In this episode, we discuss:

🦷 Air polishing and biofilm management

🦷 Why six-month recalls aren't one-size-fits-all

🦷 Airway health and sleep-disordered breathing

🦷 Thyroid screenings and oral-systemic health

🦷 Burnout in dental hygiene

🦷 Expanded scope of practice

🦷 Evidence-based dentistry

🦷 Patient-centered care

🦷 The importance of staying curious

One of our favorite takeaways:

✨ "Be curious, not judgmental."

IG Joydavisrdh

Skipthescrape.com

Whether you're a hygienist, dentist, healthcare provider, or someone passionate about preventive health, this episode will leave you questioning old assumptions and thinking differently about patient care.

🎧 Follow, subscribe, and share with a fellow hygienist who is ready to challenge the status quo.

#TheUnhingedHygienists #JoyDavisRDH #SkipTheScrape #DentalHygiene #HealthcareHygienist #AirwayHealth #GBT #BiofilmManagement #OralSystemicHealth #DentalPodcast

You've got the degree. The license. The experience.

So why do you still feel like you're not enough?

In this deeply personal episode, Tasia and Lauren discuss imposter syndrome, trauma responses, comparison, people pleasing, perfectionism, nervous system dysregulation, and the hidden self-doubt that follows many healthcare providers throughout their careers.

Tasia shares how childhood experiences shaped her confidence and how overwhelm can impact her mentally and physically. Lauren talks about building confidence through action, embracing discomfort, and why waiting until you're "ready" is often the thing keeping you stuck.

This conversation isn't about having all the answers.

It's about being honest about the journey.

• Imposter syndrome in healthcare • Childhood trauma and confidence • Nervous system regulation • Comparison and self-doubt • People pleasing and perfectionism • Public speaking fears • Building confidence through action • Personal growth and healing

If you've ever felt like you weren't qualified enough, smart enough, or ready enough, this episode is for you.

🎧 Follow, subscribe, and share with a fellow healthcare provider who needs this conversation.

Because confidence isn't the prerequisite. It's the result. 💥

What starts as a quest for free scrubs can sometimes turn into a complete career transformation.

This week on The Unhinged Hygienists, we sit down with Amanda Hale, better known as The Curvy Scaler—a dental hygienist, educator, biological dentistry advocate, functional medicine enthusiast, podcast host, and future MBA student.

Amanda shares her incredible journey from clinical hygiene to becoming a respected voice in oral-systemic health and whole-body wellness. We dive into the power of continuing education, finding your passion, and why some of the biggest opportunities in life happen when you're willing to step outside your comfort zone.

We also get into: 🦷 Biological dentistry and what it really means 🦷 Functional medicine and root-cause healthcare 🦷 Gut health, inflammation, and chronic disease 🦷 Sleep, healing, and overall wellness 🦷 Entrepreneurship and career growth for hygienists 🦷 Imposter syndrome and finding confidence 🦷 Why prevention should be the future of healthcare

Amanda also shares her personal health journey, including losing 80 pounds through lifestyle changes, functional medicine, and a completely different approach to wellness.

Whether you're a hygienist feeling stuck, a healthcare provider looking to expand your perspective, or someone searching for answers beyond symptom management, this episode will challenge you to think differently about health, healing, and what's possible.

Because at The Unhinged Hygienists, we believe there is a body attached to every mouth—and healthcare starts by connecting the dots.

Connect with Amanda: 📲 Instagram: @thecurvyscaler 🎙️ Functional Roots Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow, subscribe, and share it with a fellow healthcare provider who needs to hear this conversation.

Spoiler alert: dental hygienists do NOT “just clean teeth.” 😵‍💫

In this episode, we’re exposing what actually happens during an appointment with a whole-body, airway-focused hygienist — from screening for gum disease and oral cancer to recognizing signs of sleep-disordered breathing, clenching, mouth breathing, dry mouth, nutritional deficiencies, and systemic inflammation.

We’re talking about: ✨ Airway & sleep health ✨ Mouth breathing & tongue posture ✨ Gum disease explained ✨ Oral-systemic health connections ✨ Why “just a cleaning” is outdated ✨ Patient education without shame ✨ Why hygienists are WAY more than tooth cleaners

If you’ve ever been told: 🫠 “Your gums just bleed sometimes” 🫠 “You just need a cleaning” 🫠 “Grinding is normal” …this episode is for you.

We’re funny, slightly unhinged, and deeply passionate about changing the way people view dentistry and preventive healthcare.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts & all streaming platforms.

💬 Have you ever had a hygienist actually explain the WHY behind your oral health issues?

#TheUnhingedHygienists #DentalPodcast #DentalHygienist #RDH #OralSystemicHealth #AirwayDentistry #HolisticDentistry #DentalHygiene #SleepApneaAwareness #MouthBreathing #AirwayHealth #PreventiveHealthcare #GumDisease #PeriodontalDisease #OralHealth #HealthcarePodcast #WomenInHealthcare #DentalEducation #BiologicalDentistry #FunctionalHealth #DentalLife #HealthcareHumor #DentalHumor #SleepHealth #WholeBodyHealth #DentalProfessionals #PodcastForWomen #MedicalPodcast #WellnessPodcast #HealthcareWorkers

We’re saying the quiet part out loud in this episode. Dental hygienists are expected to do everything — educate, prevent disease, manage anxiety, catch health concerns, wear 47 different hats… and somehow still be treated like “just the cleaner.” 😵‍💫

In this episode, we get real about: ✨ Burnout in hygiene ✨ The emotional and physical demands of the job ✨ Being overlooked in healthcare ✨ Production pressure + unrealistic expectations ✨ Why hygienists deserve WAY more respect, support, and compensation

This conversation is honest, unfiltered, funny, and probably way too relatable if you work in dentistry. 😅

Whether you’re a hygienist, assistant, dentist, healthcare worker, or patient — this episode might change the way you see the profession.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube & all streaming platforms. 💬 Comment your thoughts: Do you think dental hygienists are undervalued?

#TheUnhingedHygienists #DentalHygienist #DentalPodcast #RDH #DentalLife #HealthcareBurnout #WomenInHealthcare #OralHealth #DentalProfession #HygieneLife #DentalHumor #PodcastEpisode #HealthcareWorkers #UnfilteredConversations