MORE QUALIFICATIONS, SAME LIMITATIONS

We've got the qualifications, the experience and the ambition… so why are some doors still closed to dental hygienists and therapists?This week we're back in the studio, and what starts as a conversation about our questionable scrub colour choices quickly turns into something a little more serious!Claire's celebrating a distinction in her postgraduate diploma (although apparently submitting assignments at 11:59 pm is perfectly normal), and we're chatting about going back into education, learning to critically appraise research and whether doing a master's is actually worth it.But then we get onto something that really gets us talking…Why are dental hygienists and therapists still restricted from certain postgraduate courses and career pathways?We discuss the barriers to further education, the value of advanced knowledge and experience, whether we should be referring patients to other hygienists, and why additional training doesn't necessarily have to mean expanding your scope of practice.And, of course, Ben has a few things to say about the hierarchy within dentistry!It's a proper Besties catch-up, with plenty of laughs, a few strong opinions and some important questions about where our profession is heading.We'd love to hear your thoughts. Are there enough opportunities for hygienists and therapists to progress, or is it time for things to change?Love,Claire & Ben x

Are we expecting too much from dental hygienists, or are we simply not giving them the support, time and opportunities they deserve?This week, we're joined by Canadian dental hygienist, educator, mentor and independent practice owner Fiona, better known as @mouthboxx.And what a conversation this turned into!From the reality of qualifying and being thrown straight into clinical practice, to burnout, toxic Facebook groups, generational differences and the changing expectations of dental professionals, we get into quite a lot!Fiona shares how she's built a career that goes far beyond the dental chair, including launching her own independent hygiene practice and creating a mentoring community to support newly qualified hygienists.We also explore why networking is so important, whether dental education really prepares us for the realities of practice, and why the traditional approach to dental hygiene might need a serious rethink.Of course, we also get into risk-based dentistry, lifestyle medicine and the importance of treating the person rather than just their teeth.It's a conversation about recognising your value, challenging the way things have always been done and realising that your career doesn't have to look like everyone else's.Whether you're newly qualified, feeling a little stuck or just wondering what else might be possible in dental hygiene, this one's for you.Love, Claire & Ben x#YourDentalBesties #DentalHygiene #DentalHygienist #DentalCareers #DentalEducation #Mouthboxx

What happens when a dentist decides to put prevention, patient health and his hygiene team at the centre of his business?This week, we're joined by Dr Brian, the dentist behind 323, a practice in California that's challenging the traditional approach to dentistry.And we have to say, this conversation was a breath of fresh air!We're talking about the hierarchy in dentistry, why hygienists are often held back from reaching their full potential, and what happens when practice owners stop seeing hygiene as just another appointment in the diary.Dr Brian shares how he's built a practice around prevention, empowered his hygienists to take ownership of patient health, and created a working environment where both the team and the business can thrive.We also get into the importance of oral and systemic health, why the whole dental team needs to learn together, and whether the future of dentistry should be less about treating disease and more about creating health.And of course, we couldn't resist sharing a few of our own experiences from here in the UK!Hygiene elevated, dentistry celebrated. We absolutely love that message.Whether you're a hygienist, therapist, dentist or practice owner, this is a conversation worth listening to.Have a listen and tell us: are we finally ready to change the way we value prevention in dentistry?Claire & BenYour Dental Besties | Making Dentistry Fun

Is dentistry becoming too focused on how many patients we can see, how quickly we can treat them and how much money we can make?In this episode of Your Dental Besties, Claire and Ben get into a conversation about something they are both increasingly passionate about: slowing dentistry down and giving patients the time, attention and care they deserve.From the pressures of busy appointment books and the realities of clinical fatigue to the importance of professional autonomy, they question whether the drive for efficiency is sometimes getting in the way of delivering the best possible outcomes.They also explore how the role of the dental hygienist could evolve beyond traditional appointments, incorporating systemic health screening, women's health, risk assessment and a more collaborative approach to patient care.Along the way, they discuss the latest technology in periodontal treatment, including dental endoscopy, the benefits of magnification, empowering dental nurses to develop their skills and why clinical experience can completely change the way we approach treatment.And, of course, it wouldn't be Your Dental Besties without a few unexpected tangents, including cold sores, awkward patient conversations and Ben contemplating a little cosmetic surgery!The big question is: are we giving patients what they want, or what they actually need?An open, funny and thought-provoking conversation about clinical standards, professional confidence and why sometimes doing more for our patients means seeing fewer of them.🎧 Listen now and join the conversation.Do you think dentistry is becoming too focused on productivity, or are longer appointments the way forward?

What happens when you stop waiting for someone else to create the career you want?In this episode, Claire and Ben are joined by Canadian dental hygienist, educator and practice owner Irene Iancu for a conversation that goes far beyond dental hygiene.Irene shares how frustration with the limitations of traditional practice eventually led her to build her own. From designing a completely different patient experience and creating clinical systems, to investing in technology, education and her own team, this is a brilliant look at what can happen when hygienists start thinking differently about their role.The conversation explores autonomy, burnout and “boreout”, practice ownership, clinical innovation, AI, patient-centred care and why doing things the way they have always been done might not be good enough anymore.They also get into the bigger conversation around oral and systemic health, perimenopause, healthcare collaboration and why dental hygienists could have an important role in bridging the gap between dentistry and medicine.And perhaps the biggest takeaway?You don't have to completely transform your career overnight. Start by becoming 1% better, asking better questions and taking more ownership of the clinician you want to become.A big, bold conversation about the future of dental hygiene, and why sometimes you have to stop waiting for permission to change it.Follow Irene on Insta @toothlife.irene

What does it actually take to become a better clinician?In this episode of Your Dental Besties, Claire and Ben are joined by dental therapist Laura Bailey for a very honest conversation about the side of dentistry we don't always see online...... the mistakes, the investment, the constant learning and the reality of putting yourself out there.Laura opens up about returning to education more than a decade into her career, why learning more about occlusion completely changed the way she looks at restorative dentistry, and the uncomfortable realisation that sometimes the more you learn, the more you recognise what you didn't know before.She also shares an incredibly honest clinical story about something going wrong during a composite case and why choosing to tell the patient, remove the work and start again ultimately created one of her most loyal patients.The conversation moves into launching courses, investing thousands before seeing a return, struggling with uptake and the reality behind building something new when social media often only shows us the success story.Claire, Ben and Laura also talk about confidence, mentorship, investing in yourself, juggling far too many projects and why being a healthcare professional means accepting that learning never really stops.And because this is Your Dental Besties, somehow the conversation eventually descends into broken feet, questionable things found between patients' teeth and some dental stories you probably don't want to hear over lunch…An honest, funny and very real conversation about learning, failing, growing and why sometimes the experiences that don't go perfectly are the ones that teach us the most.

What happens when you achieve the career you worked so hard for… and then start wondering what comes next?In this episode of Your Dental Besties, Claire and Ben are joined by Anna Middleton, aka The London Hygienist, for a brilliantly open conversation about career evolution, personal branding, working with major brands, burnout, boreout and learning to redefine success.Anna shares how she built her profile long before “dental influencer” was even a thing, why authenticity has been central to the partnerships she chooses, and why having a clear purpose matters far more than simply chasing followers.But this conversation goes much deeper than social media.The three discuss the psychological pressures of working in dentistry, hitting a perceived career ceiling, feeling overstimulated, learning to set boundaries and recognising when the constant cycle of achieving the next goal is no longer making you happy.Anna also reveals how stepping outside dentistry, including discovering a passion for poker, challenged her confidence, pushed her out of her comfort zone and helped her reconnect with parts of herself that had nothing to do with teeth.From knowing your “why” and protecting your energy to getting a hobby, doing a life audit and giving yourself permission to slow down, this episode is a reminder that your career can be an important part of your life without having to become your entire identity.And sometimes, growth isn't about doing more.It might be about figuring out what you actually want next.

What does it actually take to be exceptional in dentistry?In this episode, Claire and Ben are joined by Adrian for a fascinating conversation that goes far beyond clinical dentistry.They explore the power of storytelling, public speaking and human connection, why trust matters more than ever in an increasingly AI-driven world, and how small changes can completely transform the patient experience.The conversation also tackles some of the pressures facing dentistry today- like packed diaries, efficiency targets, clinician burnout and the danger of focusing so heavily on productivity that we lose the very thing patients value: feeling seen, heard and cared for.But perhaps the biggest message is about courage.Because being exceptional means being the exception. It means being willing to question how things have always been done, explore new ideas, create better environments and sometimes become the “rogue bee” who takes a different path.Whether you're a clinician, practice owner, educator or simply someone who wants to do things differently, this episode will make you think about what exceptional really looks like.🐝 Be the rogue bee.Have the courage to be exceptional.

What happens when one of the biggest names in technology enters the dental world?In this episode of Your Dental Besties, Claire and Ben get into the launch of the Dyson toothbrush- from AI, cameras and water flossing to the much bigger question of what evidence actually sits behind the products we recommend.They discuss the growing influence of social media and influencer marketing on oral-health advice, why a huge following doesn’t necessarily equal clinical credibility, and why dental professionals need to be able to look beyond the headline and interrogate the evidence for themselves.The conversation moves into water flossers, misleading interpretations of research, fluoride and mouthwash, stannous fluoride, Tooth Mousse and why oral-care recommendations should never be one-size-fits-all.Plus, Claire and Ben reveal that they’re heading back to university together to study for a PGCert in Menopause Medicine, and are already questioning how they’re going to fit it all in.A proper Dental Besties conversation: evidence, opinions, clinical reality and a few questionable analogies along the way.

Do you ever finish a day in clinic and replay your appointments in your head, wondering what you could have done differently?In this episode of Your Dental Besties, Claire and Ben tackle a question from a newly qualified clinician who feels incompetent, constantly overthinks their appointments and struggles to switch off after work.They talk honestly about clinical confidence, comparison, CPD, mentorship and why asking another clinician for help isn't a weakness. From periodontal cases that simply won't stabilise to knowing when you've reached the limits of what you can achieve, they explore something clinicians at every stage of their career can probably relate to: you aren't supposed to know everything.They also discuss the challenges of periodontal referrals, why some patients refuse specialist care, communicating the seriousness of periodontal disease and the value of having trusted colleagues to bounce difficult cases off.And because this is Your Dental Besties, things inevitably go slightly off track, including a broken-down car, a "baby mole" that definitely wasn't a mole, and Ben deliberately giving himself gingivitis in the name of curiosity.An honest, funny and reassuring conversation about dentistry, confidence and accepting that we're all still learning.If you enjoy the episode, follow Your Dental Besties and don't forget to like, comment and share.