As editor in chief of DrBicuspid.com, I am thrilled to announce that Kelly Tanner is joining our team to lead our focus on the hygiene section of the site. Not only is Tanner a dental hygiene key opinion leader and speaker, she is also a practicing hygienist, giving her valuable insight into what is currently going on with hygienists and dental practice dynamics.
Kelly Tanner, PhD, RDH.
Tanner earned her PhD focused on organizational metacognition, the in-depth study of group dynamics, and how to elicit permanent organizational change. I love that aspect of what she brings to our team as well, as I believe now is the time we need to truly be examining the relationship between the hygienist, the dentist, and the rest of the team to ensure everyone is on the same page to improve patients' experience and improve a dental practice's business.
You can learn more about Tanner, and you will be hearing from her in the coming months, including her first article, which will focus on a different aspect of burnout within the dental hygiene community, later this week. Also, you can learn more about Tanner and her core values through her podcast, "The Dental Handoff."
To kick off Tanner's time with DrBicuspid.com, I sat down with her at the recent Chicago Midwinter Meeting for a discussion about the dentist-hygienist relationship. In our conversation, which you can hear below, we discuss the evolving role of dental hygienists and the importance of communication between dentists and hygienists.
We explore the challenges faced in the dental industry, particularly post-COVID, and emphasize the need for collaboration and understanding within dental teams. Tanner shares her vision for enhancing the hygiene department at DrBicuspid and the significance of creating a supportive culture in dental practices. The discussion highlights the importance of patient-centered care and the necessity of addressing burnout and workplace culture in dentistry.
