Dental Hygiene Basics

Dana sits down with Whitney Howerton, RDH, to unpack a career that didn’t follow a straight path. Whitney shares how an initial goal of becoming a dentist shifted into dental hygiene, then evolved into clinical practice, education, industry leadership, and eventually a vice president role within a global dental company. What stands out isn’t a perfectly mapped plan, but a pattern: she stayed engaged, said yes to aligned opportunities, and continued building skills that translated across settings. This episode is a must-hear no matter where you are in your dental hygiene journey!🟠Start here → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Starting off as a new grad dental hygienist can feel less like a transition and more like a sudden increase in expectations—on your time, your body, and your decision-making. Dana is sharing all the tips she wishes she had as a new grad hygienist! This episode centers on a simple but often overlooked skill: daily reflection. When you begin to notice your timing, your stress, your pain levels, and the small inefficiencies in your operatory, you start to see patterns—and patterns are what allow you to make meaningful adjustments. One practical takeaway: at the end of each day, rate your pain and stress on a scale of 1–10 and identify one friction point you can improve tomorrow, whether that’s adjusting your instrumentation sequence, modifying your setup, or investing in tools that support your ergonomics. Over time, these small, consistent changes protect both your clinical performance and your long-term health.🟠Start here → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Brittany Wragg's dental hygiene journey reflects what it looks like to build a career while also managing real-life responsibilities. From entering dentistry with no experience to completing hygiene school as a working mom, she outlines what it takes to stay consistent and achieve long-term goals. If you’re questioning your timeline or capacity to move forward in this profession, this conversation offers a grounded look at where steady progress can get you!🟠Start here → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

There’s a point where your to-do list stops being helpful and starts becoming a quiet source of stress. Many dental hygiene students fall into the pattern of writing detailed to-do lists that feel productive, but don’t consistently lead to action. Dana is sharing practical ways to approach task management more intentionally, including using short, defined time blocks, prioritizing what truly needs your attention, and assigning tasks to specific times instead of letting them sit unresolved. The goal isn’t to do more—it’s to follow through on what you’ve already identified as important.🟠Start here → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletter🟠 When you're ready for boards: Become a StudentRDH VIP member → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3🟠Want extra support + events? Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Kim Augustus from Bloom RDH is back again on the podcast and is shedding light on the difficult transition dental hygienists often face after graduating and starting their careers. With several years of experience as an RDH, educator, and career coach, Kim has built a surplus of resources to provide for new grad dental hygienists who feel lost or uncertain in the operatory. She and Dana also discuss career options for dental hygienists outside of clinical settings, such as entrepreneurship, and what their journeys have looked like in becoming business owners.Register for Kim's New Grad Mentorship Courses with Cloud Dentistry → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1Start here:Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletterWhen you're ready for boards:Join StudentRDH VIP → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3Want extra support + events?Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Unmanaged test anxiety can really be a burden in dental hygiene school and hold you back from the scores you deserve! In this episode, you'll learn practical strategies for test-taking anxiety, including how to regulate your nervous system, approach questions with a consistent strategy, and reduce avoidable stress on exam day. You’ll learn how small shifts can improve both focus and performance on exams like the NBDHE.Start here:Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletterWhen you're ready for boards:Join StudentRDH VIP → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3Want extra support + events?Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Learn how to use the Cornell note-taking method for your dental hygiene courses to turn long lectures into an active recall system you can actually study from. Instead of rereading or highlighting, you’ll learn how to organize notes into key concepts, build cue-based questions, and summarize material in a way that supports memory for exams like the NBDHE.Start here:Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletterWhen you're ready for boards:Join StudentRDH VIP → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3Want extra support + events?Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1

Shayna Overfelt joins Dana to break down the ADEX dental hygiene exam, including the written portion and clinical manikin components, and what exam day truly looks like so you can replace uncertainty with clarity. You’ll hear how to avoid common mistakes (like relying on poor advice or changing your clinical routine) and why your best strategy is to perform the same way you do on a strong clinic day.Start here:Get dental hygiene school tips, free resources, and access to upcoming student events → https://dentalhygienebasics.mykajabi.com/newsletterWhen you're ready for boards:Join StudentRDH VIP → https://www.studentrdh.com/national-dental-hygiene-board-review-nbdhe-studentrdh-vip-club?utm_source=Referral%60&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=DHBasics&utm_content=DVIP3Want extra support + events?Get your free CloudU student membership (monthly events + giveaways) → http://clouddentistry.com/r/vxn1