![]()
Candy Velez is an active professional member of the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) and serves as the Highlands County Representative for the Atlantic Coast Dental Hygienists' Association (ACDHA).
In addition, she maintains membership with The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH).
In addition to practicing clinically, Candy currently serves on the Florida Board of Dentistry's Council on Dental Hygiene, and she was the recipient of the Swann D. Knowles Award in 2020.
The Swan D. Knowles Award honors one hygienist from the state of Florida for their grassroots efforts in service and dedication to the dental hygiene profession.
Everyone Is a Human Being: Choosing to Create Better Workplace Culture
We All Have the Superpower of CHOICE By: Candy Velez, CRDH, BSDH, IGNITEDDS Dental Hygiene Coach When…
Silence Fuels Negativity, Leadership Requires Communication
Learning to Communicate Is Learning to Lead By: Candy Velez, CRDH, BSDH, IGNITEDDS Dental Hygiene Coach In…
Stop Choosing Sides: The Secret Ingredient for Next-Gen Dentistry Is Fusion
By: Candy Velez, CRDH, BSDH, IGNITEDDS Dental Hygiene Coach For a long time, dentistry has lived in…
Want Better Results? Make It Easier
Remove Friction – Unlock Consistency By: Candy Velez, CRDH, BSDH, IGNITEDDS Dental Hygiene Coach The Question That…
Are You Unknowingly Rewarding the Wrong Thing?
The Hidden Messages Behind Our Praise (a Reflection for Dental Leaders) By: Candy Velez, CRDH, BSDH, IGNITEDDS…
The Freedom Framework Week Three: The Power of Flow
Creating Freedom Through Structure, Alignment, and Leadership By: Candy Velez, CRDHIGNITEDDS Dental Hygiene Coach Missed Week One…
The Freedom Framework Week Two: Releasing Money Blocks & Embracing Stewardship
By: Candy Velez, CRDH IGNITEDDS Dental Hygiene Coach Let’s talk about a topic that can make even…
The Freedom Framework Week One: Breaking the Invisible Handcuffs
Awareness: Seeing What Restricts Your Growth and Steals Your Energy By: Candy Velez – CRDH, BSDH Welcome…
Your License, Your Reputation, Your Responsibility: Lessons from Dr. A.R.
Closing the Series & Applying These Insights to Your Practice By: Candy Velez – CRDH, BSDH When…
Ghosted by Your Dentist: When Poor Communication Becomes Patient Abandonment
Understanding Patient Abandonment – Lessons from Dr. A.R. By: Candy Velez – CRDH, BSDH Imagine calling your…
Selling To a DSO: Yes or No?!?
By: Todd Doobrow, CFP As the dental industry evolves, many independent dentists are considering selling their practices to Dental Support Organizations (DSOs). DSOs offer management and administrative support, allowing dentists to focus more on clinical care. However, while this option can be appealing, it’s not without its drawbacks. Below is a balanced look at the…
Detecting and Managing Pressure Root Resorption Early
By: Lee Ann Brady, DMDThis topic originally appeared on PankeyGram.Org. Dr. Brady granted igniteDDS permission to share with our readers. Root resorption is a phenomenon that takes on various forms, each with unique implications for the long-term health of a tooth. Among these, pressure root resorption stands out as a common type. This occurs when…
The Freedom Framework Week One: Breaking the Invisible Handcuffs
Awareness: Seeing What Restricts Your Growth and Steals Your Energy By: Candy Velez – CRDH, BSDH Welcome to The Freedom Framework, a three-part mini coaching series from igniteDDS Coaching. This series is designed to help you move from frustration to freedom. Each week introduces a focused lesson, supported by a downloadable workbook that turns awareness…
Why You’ll Struggle Getting Patency
The hardest part of doing a root canal, in my opinion, is achieving patency. Once I get patency, I find endo relatively straightforward (for the most part). Getting patency is about learning how the canal feels, staying patient, and figuring out what the tooth is telling you. Here’s what I wish I knew when I…
Season of Thanks: Small Gestures That Make a Big Impact on Your Team and Patients
By: Dr. Sable Muntean As the year winds down and the holiday season begins, dental offices everywhere are running at full speed—wrapping up treatment plans, finalizing insurance claims, and trying to squeeze in last-minute appointments before the year’s end. Amid all the chaos, November is the perfect reminder to slow down, take a breath, and…
6 Valuable Lessons Your DSO Can Learn from Dental Schools
By: A-decThis topic originally appeared on A-dec.com. They granted permission for igniteDDS to share with our readers. When it comes to choosing dental equipment, Dental Service Organizations and dental schools have a lot in common. Just like a DSO, a dental school has a budget to consider, a clear procurement process, and a focus on…
When to Terminate a PPO & How to Do It Without Losing Patients
By: Angela Holland, Founder of Preferred Dental SolutionsInsurance Expert and Strategy Consultant for Dental PracticesPreferredDentalSolutions.com It’s the end of the year… out with the old, in with the plans that work for you! One of the most common fears I hear from dentists is: “If we drop a PPO, won’t we lose all our patients?”…
Beyond the Teeth: Integrating Airway Dentistry Into Everyday Visits
By: DeWitt Wilkerson, DMDThis topic originally appeared on PankeyGram.org. Dr. Wilkerson granted permission for igniteDDS to share with our readers. In my practice, we spend time taking patients’ health history, interviewing them to screen for breathing conditions and behaviors, and examining them for airway disorders. During these portions of our comprehensive preclinical and clinical evaluation,…
The Practice Profitability Playbook
Part 1: Systems Control — The Foundation of a Low-Stress, High-Performing Practice By: Dawn Patrick, Business Strategy Coach, IGNITEDDS If you’re like most dental practice owners, your dream is simple: You want your practice to run smoothly, your team to take ownership, and your patients to receive consistently excellent care — without you feeling like the only…
From Clinician to CEO: Part 1
Part 1. Clinical Control: Leading People to Clinical Excellence By: Dr. David Rice Do you want to know how to build a team that diagnoses, treats, and performs just like you — even when you’re not in the room? When most new owners we meet talk about clinical excellence, they’re really talking about clinical skill….









