Megen Elliott, MS-OCL, RDH, CDA, has over 13 years of experience in the dental field. She finds joy in inspiring others to grow and reach their full potential. As an educator, author, interprofessional speaker, volunteer leader, and consultant, Megen is able to explore many areas of the dental industry. Most recently, she has taken a deeper dive into her passion for mentoring and empowering others to succeed and also bridging connections between professionals and dental brands. Megen’s favorite activity is networking with dental colleagues both online and while attending dental conferences around the country. Founder and admin of Hygiene Happy Vibes she hopes you will join your fellow dental professionals online and work to build each other up!
5 Reasons to Become a Dental Hygienist
By: Megen Elliott, MS-OCL, RDH, CDA Narrowing down just five reasons to become a dental hygienist was a…
How to Become a Dental Hygienist
By: Megen Elliott, MS-OCL, RDH, CDA Becoming a dental hygienist is a rewarding, challenging, and exciting adventure….
Preventing Burnout: How to Maintain Engagement & Discipline in Your Dental Team
By: Dawn Patrick, Dental Coach and Director of Operations, IGNITEDDS In today’s demanding dental environment, burnout among dental professionals is increasingly common. As a dental leader, your team’s well-being is essential to the long-term success of your practice. Burnout impacts not only productivity but also patient care, team morale, and retention. Maintaining engagement and discipline…
Active Listening Tips For Patient-Centered Care
By: Dr. Bill Gregg DDSThis topic originally appeared on Pankey.org. Dr. Gregg granted permission for igniteDDS to share with our readers. The first step towards becoming a great clinician, who can diagnose and treat diseases is becoming an active listener. Usually, the most important things you need to know for an effective treatment come from…
The Art of Listening: Clinical Mistakes with Dr. Chad Duplantis on Dental Fuel
Host: Dr. Tanya Sue MaestasGuest: Â Dr. Chad DuplantisEdited By: Candy Velez CRDH In this episode of Dental Fuel, our host, Dr. Tanya-Sue Maestas, sits down with Dr. Chad Duplantis, a seasoned restorative dentist based in Fort Worth, Texas. With decades of experience and a passion for technology in dentistry, Dr. Duplantis shares invaluable insights for…
Building Self-Esteem & Long-Term Commitment: How to Show Appreciation to Your Dental TeamÂ
By: Dawn Patrick, Dental Coach + Director of Operations, IGNITEDDS In any dental practice, the team is its core. When they feel appreciated, their self-esteem rises, confidence grows, and they’re more likely to stay long-term. Showing consistent and genuine appreciation is not just a gesture—it’s an ongoing strategy to build a committed, high-performing team. This…
A Challenging Hybrid Overdenture Case
By: Dr. Lee Ann Brady, DMDThis topic originally appeared on Pankey.org. Dr. Brady granted permission for igniteDDS to share with our readers. Dentistry is a life-learning career, and everyone encounters some cases through their career that challenge their clinical skills. That’s a positive thing, it motivates us to explore more and advance our skills further,…
When to Change Financial Advisors
By: Todd Doobrow, CFP Break-ups are rarely ever fun but are often necessary to help us keep moving forward. Whether firing a difficult patient or moving on from a significant other, closing one door hopefully leads to another opening. This is no different when thinking about your relationship with your financial advisor. As your needs…
Challenges & Benefits of Working in Healthcare
By: Dr. Savanah Craig Working in healthcare is challenging for many reasons. I would bet that most people in healthcare are high-achieving and have a strong desire to help others. This makes people susceptible to burnout. Dentists, however, have the added level of patient fear, distrust, and isolation to contend with. Spend enough time with…
How to Master a Complete Dental Examination
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDS, Clinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThis article originally appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.com, Dr. Hess allowed igniteDDS to share with our readers. The key to offering complete dentistry starts with a thorough complete dental examination, but the order and how each Dentist explains this to patients can vary. 4 Steps to a…
Building a Strong Culture with Your Dental Team: The Foundation of a Thriving PracticeÂ
By: Dawn Patrick, Dental Coach + Director of Operations IGNITEDDS In the ever-evolving world of dentistry, clinical skills and patient care are paramount. However, the success of a dental practice isn’t driven by technical expertise alone. Behind every flourishing practice is a unified, motivated, and engaged dental team that works seamlessly together. The key to…
Improving Efficiency in Dental Treatment Room Turnover
By: Ronda Holman One of the common frustrations in a dental practice is when treatment room turnover takes longer than necessary. This delay can create bottlenecks, lead to patient dissatisfaction, and disrupt the schedule. Teaching a dental assistant to clean and set up a treatment room efficiently is essential for maintaining a smooth workflow. 5…