Ronda Holman found her passion for dental assisting while in the Air Force.
She assisted in oral surgery, general dentistry, and ended her four-year service as a prophy tech, the military’s version of a dental hygienist.
She married and spent 13 years traveling the country while her husband served in the Air Force. Each time Ronda relocated she got the opportunity to work in a new dental office, where she picked up pearls that have helped her become an expert in educating dental assistants.
Her interests are immediate denture/partial fabrication, CEREC technology, patient education, and striving for optimal chairside skills.
Ronda believes that every dental assistant has the potential to be a rock star assistant if given the right tools and guidance.
Buying a Dental Practice Is the Easy Part—Earning the Team’s Trust Is the Real Work
By: Ronda Holman Purchasing an existing dental practice offers a significant advantage: a team that already knows…
Meaningful Ways New Dentists Can Show Gratitude to Their Team During the Holidays
…Without Spending Much Money By: Ronda Holman The holiday season is a perfect opportunity for new dentists…
Did Your Dental Assistant Give You Expired Anesthetic Again?
If So, Here’s What We Need to Do By: Ronda Holman There’s nothing that sinks a dentist’s…
Blessing or Curse? The 4 O’Clock Dilemma
By: Ronda Holman It’s 3:55 p.m. on a Thursday. The 4 o’clock patient just canceled. You can almost…
That’s Not My Job: Why Clear Delegation Matters in Dentistry
By: Ronda Holman You’ve probably heard the old story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and…
How Dentists Can Be Patient with Their Dental Assistant as They’re Still Learning
By: Ronda Holman Every dentist remembers that awkward learning curve when they first started practicing — the…
3 Ways to Invest in Your Dental Assistant
By: Ronda Holman What Dentists Can Learn from Chef Tina in The Bear In the TV series…
Why Dental Teams Should Learn Together
By: Ronda Holman In the fast-paced world of dentistry, continuing education (CE) is essential, not just for…
What’s Keeping Your Dental Assistant from Becoming an EFDA?
By: Ronda Holman If you’ve ever found yourself wishing you had two pairs of hands during a…
Help! My Dental Assistant Keeps Giving My Patients Dirty Glasses
By: Ronda Holman It might seem like a small thing, but when a dental assistant hands a…
Scalloped Tongue, What Does it Mean?
By: Jeffrey W. Horowitz, DMD, FAGD, D-ABDSM, D-ASBA A scalloped tongue is characterized by wavy or rippled edges along its sides. Scalloped tongues are usually not a cause of concern, but if left untreated, they can cause additional complications and symptoms that can harm your dental health. Identifying bad oral habits and diagnosing certain medical…
Professional Identity Formation
By: Savannah Craig Professional Identity Formation is a term I was unfamiliar with until it was brought up last week during my PGY-1 Orientation for my General Practice Residency program. Many of us have a variety of identities (daughter, sister, aunt, son, brother, uncle, etc.), and becoming a dentist requires you to add a new…
Why Aren’t Dentists Screening & Treating Sleep Apnea Patients?
By: Teresa Power DeNike, BS Sleep is a severely overlooked area in dentistry. In 2017, the ADA recommended all dentists screen for sleep apnea (and treat or refer out). Yet only 70% of dentists screen for sleep apnea, and most lack confidence in performing accurate routine screenings. In 2015, the AASM and AADSM recommended oral…
How Dental Assistants Can Deal with Workplace Bullying
By: Dianne Auger, RDH, BS Have you ever loved your position on the dental team, and then it starts to all go downhill? Have you ever thought that being in a profession such as this one that there are no conflicts or acts of workplace bullying? Well, there is! I was just as surprised as you are,…
How and Why to get Oral Appliance Therapy
By: Teresa DeNike If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, there’s a 90% chance your doctor recommended CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). There’s a reason for that — CPAP is incredibly effective — but it might not be right for you, and the hose can be cumbersome to sleep in. If you can’t use CPAP,…
Five People You Want on Your Side as a New Dentist
By: Tara Abouhmahboub When you become a dentist, navigating the job market can be a challenge, and you certainlydon’t want to do it on your own. Top 5 People To Know When Starting Your Dental Career Here are the five people you want on your side as a new dentist: 1. Accountant This one is…
Sign-On or Stay-On Bonus?
By: Dr. David Rice The great resignation, team-turnover, call it what you will, is dentistry’s single greatest problem today and will continue to be for the next 1 to 1.5 years. With that, many practices have turned to sign-on bonuses in an attempt to attract top talent. The problem is, that it’s not helping retain…
Top 5 Mistakes New Dentists Make
By: Dr. David Rice Read them. Digest them. Ask igniteDDS how to avoid them! 5 Mistakes I Made As A New Dentist Here are five common mistakes new dentists make (including me): Paying Off Student Debt Too Fast Not Building Board of Directors Soon Enough Buying a House before a Practice Not Asking Enough Questions…
Should You Consider a Dental Residency?
By: Sable Muntean It can be tempting to jump right into the workforce after graduating from dental school, but finding a residency can be a hugely rewarding experience for new dentists — and those positions are often paid, as well. How Long Is Dental Residency? The residency process only takes a year, or potentially two,…
The Importance of Dental Photography
By: Zach Sisler Photography is a skill that often gets overlooked by recent dental school graduates, but it can be an essential tool at every step of running your practice. If you’re an esthetic dentist or trying to advertise on social media, taking a good picture is a skill you need for obvious reasons. But…