510 Hygienists (and Teeth!) On The Move with Tom Viola, Misty Mattingly, and Renata Nehme!

·27 min·2 clips

Tom Viola argues dentists would trust hygienists more if they witnessed the intense stress and acumen of hygiene school training.

This episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists is a compilation curated by host Andrew Johnston, who revisits past interviews he considers timeless. The first segment features a conversation with pharmacist Tom Viola and hygienist Misty Mattingly, originally co-hosted by Misty. They discuss the qualifications of dental hygienists to administer local anesthesia, advocating for its broader adoption across states. Tom Viola, who taught pharmacology for anesthesia training in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, argues that dentists lack confidence because they don't understand the stringent training hygienists undergo. He describes hygiene school as a high-stress, two-year program that transforms complete novices into competent clinicians. Misty Mattingly adds perspective from Georgia's experience passing legislation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining high standards and resisting moves to make hygiene school easier. They debate issues like supervision requirements, hygienist comfort levels with anesthetizing unfamiliar patients, and the challenge of achieving reciprocity between states with differing training standards. The second segment features an interview with dental hygienist and myofunctional therapist Renata Nehme. She shares her personal journey undergoing palatal expansion as an adult, a procedure typically associated with children. Renata explains the indications for palatal expansion, linking it to jaw growth, tongue position, and nasal breathing. She details her procedure, called MARPE, which involves screws placed in the palate to gradually widen the maxilla. Renata describes the process, including the use of CBCT scans for custom appliance design and the challenges of eating with an open bite during treatment. She reveals unexpected facial changes from the expansion, such as higher cheekbones, a fuller-looking upper lip, and a wider nose. Renata also discusses the importance of addressing muscle function through myofunctional therapy to prevent relapse. The episode concludes with host Andrew Johnston encouraging listeners to connect with the guests via show notes and social media.

As heard by us

A grounded discussion of anesthesia training, hygiene workflow, and broader clinical roles.

Episode 510 treats dental hygiene's expanding scope as a practical workplace question, starting with the pharmacology and clinical training behind hygienists administering anesthesia and moving into what happens when they care for a dentist's patients.

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Why you'd press play

If dental anesthesia training, hygiene workflow, and myofunctional therapy are on your radar, press play.

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