The most profitable room in your practice might be the hygiene operatory—if you treat it like a clinical and business engine. Dr. Joy joins us to share how starting at the front desk shaped her uncommon view of dentistry: production only matters when it becomes collection, and great clinical work deserves systems that support it. From early mentors who demanded top-tier infection control to the realities of today’s payer landscape, we dig into the tension every owner feels—rising hygiene wages, shrinking reimbursements—and how to solve it without cutting care.
We get practical fast. Joy breaks down why compensation must align with skills and results, and how a hygienist’s toolbox can expand beyond “cleaning” to include sharper instrumentation, faster and clearer radiographs, confident perio therapy, smart coding, and patient communication that drives acceptance. She explains her P3 framework—precision, power, prevention—and why hands-on training beats lecture-only CE when you want speed without roughness and quality without chaos. Real stories show how new grads, including COVID-era clinicians, regain confidence and translate Monday-morning wins into happier patients and healthier books.
Owners will hear candid guidance on payer mix, expectations during hiring, and creative ways to invest beyond dollars—like maintaining instruments, offering focused coaching, and matching clinicians to the right pace. Hygienists will find a roadmap to earn top pay by delivering top value, with repeatable skills that lift outcomes for the patient, the practice, and the provider. If you’re ready to stop “scaling your way to prosperity” and start building a high-performance hygiene department, this conversation is your blueprint.
If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review—then tell us the one hygiene change you’ll implement this month.