Tooth or Dare Podcast
Hold on to your suction, it’s about to get viscous. Irene, aka @Toothlife.Irene, on social media is the first (and only) Canadian Restorative Dental Hygienist with a podcast. Sharing her story surrounding her career, practice ownership, social media and, of course, dental-related content. On Tooth or Dare, she gives mic-dropping solutions to your dental questions and problems as a dental professional. With guests like top hygienists, dentists, researchers, product developers and more, this show has something for everyone interested in oral health and personal and professional development. Peeps say the content is entertaining and educational, packaged with actionable it...
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What it's like SRP Scaling with an Endoscope vs. Blind | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>f you're a dental professional curious about using technology to SEE sub-G this is the episode for you! </p> <p>In this episode, Irene sits down with Kristen Ranaldo, a perio-focused hygienist who has spent her career using dental endoscopy to treat advanced perio and failing implants. Kristen shares how seeing below the gumline transforms diagnosis, treatment, and patient communication and why blind SRP and laser-only approaches often fall short. They also discuss how desiccation gels like PerioDT and Hybenx fit into workflows and what it takes to implement this technology in everyday practice.</p> <p>In this episode...
Desiccation Therapy- How to perform better periodontal treatments | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>Dear Dental Hygienists,</p> <p>If your patients keep coming back with the same amount of calculus, this is the episode for you.</p> <p>In this Op Talk edition of Tooth or Dare, Irene and Victoria take one of the most misunderstood tools in modern periodontal care and pull it apart clinically, practically, and honestly.</p> <p>Desiccation therapy is often described as “drying,” “etch-like,” or “just another add-on.” In this episode, we explain why none of those descriptions are quite right — and why that misunderstanding is exactly why so many clinicians either misuse it or underutilize it.</p> <p>Using re...
Dental Hygiene Workforce Trends in Canada | Tooth or Dare Podcast with @Toothlife.Irene
<p>Is there statistical proof of a decline in dental hygienists in Canada?<br> The answer isn’t as simple as social media headlines suggest.</p> <p>In this episode of Tooth or Dare, Joe Siegfried and I unpack the current climate of dental hygiene in Canada and challenge the idea that fewer hygienists are entering the profession.</p> <p>Graduation numbers and class sizes haven’t declined. What has changed is retention and migration.</p> <p>🇨🇦 Canada has approximately 33,600 registered dental hygienists, yet distribution varies widely<br> ▪️ Rural and remote communities continue to struggle with retention<br> ▪️ About 9% of hygienists plan to...
Coming Out During Dental Hygiene School | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>What happens when you choose authenticity, even when it feels risky?</p> <p>In this episode of Tooth or Dare, Joe Siegfried opens up about his life beyond the dental chair. From growing up in rural Ontario and pursuing acting, to becoming a father, coming out during dental hygiene school, and building a supportive blended family, Joe shares the personal experiences that shaped who he is today.</p> <p>This conversation explores identity, acceptance, and the courage it takes to live authentically, especially within a professional setting. Joe reflects on how personal transformation doesn’t happen in isolation and ho...
How to organize your dental office using Color Method | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>This episode is dedicated to all dental professionals who have ever discovered expired materials hiding at the back of a drawer, couldn’t find what they needed mid-procedure, or found themselves buying supplies from the dollar store with no real system, strategy, or purpose.</p> <p>My office had just celebrated its 4th birthday when I discovered a bag of materials that were already two years expired. That was my wake-up call.</p> <p>I knew it was time to make a change...so we overhauled Toothlife Studio using Zirc’s proven Color Method, and I haven’t looked back...
RDH meets Yoga Therapy with Caitlin Parsons aka @thealignedhygienist
<p>In this episode, Caitlin Parsons talks about her journey through dental hygiene, the pain she experienced early in her career, and how stepping away from the operatory led her to study yoga therapy. She shares what it was like to return to clinical practice after three years, the parts of hygiene she missed, and the challenges she didn’t.</p> <p>We also discuss how yoga therapy works using breath, movement, and awareness and how simple “yoga snacks” throughout the day can help prevent stress and pain. Caitlin explains the misconceptions many people have about yoga, why small consistent habits...
RDH shortages & trends with Bethany Montoya @Humanrdh | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>We all know Bethany Montoya as HumanRDH on social media. Advocate for all that is right and fair in the world of dental hygiene. She holds no prisoners when it comes to her quick responses and realtalk vibes. Today, I get to sit down with her IRL and learn more about the journey that inspired her to advocate so loudly. She talks about how she found her way into dental hygiene, the challenges she faced during school, and the reality of balancing her education with everyday life. She shares honest thoughts on pay, benefits, and the culture inside dental...
Oral Probiotics during SRP and hygiene therapy | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>Should we be using probiotics with all patients? Perhaps they are the new secret weapon for improving clinical outcomes and preventing disease. </p> <p>Let’s face it, many patients consider cost above all else when presented with perio treatment options. This is especially challenging when dental insurance does not cover what are considered adjunctive therapies, even though studies show that a combination of treatments is more effective in the long run. (link to study?)</p> <p>In this episode, Irene and Vic discuss the valuable role of probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, in the perio treatment plan. Microscopic problems req...
WTF is a $99 cleaning? | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>If you’ve ever seen a $99 dental cleaning deal and wondered if it’s worth it, you’ll want to hear this story, including:</p> <p>▪️ How $99 dental promotions can mislead and limit patient access<br> ▪️ Why these deals may not be as good as they sound<br> ▪️ How patient trust is affected by unclear pricing<br> ▪️ Stories from people who felt let down by the experience<br> ▪️ The bigger impact discount dentistry has on the profession</p> What’s Really Happening Behind the “Too Good to Be True” Offers <p>Some dental offices advertise low-fee cleanings to attract patients, especially those witho...
How to determine if Bone Loss Is due to Perio, Malocclusion, Or Something Else? | Tooth Or Dare Podcast with Toothlife.Irene
<p>How do you determine if someone truly has bacterial-induced bone loss? When a patient presents with bone loss, periodontal disease is one of the most common causes, but not always. What else could it be?</p> <p>In this episode, we discuss various factors contributing to bone loss and recession, with malocclusion being a significant one. </p> <p>We discuss: </p> How a slight vertical defect can lead to deterioration of bone. What is traumatic occlusion, and how is it identified? How old restorations contribute to occlusal issues What to look for before jumping straight to perio as the cau...
