• Subscribe
  • Clinical Mastermind
  • Podcast
  • Earn CE
  • Free Samples
  • Innovator Awards
    1. Practice Management
    2. Staffing

    Boost your DentistryIQ: Creating a robust hygiene practice (Video)

    July 20, 2020
    Are you still not completely comfortable being back in practice? You are not alone. Shannon Richkowski, RDH, says adaptability and flexibility will carry teams through each day right now. There are still many unknowns.

    Like many people in the dental profession, Shannon Richkowski, RDH, saw division between dentists and dental hygienists post–COVID-19. She believes this was borne from scarcity, fear, and uncertainty, as well as inaccurate information that’s been circulating since the pandemic began.

    The conversation about the benefits of the two professions uniting began to take place soon after teams returned to work. What leads to success, she asks? Richkowski believes that communication, even over-communicating, works well during times of uncertainly.

    Massive flexibility and adaptability are also very important. What worked while offices were shut down usually doesn’t work now. There are many variables, and team members need to work together and listen to each other to succeed. Do not be afraid to show your vulnerabilities, she says, and it’s OK not to have all of the answers and information. Everyone wants to succeed, so it’s important to let each other know you’re working toward that.

     Find out what else Richkowski has to share with her peers when she chats with Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz in the latest Boost your DentistryIQ video.

    Also, be sure to read Richkowski's latest article on DentistryIQ, "Stronger as a team: Closing the gap between dentists and hygienists."

    Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected]. 

    For more informative and up-to-the-minute video chats with key industry experts, visit DentistryIQ Videos.