In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Dr. Derik J. Sven, DHSc, RDH, CDT. He is a doctoral researcher, 2025 to 2026 VDHA President, ADHA Fellow, and one of the most clear-eyed voices on hygiene workforce policy in the profession today. Dr. Sven’s perspective is genuinely rare. He…
In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Mary Govoni, CDA, RDA, RDH OSHA Outreach Trainer, Speaker, Author, a compliance consultant who has spent decades helping dental practices close the gap between what they think they are doing and what their documentation actually shows. Mary walks through what she finds…
Every clinical role in a dental practice comes with a license, a certification, or an advanced degree. The office manager who coordinates everything those clinicians do? She learns it on the job, alone, and owns the outcome regardless. In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Savanah Carlson, MAADOM,…
Lisa Copeland holds the CSP, the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association, one of the most respected credentials in professional speaking. Fewer than 17% of speakers in the world have earned it. She is one of only three registered dental hygienists to ever receive it. That credential came after thirty years of…
In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Chris Snyder, founder of 360 Media + Marketing. Since 2016, Chris has built a reputation for helping dental professionals stand out through personal branding, public relations, and advertising with a focus on authentic storytelling and strategic visibility. Chris breaks down why…
In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Dr. John Heimke, DMD, MPH, President of Facial Designers, Inc., aesthetic dentist, full-arch implant provider, and faculty at the FMR in New York. They cover what it actually takes to build a fulfilling, high-performing dental practice. Dr. Heimke unpacks the Blue…
What if the biggest thing holding you back in dentistry is trying to be perfect? In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Dr. JoAnn Gurenlian to unpack a challenge many dental professionals face but rarely discuss: perfectionism. From early training to clinical practice, dentistry often reinforces the pressure to…
Have you ever had a moment in your practice where you did everything right, but something still felt off? In this episode of The Dental Handoff, Dr. Kelly Tanner sits down with Kristin Haynes to talk about the real, unspoken experiences happening inside dental practices every day. From subtle bias to moments that are hard…
Dental leadership, career growth, and navigating change in dentistry—this episode of The Dental Handoff explores what it really takes to trust your next step in your dental career. If you’re a dental hygienist (RDH), dentist, assistant, or practice owner feeling stuck, burned out, or uncertain about your next move, this conversation will resonate deeply. Dr….
Most dental assistants are not struggling because they are not capable. They are struggling because no one ever trained them properly. Dental assisting is one of the most hands-on roles in dentistry, but many assistants are expected to perform, communicate, and anticipate everything without structured training or mentorship. In this episode of The Dental Handoff,…