What happens when we stop treating hygiene like a production role and start treating it like a human-centered profession? In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Bethany Montoya, MBA, RDH—a practicing dental hygienist, educator, industry key opinion leader, and Editorial Director of DentistryIQ’s Clinical Insights—to talk about the realities of practicing across different systems and what it means to bring humanity back into oral health care. Bethany shares insights from ...
What does it really take to stop asking for permission and start building a career on your own terms? In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Sade Morel, RDHAP, a dental hygienist in alternative practice, entrepreneur, and trailblazer redefining what autonomy in hygiene can look like. Sade shares her journey from clinical practice to building an RDHAP model rooted in access, ownership, and dental–medical integration. We talk candidly about the realities behind practice ow...
Some leaders earn their titles. Others redefine them. In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, Erin Haley-Hitz steps into the spotlight to dismantle every outdated expectation of what leadership in dentistry should look like. A former ADHA President, seasoned clinician, educator, consultant, and nationally recognized voice in dental hygiene, Erin brings three decades of experience to a conversation rooted in honesty, courage, and the messy reality of growth. She opens up about the parts...
Florie Mancilla, RDH, is not your standard-issue hygienist. She’s a 24-year force who’s tested the full bandwidth of this profession: clinical care, teledentistry before it was cool, running mobile units, teaching the next generation, shaping corporate training ecosystems, and now redefining whole-health impact as an Oral Wellness Consultant. In this episode, we get into the actual lived reality of being a clinician in a system that doesn’t always know what to do with ambitious, multidimensio...
It’s Halloween week — and this conversation takes the mask off what “sustainability” in healthcare really means. In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Brittany Cox, MA, RDH — a sustainable systems strategist and emerging policy architect leading healthcare into a planet-first future. With a Master’s in Oral Health Promotion and advanced training in leadership and coaching, Brittany bridges clinical insight with environmental innovation to help organizations build system...
The conversation that started in Hygiene Unchained isn’t finished — it’s evolved. In the Season 5 premiere of The Chief Psycho Podcast, Derik J. Sven returns to take the gloves off again. A 20-year veteran clinician, author, and reformer, Derik brings clarity, courage, and conviction to the fight for hygiene autonomy and public-health reform. This time, we go deeper into: The real-world impact of restrictive supervision lawsWhy autonomy is the key to solving the hygiene shortageHow policy and...
We’ve been told that “work-life balance” is the key to happiness. But what if that’s a myth? To close out Season 4 of The Chief Psycho Podcast and I/O Psychology Awareness Month, I sat down with Dr. Kelly Reburn — an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, leadership coach, and CEO of The IO Psych Group (@theiopsych). With over a decade of experience driving culture and leadership initiatives, Kelly helps organizations and leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters: people...
Dentistry doesn’t like talking about its own cracks — but this conversation forces them into the light. In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Derik J Sven — a 20-year dental veteran, clinician, author, and speaker known for challenging entrenched norms in the profession. Unlike many voices in the field, Derik’s work is free from sponsor influence and rooted in evidence, integrity, and a relentless push for patient care and provider autonomy. Together, we dig into the is...
What happens when leadership gets real? When culture is under fire, the stakes are high, and failure isn’t an option? In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Dave Striegel — a sport psychologist and performance coach with over 25 years of experience working across the most pressure-filled environments imaginable. His clients include professional athletes (PGA, LPGA, NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, and U.S. Ski Team), Fortune 500 executives, FBI hostage teams, military special for...
What does leadership look like after burnout, recovery, and soul-work? In this week’s episode of the Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Brandi Marzolino—leadership strategist, coach, and founder of Courage & Joy at Work and The Empowered LeadHERship Experience for Women in Dental. With over 20 years of experience spanning dentistry, holistic health, and leadership strategy, Brandi opens up about her journey into recovery and what it means to lead with rigorous honesty. Together, we unp...
What if the secret to great leadership wasn’t found in a playbook—but in your emotional landscape? This week, we sit down with Taylor Holsinger, ZIA’s Director of Development, leadership expert, and I/O psychology doctoral candidate, for a raw and real conversation about what it means to lead from within. From raising kids to raising teams, Taylor opens up about the personal and professional identity shifts that shaped her approach to leadership—and how emotional intelligence isn’t just a sof...
What if the thing holding you back isn’t your strategy—it’s your signal? In this episode of the Chief Psycho Podcast, Jonathan Bonanno sits down with Joe Garner, transformation guide and host of Changing The Channel, to unpack the neuroscience of burnout and the mindset shift most leaders never make. Together, they go deep into: Why burnout is an alarm—not a weaknessHow mindfulness isn’t about Zen—it’s about decision-makingThe 4 pillars of conscious transformation: mindset, mindfulness, intui...
In this explosive July 4th episode, we’re lighting up more than the sky—we’re firing off a conversation that’ll change the way you work forever. Meet Marcus Tipton: founder, disruptor, and visionary CEO of KaiMesh—a platform built from pure frustration with the clunky, disconnected chaos of modern workplace tech. We dive deep into what it really takes to build a product that actually serves people, not just processes. From tab fatigue to integration overload, Marcus breaks down why legacy pla...
In this episode of the Chief Psycho Podcast, we sit down with the unstoppable Sonya Dunbar, better known as The Geriatric Toothfairy. With over 30 years of experience in dentistry, Sonya’s career spans clinical work, entrepreneurship, public speaking, and advocacy—particularly for elder oral health and access to care. Sonya opens up about her journey from Navy Veteran to nationally recognized thought leader, sharing how she built Mobile Dental Xpress, co-founded the National Mobile & Tele...
In this episode of the Chief Psycho Podcast, we welcome Kristin Evans, BS, RDH—national speaker, educator, and advocate known in the industry as “The pH RDH.” With over 30 years in dentistry, Kristin brings a powerful voice to the conversation around women's health, functional wellness, and the oral-systemic connection. We dive deep into the physiological and emotional impacts of hormone shifts, the overlooked links between pH balance and bone loss, and why dental professionals need to rethin...
In this powerful return episode, Dr. Zhanna Konovalenko joins us to explore what it means to lead a career beyond the brackets. A board-certified orthodontist and founder of NoStressDDS Mastermind, Dr. Zhanna is a trusted voice guiding women in dentistry through burnout, practice transitions, and the pursuit of balance. We dive into: The invisible pressure women face in practice ownership and career growthHow to manage major life changes without losing yourselfWhat it means to redefine succes...
In this episode of the Chief Psycho Podcast, we’re joined by the incomparable Denise Williams-Jones, a 30-year dental industry veteran, speaker, author, and humanitarian. From chairside assistant to national consultant and founder of Next Level to Success, Denise’s journey is built on heart, hustle, and a deep-rooted belief in the power of service-based leadership. Denise dives into what it really takes to elevate teams, culture, and customer service in modern dentistry—sharing practical stra...
Angela Holland built and sold her first company — a thriving dental insurance RCM firm — to a NASDAQ corporation in just four years. But what happens after the sale? When the mission that once lit you up now feels… dim? In this premiere episode of Season 4, Angela joins Jonathan to talk candidly about: Her journey from front desk to founderBuilding Preferred Dental Services from scratch and the path to acquisitionLeaving the corporate world to rediscover her voice — and purposeHow she’s helpi...
To wrap up this transformative season, we’re closing with a woman who has not only witnessed the evolution of dentistry — she has been the evolution. In this episode, we sit down with the legendary Anne Duffy, a true matriarch in the dental space whose passion for empowering women became more than a mission — it became a movement. Anne is the founder of DeW Life (Dental Entrepreneur Woman) and Dental Entrepreneur: Business Beyond the Classroom, and she brings decades of industry experience, h...
In this week’s episode of the Chief Psycho Podcast, we welcome Dr. Karen Tindall and Dr. Laura Schwindt — two seasoned dentists, certified life coaches, and the visionary co-founders of The Mint Door. With decades of experience in clinical care, coaching, and entrepreneurship, these powerhouse women are transforming the way dental professionals approach wellness, leadership, and longevity. Together, they share the story behind The Mint Method — a program built to support high-achieving profes...