A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast

About A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast

We created A Tale of Two Hygienists in 2015 because we are passionate about helping our fellow clinicians be the best version of themselves, both professionally and personally. We Interview experts in their fields to provide better care for our patients while promoting the joys of being a dental hygienist.

Publisher

Jessica Atkinson, RDH and David Torres CRDH

Category

health & fitness · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Nov 2015

Latest episode

28 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1,197 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Oct 2026

   562 Evaluation & Documentation: Protecting Patients and Providers

   JoAnn Gurenlian returns to explore two essential parts of the dental hygiene process of care: evaluation and documentation. What may feel like routine clinical responsibilities can have a lasting impact on patient safety, continuity of care, professional accountability, and risk management. Jessica, Dave, and JoAnn discuss how thoughtful evaluation and accurate documentation can strengthen clinical decision-making, support treatment modifications, and help dental hygienists deliver high-quality, patient-centered care. What We Talked About The role of evaluation within the dental hygiene process of care Why documentation is far more than a legal requirement Common documentation mistakes and how to avoid them How documentation supports continuity of care and patient outcomes The relationship between evaluation, critical thinking, and treatment modification Risk management and provider protection through accurate records Documentation best practices for today's dental hygienist How educators can better prepare students for real-world documentation expectations Call to Action Take a fresh look at your documentation and evaluation process. Ask yourself whether your records clearly communicate what you assessed, what you found, how the patient responded, and why clinical decisions were made. Strong documentation is more than recordkeeping—it is part of quality patient care. Resources and Links JoAnn Gurenlian on LinkedIn Contact the Hosts Jessica Atkinson: jatkinson@endeavorb2b.com Dave Torres: dtorres@endeavorb2b.com

2. 

   21 Oct 2026

   561 Diagnosis to Direction: Planning & Implementing Person-Centered Care

   In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave explore what happens after assessment and diagnosis: turning clinical findings into meaningful, individualized care. Karen Palleschi and Jennifer Pieren discuss how dental hygienists can use critical thinking, clinical judgment, and the ADHA Standards of Care to create person-centered plans that reflect each patient's needs, values, risks, and goals. What We Talked About: Translating assessment findings into meaningful dental hygiene diagnoses Building individualized, person-centered care plans instead of "one-size-fits-all" treatment The role of critical thinking and clinical judgment in implementation How the ADHA Standards of Care support consistency, accountability, and professional autonomy. Patient communication, shared decision-making, and behavior change Challenges clinicians and students face when moving from diagnosis to implementation Adapting care plans based on patient needs, values, risks, and outcomes Call to Action: Providers, take a closer look at how you move from diagnosis to action. Consider whether your care plans truly reflect each patient's individual needs, priorities, risks, and goals. Look for opportunities to involve patients more fully in decisions about their care. Contact guest via: Email: japieren@ysu.edu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-pieren-476804a1/ Instagram: @prof_jennifer_rdh ADHA Standards Contact the Hosts Jessica Atkinson: jatkinson@endeavorb2b.com Dave Torres: dtorres@endeavorb2b.com

3. 

   14 Oct 2026

   560 From Data to Decisions: Assessment & Diagnosis in Dental Hygiene

   Assessment and diagnosis are at the heart of patient-centered dental hygiene care. In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave are joined by JoAnn Gurenlian, Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, and Darlene Swigart to explore how dental hygienists can move beyond simply collecting patient data to interpreting findings, developing accurate dental hygiene diagnoses, and making informed clinical decisions. The conversation examines the critical-thinking skills needed to connect assessment findings to treatment planning, documentation, and improved patient outcomes while also considering the future of dental hygiene diagnosis and professional autonomy. What We Talked About The distinction between assessment and diagnosis Why diagnosis is an essential component of the dental hygiene process of care Common challenges clinicians face when interpreting assessment findings The role of critical thinking in moving from collected data to clinical decisions How assessment and diagnosis influence treatment planning and patient outcomes Documentation considerations related to assessment and diagnosis Strategies for teaching diagnostic reasoning to students The future of dental hygiene diagnosis and professional autonomy Call to Action The next time you complete a patient assessment, pause before moving directly to treatment. Ask yourself what the findings mean, how they connect, and what they tell you about your patient's individual needs. Use that clinical reasoning to strengthen your dental hygiene diagnosis, treatment planning, documentation, and patient care. Resources and Links Darlene Swigart on LinkedIn Ann Eshenaur Spolarich on LinkedIn JoAnn Gurenlian on LinkedIn Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, J. Bringing Social Determinants of Health into the Dental Hygiene Diagnosis. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2026;24(1):32-35. Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, J, McCracken, A. Integrating Social Determinants of Health Screening in Student Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice. J Dent Hyg. 2025;9(6):52-63. Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, JR, Rogo, EJ. Dental Hygiene Diagnosis: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Dental Hygienists. Can J Dent Hyg. 2020;54(3):113-123. Gurenlian, JR, Swigart, DJ. Dental Hygiene Diagnosis: The Link Between Assessment and Care. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2018;16(12):36-39. Gurenlian, JR, Sanderson, TR, Garland, K, Swigart, DJ. Exploring the Integration of the Dental Hygiene Diagnosis in Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Curricula. J Dent Hyg. 2018;92(4):18-26. Contact the Hosts Jessica Atkinson: jatkinson@endeavorb2b.com Dave Torres: dtorres@endeavorb2b.com

Who has been a guest on A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Katrina Sanders
• Peggy Hanon
• Monica Salerno
• Lindsey Mitchell
• Lisandra Maisonet

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 63 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

93

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

81