
Show Notes
In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave welcome Candi Kidd, RDH, BSDH, MEd, to discuss the unique challenges patients with special healthcare needs face when accessing oral healthcare. From medically complex and tube-fed patients to collaborating with caregivers and healthcare teams, Candi shares practical strategies for creating more inclusive, compassionate, and effective dental experiences. This conversation challenges clinicians to rethink accessibility, advocacy, and the future of patient-centered care.
In this episode, we discuss:
Common barriers to oral healthcare for patients with special healthcare needs
Oral health considerations for medically complex and tube-fed patients
Collaborating with caregivers and interdisciplinary healthcare teams
Adapting preventive, therapeutic, and educational approaches
Creating more inclusive and compassionate dental experiences
The role of advocacy in improving access to care
Practical strategies clinicians can implement immediately
Where dental education and healthcare systems can continue to improve
Connect with Candi Kidd:
Email: [email protected] Instagram: @the.sunnysister
Connect with the Hosts:
Jessica Atkinson: [email protected] Dave Torres: [email protected]
More from A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast
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.
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.
JoAnn Gurenlian joins Jessica and Dave for a practical conversation about the purpose, evolution, and everyday importance of the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice.
Every patient who sits in our chair brings more than just a mouth with them. Hormones, bone health, medications, and life stage can all influence what we see clinically.
Jessica and Dave welcome Dr. Pamela Ray to discuss how hygienists can improve periodontal communication, help patients take ownership of their disease, and guide them toward informed decisions about their health. This episode was brought to you by our friends at Net32.