Micheleandrew
Micheleandrew
Micheleandrew
Micheleandrew
Micheleandrew

Booth Buzz: When podcasting and a conference collide to provide information about dental products

Sept. 6, 2017
Michelle Strange, RDH, explains how Booth Buzz podcasts updates audience members about dental products introduced at dental conferences.

Michelle Strange, RDH, and Andrew Johnston, RDH, during the recent RDH Under One Roof conference.

By Michelle Strange, RDH, MSDH

The popular dental hygiene podcast, “A Tale of Two Hygienists” (ATOTH) partnered with PennWell at this year’s RDH Under One Roof conference in Chicago in August. The plan was to create relevant content for listeners and those who were unable to attend this year’s conference. This was the second year that ATOTH was able to attend the dental hygiene conference, and 2017 did not disappoint.

During the fun-filled, CE-packed four days, Andrew Johnston, RDH, and I were able to conduct 16 interviews with some notable names in dental hygiene: Kim Miller, Kyle Isaacs, Josalyn Sewell, Dovetta Johnson, Kathy Bassett, Trisha O’Hehir, Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, and the list goes on. In addition to those interviews, we interviewed representatives for Brasseler and Premier in a new edition of Booth Buzz

Booth Buzz is an opportunity for companies to showcase their dental products or idea and record it for people who couldn’t make it to the conference. It also allows for the companies to really highlight dental products, giving all the details that hygienists don’t get to learn about while hopping from booth to booth or hustling back to a course.

Brenda McCarson of Brasseler, center, was interviewed at RDH Under One Roof.

Brasseler USA

Brasseler USA is more than just hand scalers. ATOTH was able to learn more about what Brasseler has to offer in the way of a piezo unit, cordless hand piece for polishing, and their newest line of titanium instruments including a titanium probe. Brasseler USA has been around since 1976, supplying instruments for restorative dentistry, endodontics, prosthodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, pedodontics, oral-maxillofacial surgery, dental hygiene, and dental laboratories.

The company has a direct sales model unlike any other instrument provider. Company founder Peter Brasseler established a model in which Brasseler USA products would be available exclusively through the company’s sales representatives, and that tradition continues today. Brasseler USA allows hygienists to establish their own account.

Lil Caperila, left, of Premier Dental was interviewed during the conference.

Premier Dental

Premier Dental offers products that you probably use every day in clinical practice but didn’t realize they were a Premier product. Premier is another long-standing company founded in 1913 by instrument maker Julius Charlestein. Today, this family-operated business is in its fourth generation and has product sales in over 75 countries. The company, among other dental products, developed RC-Prep, Hemodent, Triple Tray, and Two Striper brand diamonds. Many professionals are familiar with novel products such as Traxodent hemostatic retraction paste, Enamel Pro Varnish (which delivers amorphous calcium phosphate), Enamel Pro prophy paste, and 2Pro disposable prophy angles. They also have CE available.

Listen to the podcast with these options:

Booth Buzz sounds great but what is a podcast and who are “A Tale of Two Hygienists”?

Check out this article on podcasting and how it is becoming a new way to obtain your information.

A little background on ATOTH: Andrew and I are hygienists who have been creating weekly podcasts for the hygiene profession since 2015. The show is fun and a little corny, but delivers amazing educational content in conversational form. The anchor to each episode is an interview by an industry expert or hygienist doing something out-of-the-box. We are goofy but we love this profession and find passion in delivering relevant topics that affect hygienist every day. We believe in what hygienists can do and want to disseminate the information that will directly help in patient care.

We really enjoyed our time at RDH Under One Roof and look forward to seeing everyone next year at RDH UOR 2018 in National Harbor!

B. Michelle Strange, RDH, MSDH, began her career in dentistry in 2000. In 2012 she received her master’s degree in dental hygiene education from the University of Bridgeport. She has practiced exclusively in periodontics as a dental hygienist and surgical assistant, finding true enjoyment in the educational aspect of patient care. This led her to become an adjunct faculty member at Trident Technical College’s Dental Hygiene Program. Michelle continues to educate future dental hygienists and is the educational and professional relations manager for TePe Oral Health Care, Inc. Her newest enjoyment is found in co-hosting a podcast for dental professionals, “A Tale of Two Hygienists.”