The United States is the only high-income country without national paid family leave. And if you work in dental hygiene — a profession that is over 94% female — you feel that gap more than most.

In this episode, Kimberly breaks down why the maternity leave crisis in dental hygiene isn't just a personal struggle — it's a systemic failure. From FMLA loopholes that exclude nearly every dental office, to the reality of classifying childbirth as a "disability" just to get six weeks at 60% pay, to what Maine's new paid family leave program actually looks like when you do the math.

She compares two healthcare workers with the same education and licensure who get completely different safety nets — based on nothing but the size of the building they work in. This one is personal. And it needs to be said out loud.

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February is Black History Month, and in this episode, host Kimberly Williamson explores something that doesn't get nearly enough attention in the dental profession: the history and lived experience of Black dental hygienists—and the racial disparities that persist in both the workforce and the patients they serve.

Kimberly is joined by her friend and colleague Rebekah, a registered dental hygienist she went to college with in Maine—one of the whitest states in the country. They were each other's local anesthesia partners, which means they spent a semester injecting each other in the mouth. If that doesn't build trust, what does?

In this conversation, Rebekah shares her experience navigating a profession that is overwhelmingly white, from choosing a dental hygiene program in a state where less than 2% of the population is Black, to the microaggressions and moments of isolation she's faced throughout her career. They also discuss the National Dental Hygienists' Association (NDHA), founded in 1932 by Black hygienists who weren't welcome in mainstream professional organizations—a history most hygienists were never taught.

The conversation also touches on the OPA clinical exam model and how it creates additional barriers for diverse candidates entering the profession.

This episode is honest, moving, and necessary.

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What if dental hygienists could expand on the foundation they already have? What if they could coach patients through the barriers that actually prevent better health—and get reimbursed for it?

This episode explores why hygienists are uniquely positioned to step into health coaching—and why this shift could reshape healthcare itself.

We unpack the oral-systemic connection: how periodontal disease links to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health, and why treating the mouth in isolation no longer makes sense. We also address the socioeconomic barriers patients face that traditional dental education never prepared us to navigate: food insecurity, transportation, lack of insurance, and mental health challenges.

Plus: the frustrating reality that hygienists—already licensed clinicians—often can’t bill insurance directly, while health coaches now have CPT codes and growing recognition. And why oral health is still missing from most health coaching curriculums.

This is a call to action: it’s time to recognize the role hygienists were always meant to play.

Resources:

∙National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching: nbhwc.org

∙Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)

∙Duke Integrative Medicine Health Coach Training

∙Wellcoaches School of Coaching

∙Episode 7: When Getting Out of Bed is Hard – Mental Health and Oral Health

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