Critical Conversations: Recognizing Signs of Domestic Violence in Your Chair (Ep 171)

Matt sits down with Australian dental hygienist and entrepreneur Tabitha Acret for a conversation that moves from career inspiration to life-saving advocacy. Tabitha shares how she discovered dental hygiene while working as a dental assistant during law school, then built a dynamic career across clinical practice, academia, her own periodontal education company, and co-hosting Disrupting Dentistry Podcast. The conversation shifts as Tabitha opens up about why Domestic Violence Awareness Month carries profound meaning for her. She reveals the powerful position dental hygienists hold spending up to an hour with patients—creating opportunities to recognize warning signs and offer critical support. Tabitha shares practical secondary prevention strategies, from identifying signs and asking sensitive questions to protecting your own mental health when patients disclose trauma.

 

Guest: Tabitha Acret, RDH, OM, BOH, Grad Cert Public Health, MSc Dental Hygiene

Host: Matt Crespin, MPH, RDH, FADHA

 

Disrupting Dentistry Podcast (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/disrupting-dentistry-podcast/id1534781785

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: https://ncadv.org/
Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP): https://www.dvawareness.org/

National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/ (1-800-799-7233)

Latest on Domestic Violence laws in Australia: https://tinyurl.com/mtm8es8d