The Chief Psycho Podcast

Humanizing Hygiene with Bethany Montoya

What happens when we stop treating hygiene like a production role and start treating it like a human-centered profession?In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Bethany Montoya, MBA, RDH—a practicing dental hygienist, educator, industry key opinion leader, and Editorial Director of DentistryIQ’s Clinical Insights—to talk about the realities of practicing across different systems and what it means to bring humanity back into oral health care.Bethany shares insights from working in both corporate and private practice settings, her perspective on disease prevention, and how education, writing, and professional involvement can become powerful tools for change. This conversation goes beyond surface-level debate and gets into identity, values, and responsibility within the profession.In this episode, we explore:• Corporate vs. private practice and what each environment reveals• How hygienists can get involved and educate their communities• The role of modern disease prevention in shaping the future of care• Using education, voice, and leadership to drive meaningful change• Human-centered practice in systems built for efficiencyThis episode is for hygienists and healthcare professionals who want to think critically, lead intentionally, and practice in ways that honor both the provider and the patient.Alright, podcasters—that’s a wrap on this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast! If you got something out of today’s convo, do me a favor—share it, tag us, and keep the conversation going. Remember, entrepreneurship isn’t just about the grind—it’s about the growth. Stay bold, stay human, and keep pushing the limits. Catch you next time. Until then—keep it psycho. @thechiefpsychopodcast @thechiefpsycho

Own Your Path with Sade Morel

What does it really take to stop asking for permission and start building a career on your own terms?In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Sade Morel, RDHAP, a dental hygienist in alternative practice, entrepreneur, and trailblazer redefining what autonomy in hygiene can look like.Sade shares her journey from clinical practice to building an RDHAP model rooted in access, ownership, and dental–medical integration. We talk candidly about the realities behind practice ownership, the planning required to make it sustainable, and the internal identity shifts that come with choosing leadership over comfort.This conversation goes beyond titles and credentials. It’s about responsibility, vision, and what happens when you decide to build a future that fits who you are, not who the system expects you to be.In this episode, we cover: • What it takes to build and run an RDHAP practice • Expanding access to care through mobile and integrated models • Creating opportunity and mentorship for fellow hygienists • Strategic planning so ambition doesn’t turn into burnout • The mindset shift required to truly own your pathWhether you’re in dental hygiene, healthcare, or any profession where the traditional path feels too small, this episode is a reminder that autonomy is built, not granted.Alright, podcasters—that’s a wrap on this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast! If you got something out of today’s convo, do me a favor—share it, tag us, and keep the conversation going. Remember, entrepreneurship isn’t just about the grind—it’s about the growth. Stay bold, stay human, and keep pushing the limits. Catch you next time. Until then—keep it psycho. @thechiefpsychopodcast @thechiefpsycho

Break the Mold with Erin Haley-Hitz

Some leaders earn their titles. Others redefine them.In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, Erin Haley-Hitz steps into the spotlight to dismantle every outdated expectation of what leadership in dentistry should look like.A former ADHA President, seasoned clinician, educator, consultant, and nationally recognized voice in dental hygiene, Erin brings three decades of experience to a conversation rooted in honesty, courage, and the messy reality of growth. She opens up about the parts of her journey most people never hear: the pivots, the pressure, the breakthroughs, and the moments where choosing bravery over comfort changed the trajectory of her entire career.We dive into authentic leadership, the emotional stamina it takes to serve at the national level, and what it means to lead with both backbone and heart. Erin breaks down the evolution of the dental hygiene profession, the responsibility of influence, and the power of staying aligned with your values even when the room disagrees.If you’ve ever questioned your voice, your path, or whether you’re “qualified enough” to step into bigger spaces, this episode hits like a permission slip. Erin takes us behind the scenes of her leadership era, her advocacy work, her relentless pursuit of education, and her vision for modern dentistry that actually serves people.This conversation isn’t polished. It’s real. It’s human; and it’s a masterclass in breaking the mold.Alright, podcasters—that’s a wrap on this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast! If you got something out of today’s convo, do me a favor—share it, tag us, and keep the conversation going. Remember, entrepreneurship isn’t just about the grind—it’s about the growth. Stay bold, stay human, and keep pushing the limits. Catch you next time. Until then—keep it psycho. @thechiefpsychopodcast @thechiefpsycho

Autonomy Takes Off with Florie V. Mancilla

Florie Mancilla, RDH, is not your standard-issue hygienist. She’s a 24-year force who’s tested the full bandwidth of this profession: clinical care, teledentistry before it was cool, running mobile units, teaching the next generation, shaping corporate training ecosystems, and now redefining whole-health impact as an Oral Wellness Consultant.In this episode, we get into the actual lived reality of being a clinician in a system that doesn’t always know what to do with ambitious, multidimensional talent. Florie breaks down: • Clinical autonomy and why most people are using the term without understanding what it demands • The rise of new roles in dentistry and the strategic opportunities they create for hygienists to lead, design, and innovate • Corporate life from the inside: the politics, the leverage, and the freedom that comes when you stop waiting for permission • Community and public health as the roots of real systemic change • Identity, purpose, and professional evolution when your career refuses to fit into a single laneHer story is the blueprint for every hygienist who feels stuck, underestimated, or miscast in a profession that’s finally being forced to evolve.If you’ve been wondering where autonomy, advocacy, and expansion actually begin, this conversation is your signal.Alright, podcasters—that’s a wrap on this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast! If you got something out of today’s convo, do me a favor—share it, tag us, and keep the conversation going. Remember, entrepreneurship isn’t just about the grind—it’s about the growth. Stay bold, stay human, and keep pushing the limits. Catch you next time. Until then—keep it psycho. @thechiefpsychopodcast @thechiefpsycho

Sustainability Unmasked with Brittany Cox

It’s Halloween week — and this conversation takes the mask off what “sustainability” in healthcare really means.In this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast, I sit down with Brittany Cox, MA, RDH — a sustainable systems strategist and emerging policy architect leading healthcare into a planet-first future. With a Master’s in Oral Health Promotion and advanced training in leadership and coaching, Brittany bridges clinical insight with environmental innovation to help organizations build systems that work — for people, the planet, and the future.Together, we dig into:What’s hiding behind the buzzwords of sustainabilityHow ethics, waste, and policy intersect in modern healthcareWhy true sustainability starts with systems, not slogansHow advocacy and accountability create long-term impactBrittany’s approach blends evidence-based strategy with deeply ethical leadership — proving that sustainability isn’t just about compliance or optics. It’s about reimagining how care is delivered, and who it’s designed to serve.Alright, podcasters—that’s a wrap on this episode of The Chief Psycho Podcast! If you got something out of today’s convo, do me a favor—share it, tag us, and keep the conversation going. Remember, entrepreneurship isn’t just about the grind—it’s about the growth. Stay bold, stay human, and keep pushing the limits. Catch you next time. Until then—keep it psycho. @thechiefpsychopodcast @thechiefpsycho