Hygiene Happy Hour

Hygiene Happy Hour
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Education
  • Updated Biweekly

I'm Misty Mattingly, the creator of Hygiene Happy Hour, a podcast that brings together fun and education in the dental hygiene world. My love for dental hygiene has fueled my passion for advancing patient care and innovative practices. As an international speaker, I share insights on technology and advancements in dentistry. Balancing a dynamic professional life, I'm also a devoted mom to three and a partner to my husband, Brenden, channeling my nurturing spirit into mentoring. With accolades such as the Women in DSO Winner 2023 and Denobi nomination 2024, my commitment extends beyond professional achievements. Striving to improve the dental community for patients and professionals.

  1. 3d ago

    LIVE from RDU UOR: Demieira Lockhart

    On this episode, we sit down with Demeira Lockhart, offensive lineman for the Washington Prodigy and a driving force in women's tackle football, for a candid conversation about the game, the grind, and what keeps her going. Leah opens up about her journey into football, the mentors and moments that shaped her, and why she's committed to creating space for the next generation of women athletes. We also talk hydration on and off the field, including how Smile Sit has become part of her game-day routine, plus concussion protocols, playing for love of the sport rather than a paycheck, and the tight-knit community behind women's football today. It's a conversation about resilience, representation, and building something bigger than the game itself.

    LIVE from RDU UOR: Demieira Lockhart

  2. Sep 10

    LIVE from RDH UOR: Lora Hooper

    In this episode of Hygiene Happy Hour, host Misty Mattingly sits down for the first time with Lora Hooper, a veteran dental hygienist with over 20 years of experience in saliva testing, over 100,000 tests and counting. Known as "The Saliva Hacker," Lora pent 8.5 years as the first hygienist working directly with a cardiologist, an experience that reshaped how she thinks about the mouth-body connection. The conversation dives into the oral-systemic link: how salivary bacteria travel from the mouth into the gut and bloodstream, the role of the five high-risk periodontal pathogens tied to heart attacks and strokes, and why standard hygiene protocols often miss the root cause of recurring disease. Lora breaks down how she interprets saliva test results using a color-coded bacterial risk system (purple, red, orange), compares the major saliva testing options on the market, and explains her approach to combining scaling and root planing with targeted antibiotic protocols to actually clear systemic bacterial load, not just manage symptoms in the mouth.

    LIVE from RDH UOR: Lora Hooper

  3. Aug 26

    LIVE from RDH UOR: Kaila Mooney

    Join us live from RDH Under One Roof for this episode of Hygiene Happy Hour! We're pouring mocktails and catching up with this year's Sunstar Award winner, Kaila Mooney, a phenomenal dental hygienist making waves in her community through research, education, and outreach. Kaila shares her journey through this past year (surgeries and all), reflects on what it means to be recognized with the Sunstar Butler Award, and talks about the international work that's shaped her perspective, from attending sessions on early orthodontic intervention abroad to hearing Shelly Brown's talk on caregiver burnout and the toll it takes on the people who care for others 24/7. Of course, no Happy Hour is complete without a game, we break out the card deck for some rapid-fire questions (ghosts vs. aliens, dream decades to time-travel to, dream places to live) and plenty of laughs along the way. Tune in for an episode full of heart, humor, and a genuine celebration of what hygienists bring to healthcare. And don't forget, mark your calendars for next year's RDH Under One Roof, July 6th–8th!

    LIVE from RDH UOR: Kaila Mooney

  4. Aug 20

    LIVE From RDH UOR: Toni Meyerkord

    This episode was recorded live at RDH Under One Roof, where host Misty sits down with registered dental hygienist Toni Meyerkord — a 30+ year veteran of the field who's worked as a dental assistant, educator, and recruiter, and someone Misty calls "one of the crazy ones who believes she can change the world." Toni and Misty reflect on a whirlwind year of travel together, including the Hygiene Leadership Summit in Jamaica and the International Federation of Dental Hygienists conference, where Toni represented the U.S. among 100 hygienists in attendance. Toni shares the research she presented there — a concept model for embedding dental hygienists into prenatal clinics to support high-risk, low-income pregnant women, building on the Heart to Hand award she won in 2023 for her community health work. The conversation covers the growing role of hygienists as mid-level healthcare providers on a global stage, the power of community and mentorship in the profession, and why "you have to have a Misty in your life." Things wrap up with a lightning round of would-you-rather questions (concert picks, cheese dips, and Toni's secret life as a crochet "hooker"), plus a live taste test of SmileSip flavors to celebrate the brand's one-year anniversary.

    LIVE From RDH UOR: Toni Meyerkord

  5. Jul 22

    Hygiene Happy Hour with Misty Mattingly and Elliot Zibel

    This week on Hygiene Happy Hour, Misty sits down with Elliot Ziebel, founder of Clarify Health AI, for a conversation about closing the gap between what we know is right for patients and what actually happens chairside every day. Elliot brings a rare perspective to dentistry, 15 years on Wall Street as an investor before founding Select Dental Management in 2017 and later Clarify, built to help DSOs and practices standardize evidence-based care. He and Misty dig into why so much dental technology fails to move the needle (hint: it's not about having more data, it's about driving action), the five dysfunctions holding dental groups back, and why lack of standardized care,not lack of knowledge, is the real culprit behind gaps like periodontal disease going undiagnosed in nearly half of eligible patients. They also reflect on co-hosting the first-ever hygiene leadership conference together in Jamaica, why they built it as an open forum instead of another pay-to-play panel circuit, and what it means to actually walk away from an industry event with something to apply on Monday morning.

    Hygiene Happy Hour with Misty Mattingly and Elliot Zibel

  6. Jul 15

    Hygiene Happy Hour with Misty Mattingly & Belangie Perez -Torres (Jamaica Edition)

    This episode of Hygiene Happy Hour comes to you live from Jamaica, recorded at the Hygiene Leadership event with palm trees swaying and frogs providing the soundtrack. 🌴🐸 Misty sits down with Belangie Perez-Torres, Director of Hygiene Strategy and Operations at Aspen Dental and President of the New York State Dental Hygienists' Association, for a conversation that spans career, advocacy, and island life. Belangie shares how a stint as an orthodontic dental assistant working with adolescents sparked her move into hygiene school, and how becoming a single mom pushed her to pursue a better future — a decision that led her to Aspen Dental in 2011, where she's built her entire career since. The conversation dives into the legislative side of hygiene: New York's newly passed local anesthesia bill after years of being one of the last states without it, the state's expanding collaborative practice law launching next summer, and what it actually takes to get legislation through, from finding the right politician to champion a cause to having the research and data to back it up. They also talk shop on where the industry is headed, including the growing role of ambient AI in capturing patient conversations and treatment planning, and opportunities still untapped in supply management. Of course, it's Hygiene Happy Hour, so there's a cocktail lineup too, Virgin Strawberry Daiquiris, Virgin Piña Coladas, and Rick's Rum Punch, plus hotel debates, beach talk, and a hotel-booking story from the road that has to be heard to be believed. 🎧 Tune in for strategy, advocacy, and a little island magic. Find her on LinkedIn or Instagram @dental_hygiene

    Hygiene Happy Hour with Misty Mattingly & Belangie Perez -Torres (Jamaica Edition)

  7. Jul 15

    Hygiene Happy Hour with Misty Mattingly & Josey Sewell (Jamaica Edition)

    This episode was recorded live and unfiltered at the Hygiene Leadership Summit 2.0 in Jamaica — straight from the bar, straight from the heart. Misty sits down with Josie Sewell, a dental hygienist who built her way into the business side of dentistry and has spent the last six years coaching dental associates and clinical leaders across DSOs and dental groups. Josie opens up about the leadership skill she believes matters more than any other: the ability to have hard conversations. She talks candidly about growing up in a family that avoided conflict, and how learning to communicate directly transformed not just her career, but her relationships as a mom and a friend. The conversation also dives into her writing — a daily practice she started while navigating the challenges of raising a child with special needs — and how showing up authentically on social media, instead of leaning on generic, AI-polished content, has created real connection with her audience. From reflections on the day's summit to a heartfelt discussion on storytelling, vulnerability, and giving others permission to share their own truth, this is a raw, feel-good conversation between two women who found each other at a conference — and haven't stopped talking since. Connect with Josie: @josie.sewell | josie@joyfulgrowth.com

    Hygiene Happy Hour with Misty Mattingly & Josey Sewell (Jamaica Edition)

  8. Jun 21

    Hygiene Happy Hour (Jamaica Edition) with Misty Mattingly, Jaimee Sixty and Rafeal Rondon

    Live from the Summit We're poolside in Jamaica for a special live episode of Hygiene Happy Hour, recorded at the Hygiene Leadership Summit 2.0 hosted by Clarify! Misty's sipping and chatting with two incredible guests who prove that hygiene leadership is all about community, mentorship, and never losing that hunger to grow. First up: Jamie, a hygienist from Wisconsin who's been on a mentorship journey with Misty for nearly a year. They get real about what it actually takes to step out of the chair and into leadership, reading lists (hello, The Way of the Shepherd and Crucial Conversations), Sunday accountability calls, and the difference between being pushed and being led. Then Misty's longtime friend and OG hygiene leadership pioneer Raphael Rondon pulls up the mic for a walk down memory lane, from "Chief Hygiene Administrators" before "Director of Hygiene" was even a title, to building some of the first comprehensive care programs in the country two decades ago. Plus, a taste test you didn't know you needed: Misty puts Smile Sip to the test live, talking through why it's a game-changer for caregivers, kids, and anyone looking for an easier path to a cleaner smile. Grab your cup, pull up a chair, and join the conversation, this one's full of heart, hustle, and hygiene wisdom straight from paradise.

    Hygiene Happy Hour (Jamaica Edition) with Misty Mattingly, Jaimee Sixty and Rafeal Rondon
See All (53)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

I'm Misty Mattingly, the creator of Hygiene Happy Hour, a podcast that brings together fun and education in the dental hygiene world. My love for dental hygiene has fueled my passion for advancing patient care and innovative practices. As an international speaker, I share insights on technology and advancements in dentistry. Balancing a dynamic professional life, I'm also a devoted mom to three and a partner to my husband, Brenden, channeling my nurturing spirit into mentoring. With accolades such as the Women in DSO Winner 2023 and Denobi nomination 2024, my commitment extends beyond professional achievements. Striving to improve the dental community for patients and professionals.

Information

  • Creator
    Hygiene Happy Hour
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Hygiene Happy Hour

You Might Also Like