Hang out with any dental people, and the topic is sure to turn to staffing. It’s hard right now. Many practice owners are asking where have all the applicants gone? Offices need hygienists, assistants, and front office people, but are hearing crickets when it comes to their job advertisements.

As most Difference Maker stories start, this one begins with awareness. Having served as a dentist in the US Navy and deploying to Iraq, Deryck Pham, DDS, came home and began civilian life at a private practice in New Jersey.

While I will always be grateful for the technology that kept us connected when we couldn’t be together, there is nothing like face-to-face interactions with like-minded professionals to keep your passion alive. Even if I don’t have my Zoom filters to make me look ten years younger.

While we have been highlighting individuals in the series this month, we now highlight a team of angels. Hygienists for Humanity (H4H) was started in 2017 by Alicia Murria, RDH, MS(c). While attending a dental conference, Alicia couldn’t help but notice the homeless population around the conference center and wondered what she could do to make a difference

Most of us take our dental unit suction lines for granted. You turn them on, they suck spit, and off they go because they are noisy. But if your suction goes down, what happens to the office?