https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svdwh5G5MNk

Kevin Henry and His Role as a Dental Assistant Supporter

Carrie Weber:

Welcome back to the Jameson Files. I'm so glad to have all of you with me. Thank you for being a part of our Jameson Files community and staying connected and engaged and looking to improve your professional lives every single day. We're so glad you're here and you're in for a big treat today because my guest is none other than Kevin Henry. Kevin is a good friend. 

I was saying when I was speaking with Dana, your better half, in her interview on the Jameson files that I've known her for several years, but you and me go way back into the depths of time. I think I've known you as long as I've been in the industry. That's been 24 years. Am I right?

Kevin Henry:

You're right, because I've been in it 25. So we kind of came in together, which is a really cool thing. I love that.

Carrie Weber:

It's really cool. And so for those of you that might not know Kevin, he has an amazing history in dentistry. Kevin is the former editorial director of Dental Products Report, and the former managing editor of Dental Economics, and currently is still tapping into his incredible gift in journalism for dentistry as the editor in chief of DrBicuspid.com. In addition to that, Kevin has really blazed the trail and his passion for supporting the dental assistants in our profession and has an amazing podcast, Dental Assistant Nation, that I encourage all of you to go check out and follow and subscribe to. 

But Kevin, you've not only been stepping out to support assistants, but you really have become a prominent figure in the speaking arena for dentistry. Our paths cross frequently on the lecture circuit. And so continue to be so happy and proud of the things that you're bringing to our profession. And I'm so grateful you're with me today, so thank you.

Kevin Henry:

I'm glad to be here. And I'm always glad when our paths cross out there no matter where that may be, even if it's online like this. So I think it's great.

Carrie Weber:

Thank goodness for technology, right?

Kevin Henry:

Amen to that.

Recognizing a Need for Support for Dental Assistants

Carrie Weber:

Today, I think, our conversation is probably going to veer in a lot of directions. We tend to do that when we're having conversations, but our primary focus is going to be maximizing the talents of dental assistants in our practices. I know that's where your heart really lies in our profession. 

I'd love to start with how that came to pass for you– 25 years in dentistry, 25 years on editorial teams of our most premier publications in media in dentistry. I'm sure you've been exposed to a great deal of insights and information. What landed you in this place of wanting to support dental assistants the way you do?

Kevin Henry:

I'll be perfectly honest. I fell into it. Back when I was managing editor for Dental Economics– I have such fond memories of working with John and Kathy during that time whenever they were right for dental economics, getting to know them, going down to the ranch, all that good stuff. It was about six years into my journalism there at Dental Economics that I realized we had Dental Economics Magazine, and we had RDH magazine, but we didn't have anything for dental assistants. And so I started a publication, it was all online. It was called Dental Assisting Digest, and it eventually turned into a weekly newsletter that we sent out to our dental assistants. I felt like that there wasn't really anything out there that was letting them know every day, or at least weekly, as much as possible, how important they were, how much that they're valued.

I got very lucky. You and I were talking before we went on the air about the Oregon meeting, and the Oregon Dental Association reached out to me in 2005 and said, “Hey, we need a dental assisting speaker. Could you put something together?” And I was like,