In this debut episode of Beyond the Dental Chair, it’s just us — Inma (the hygienist) and Catherine (the dentist) — sharing real talk about the many unexpected roles we play in the dental world. Yes, we clean teeth and fix cavities… but that’s just a fraction of the story.

We’re diving into the other hats we wear — therapist, educator, detective, life coach, motivational speaker, translator of dental jargon, and sometimes even emotional support human. Along the way, we laugh (a lot) about the strange and funny ways dental lingo can sound completely wrong out of context — especially to patients hearing it for the first time. Let’s be real: we’ve all said something chairside that made someone do a double-take.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The surprising skills we use daily (that no one teaches you in school)

• The weirdest things we’ve caught ourselves saying during treatment

• How easy it is for our “normal” dental talk to be misinterpreted

• Why it’s time to recognize the human side of dental professionals — starting with ourselves

Whether you’re a fellow dental provider or just dental-curious, this is your backstage pass into the heart of our profession — beyond the clinical, behind the smiles, and into the beautifully chaotic real life of the people who make it all happen.

This is where our story begins.

Welcome to Beyond the Dental Chair.