If you get uncomfortable just thinking about going to the dentist, there's a word for that: dental anxiety. Research published in the Journal of the American Dental Association indicates that about 73% of U.S. adults hold some level of fear about dental work or oral health visits. Some research suggests that up to 15% of U.S. adults avoid the dentist entirely due to being terrified of those needles, drills, and bright lights. I'm a big believer in exposure therapy, though. So if you're one of those that fear the chair, these two episodes may help you feel better.

The American Veterinary Medical Association says that roughly one third of all American homes have at least one house cat. That's a LOT of feline companions, especially when you consider that many of these homes have multiple kitties (you can never have just one). Simplified is a podcast committing to simplifying potentially confusing topics, and if you've ever had a pet cat, you can likely attest to its mannerisms and health needs being, at least at times, a bit confusing. But have no fear-- we made a call to our friends "On the Plains" to get some advice on how to best care for your four-legged besties.

You've likely heard all about the new skin care trends taking over cosmetics stores. What used to be a process as simple as "wash your face before bed" is now a massive industry, with some facial washes, creams, scrubs and oils costing as much as a car payment! (google 'most expensive skin care' at your own risk) While a moisturizer infused with caviar is not a necessity, healthy skin practices can look different for people across all ages, economic backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders. Here to discuss best practices for care, and bring us back down to earth as far as skin care is concerned, is Dr. Lauren Kole, MD.

Multiple sources say that there are roughly 400,000 kids in the foster care system in the United States currently. There are some things that humans won't fully understand unless they live through them, and the processes surrounding adoption and foster care are likely included in those things. But taking super nuanced concepts and making them less scary to approach is what we do best here at Simplified! Dr. Brian Gannon is an associate professor in the department of pediatrics at The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. He is a general pediatrician at the University Medical Center as well as the founder of the FRESH Start Clinic at UMC, which serves children in state custody across West Alabama. He is a foster parent himself to eight (!!!) children and an advocate for foster families.

If you want to start an argument at the dinner table, I personally suggest bringing up Artificial Intelligence. There are some that believe AI to be the answer to all of the world's problems, and some that think it could bring about the world's demise. It's one of those topics where the spectrum of support and opinions is incredibly wide. Whether you consider this phenomenon an indicator of progress or a harbinger of doom, our chat with AI researcher Dr. Brian Butler is worth your time. He's been looking into this technology for several years and can tell us plainly what it is, where it's coming from, and where he and other experts think it's going. He brings us good news, bad news, and just, well, news about AI that he thinks our listeners should know!

A distrust and even dislike for news folk isn't necessarily new, (and in more than a few cases, not unwarranted) but in the last decade it seems that politics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the endless void of Facebook has made many more civilians villainize "The Media™". So to break down what journalists SHOULD do, whether they do it or not, and why they should do it, we brought in someone who has made the clarification and explanation of media ethics their life's work. Dr. Chris Roberts at the University of Alabama is the authority on media ethics-- he's quite literally the vice chairman of the ethics committee of the Society of Professional Journalists. We're picking up right where we left off in part one of our discussion. In part two, we're going a bit more in-depth on the relationship between the public and the news media.

There's the awards, the in-depth reporting, the great photos, and many other things that news outlets can brag about. One thing that most journalists are still working on however is earning solid trust from most of the public. A distrust and even dislike for news folk isn't necessarily new, (and in more than a few cases, not unwarranted) but in the last decade it seems that politics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the endless void of Facebook has made many more civilians villainize "The Media™". So to break down what journalists SHOULD do, whether they do it or not, and why they should do it, we brought in someone who has made the clarification and explanation of media ethics their life's work. Dr. Chris Roberts at the University of Alabama is the authority on media ethics-- he's quite literally the vice chairman of the ethics committee of the Society of Professional Journalists. In part one of our in-depth conversation on what news media should and shouldn't do in their pursuit of the truth, he lets our listeners know what the news outlets you engage with should be doing, and how to know if they're doing it.

May is mental health awareness month, and organizations across the United States use this time to educate Americans on how to both understand mental health issues and offer support to people who are struggling. We're joining those voices with our last Simplified episode of the month: an informative chat with Dr. Abby Horton, an Assistant Professor at The University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing. Dr. Horton has over a decade of researching wellness and mental health on her resume, making her the perfect guest to answer questions from Lacey (and the listening audience!) about what goes on in our heads and how to best take care of them.

Hurricane season has technically already started on Pacific Ocean side of the country, but the Atlantic side (that's our side btw) will be heating up very soon. Scientists say 97% percent of hurricanes occur from June to November, as Alabamians and their southeastern neighbors know all too well. Our guest today has been interviewed by national news entities on this topic, and if he's good enough for NPR, he's certainly good enough for us- Dr. Jason Senkbeil is a professor in the department of geography at The University of Alabama. His research has focused on atmospheric hazards and applied climatology with weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes and climate change trends. He joins Lacey to break down the how, when, and where of every step of these dangerous storms.

Some of the biggest changes we've seen the current administration make is on legislation and regulations regarding environmental issues. A lot of protections have changed or gone away completely, and projects that could negatively impact the earth are getting approved easier. Alabama is no exception- the state legislature just this year passed a bill that says the state cannot impose stricter environmental regulations than the feds. But what is environmental law? Why does it matter? Why do so many people care, why should I care? William Andreen has answers to all of that and more. The Professor Emeritus of Law at Alabama, Professor Andreen has been studying environmental law for decades. He's here to help us better understand what these laws are, and what we stand to lose if we get rid of them.