Your Dental Besties

Ben and Claire have a LOAD of funnies and gross stories to share with you. Be warned- some are very gross.

Then they discuss the Oral-B initiative 'Disability Champion'. Have you heard of the Oral B BIG RETHINK? Find the link here... Oral-B BIG RETHINK | Oral-B

Think you qualify? Sign up to get yourself registered as a Disability Champion practice.

Did you enjoy this episode? Let us know in the comments. Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. And it means a lot if you share too, so your colleagues and friends can listen too

Trigger Warning- this episode has mention of suicide

Here are some further and more accurate details from the story mentioned in the true crime segment for those thirsty for MORE (please note- some details may be in-accurate in the podcast recording).

Colin Howell (born 14th March 1959) was a deeply religious dentist in Coleraine, he was married with 4 children and owned a dental practice in Ballymoney. In the 1980's he embarked on an affair with Hazel Buchanan (a Sunday school teacher at his church), which ended when they were discovered by their spouses.

However, in 1991 they began their affair again, but this time it would end in deadly circumstances. Colin decided to hatch a plan which would make it look like their spouses had died in a suicide pact. Colin gassed Trevor and Lesley (the spouses) as they slept, with carbon monoxide and staged them in the car to make it look like a double suicide.

After the deaths, Colin received a hefty life insurance payout, but lost a considerable amount in a scam. He later went on to believe that this (and the subsequent death of his 22 year old son) were punishments from God and so he was driven to confess all to the police in 2009. Hazel, who at this point had also re-married and had settled into a new life, leaving all of that behind her, found herself dragged into Colin's confession and arrested. Both were found guilty of murder and sentenced to prison.

Recently in early 2025, new evidence has since come to light about Hazel's state of mind at the time of the murder, as she attempts to appeal and reduce her prison sentence.

If you enjoyed the true crime segment of this podcast episode, please let us know in the comments. Team YDB may very well research another one soon. Let us know.

In more traditional YDB style, Ben and Claire also answer an Agony Aunt/Agony Uncle about filling a quiet diary. How would you go about it?

It means a lot to the team here at YDB if you could comment, subscribe, like and share. It allows us to make more content and keep developing this podcast.

Ben & Claire answer a couple of your questions about how to get patients to book more frequently or for longer appointments.

Then Ben asks Claire some quick fire questions. She has 1 minute to answer as if she is saying it to a patient. Can she do it? Could you do it?

Claire asks you to send in your number plate acronyms after her failed attempt to play the number plate game with Ben.

Ben starts with the game 'what am I?' and Claire has to guess what it is. Can you guess first?

The topic for todays episode is STI's and oral health. A very candid conversation about the links with sexually transmitted disease. Upfront and honest as we tell it as it is. This is a conversation that needs to be had and we should be talking about it with confidence. After all, we could be the ones recognising symptoms.

Would you feel comfortable having this conversation? Answer in the comments.

Ben and Claire are at it again this week, talking all things hygiene and therapy. Todays episode includes diary zoning, dealing with growing patient lists and waiting times, should you charge more for hand scaling? Plus much more.

Comment for with your ideas and solutions below

Ben and Claire play the world words game, followed by a double Agony Aunt/Agony Uncle.

This weeks dilemmas include a hygienist who feels undermined by her colleagues and a hygienist who worries she is too gentle compared to hygienists before her.

What advice would you give? Comment below

It's the start of season 4! Team YDB wants to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been on this journey with us.

Ben and Claire start with a catch up of what they have been up to. Claire is about to start a Level 7 Diploma in Oral & Positive Health (she absolutely messed up the title of the course in the podcast- DOH). It does cover positive psychology, including topics on periodontics, lifestyle medicine, leadership and coaching, smoking, digital dentistry and many more topics. It looks FANTASTIC and can be found on the wonderful Siobhan Kelleher's education platform. Go to @siobhan_education on insta and www.siobhankelleher.com is the website. If you join to start you will be learning alongside Claire, and probably Ben too (as he is keen).

The topic for discussion is, how many patients do you see a day? Add a comment to let us know how many you see in a typical day.

Claire and Ben do what Ben loves best- a double Agony Aunt/Agony Uncle. The dilemma's that YDB listeners needed answers to in this episode are:

1) How do you get reviews?

2) How do I tell my nurse they have B.O?

What is your answers to these dilemmas? Pop your answer in the comments. Team YDB love hearing what you have to say.

Thanks to our season 3 sponsors:

Skrubz- The best scrubs in the bizz

EMS UK- Game changers in the biofilm disruption game

Swallow Dental- Get your oral health equipment and ordering needs here

What has made Ben and Claire laugh so hard in that thumbnail?

After they get over that, in this episode Ben and Claire talk about maintaining 'Turkey teeth'.

Is it easy enough to do? How do you do it? What is your thoughts on maintaining dental work carried out via dental tourism? Comment below or reach out to team YDB on instagram and let us know.

A big thankyou to our season 3 sponsors:

EMS UK

Skrubz

Swallow Dental (use code 'dentalbesties' at the checkout)

Don't forget its your last chance to enter our giveaway. We will be announcing the winner next week. How exciting for one lucky listener. A free pair of Q-Optic loupes, a GBT masterclass and a pair of Skrubz.

All you have to do is follow Skrubz, EMS UK and Swallow dental on instagram. Post your fave episode to your story and say why you love the podcast. Remember to tag us so we can see. The more we see you posting, the more entries you will have. GOOD LUCK!

IT IS NEARLY COMPETITION DRAW TIME. This is the last episode to be able to win the YDB big giveaway- get your entries in.

Ben and Claire answer a listeners query about different prices for different modalities by different hygienists in the same practice.

Then the next Agony Aunt/Agony Uncle is about hygienists being paid different wages at the same practice? Do you think this is ok? Comment what your thoughts are under the episode.

A BIG thank you to the sponsors of season 3:

• Skrubz
• Swallow Dental
• EMS

Your support means the world to us, thank you xxx