In this episode, Kevin and Zach return from a hiatus and catch up on their summer adventures before introducing a special guest: Kevin's hygienist, Maryann McFarland. Maryann shares her journey through a 32-year career in hygiene, from a frustrating first job in a "prophy mill" to finding her work home in Kevin's practice. She discusses how embracing new challenges like sleep apnea treatment, clear aligner therapy, and administering local anesthesia has reinvigorated her passion for dentistry and transformed her job satisfaction.

• Find Your "Work Home": A positive and supportive work environment is crucial for long-term career satisfaction. Maryanne's story shows the stark contrast between a high-turnover practice and one that invests in its team.

• Trust Empowers Your Team: Practice owners who trust their team members with new responsibilities and encourage them to develop their skills can unlock a higher level of engagement and satisfaction. As Maryanne says, Kevin "finds what we're good at and he lets us run with it."

• Hygiene is More Than Cleaning Teeth: Expanding a hygienist's role beyond traditional prophies to include comprehensive care like sleep apnea, orthodontics, and implants can combat burnout and foster significant professional growth, even for a 30+ year veteran.

• Embrace Lifelong Learning: Being open to learning new skills, like when Maryanne took on local anesthesia after 30 years without it, can be challenging but ultimately become one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

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