Dental Hygienist • Educator • Podcast Host
Helping fearful dental patients feel safe, heard, and hopeful.
Gums & Gossip™ supports dental professionals and practices who are ready to transform fear-filled appointments into calm, collaborative, whole-person care—without burning out your team.
Prefer to start quietly? Download the Gentle Chairside Conversation Guide.
Free resource: Get the 5-step framework to calm anxious patients in under 3 minutes, while protecting your own nervous system.
No spam—just practical, trauma-aware tools you can use this week.
Hi, I’m your partner in creating calmer operatories, kinder conversations, and more loyal patients—without sacrificing clinical excellence.
Certified dental hygienist & trauma-informed educator specializing in dental fear, communication skills, and oral–systemic wellness.
Trusted By Caring Dental Teams
Seen in leading dental conferences, continuing education programs, and patient-centered practices across North America.
Calm, connected care starts with your conversations.
When anxious patients feel rushed, shamed, or dismissed, everyone loses. Together, we’ll design sustainable systems and language that honor nervous systems, support oral–systemic health, and protect your team’s energy.
- Dental fear & anxiety–informed communication training
- Chairside language scripts that feel natural (not robotic)
- Team coaching for difficult conversations & boundaries
- Oral–systemic wellness education your patients can understand
Dental Fear
Evidence-based, trauma-aware strategies your whole team can use to help fearful and phobic patients feel safe enough to say “yes” to care.
Communication
Language, scripts, and systems that reduce cancellations, increase case acceptance, and make hard conversations feel more human.
Oral–Systemic Wellness
Bridge the gap between dentistry and whole-body health with simple, supportive education that actually lands with patients.
About Gentle Confidence Studio
A dental hygienist who never forgot what it feels like to be the patient.
I grew up as the anxious kid in the dental chair—the one who needed extra time, extra numbing, and extra reassurance. Years later, as a registered dental hygienist, I watched those same patterns play out in my own operatory and knew there had to be a kinder way.
Gentle Confidence Studio was born from that tension: the desire to deliver high-level clinical care and honor the very real experiences of fear, trauma, and shame so many patients carry into the dental office.
Today, I partner with practices, conferences, and educators to bring nervous-system-aware communication, oral–systemic education, and practical, sustainable tools to the heart of dentistry.
- Registered Dental Hygienist with years of chairside experience
- Specialized training in trauma-informed communication
- Speaker & educator for dental teams and conferences
- Host of the Gentle Confidence Podcast
My work is grounded in evidence-based dentistry, nervous system education, and deep respect for lived experience—yours and your patients’.
Mission & advocacy
My mission is to make compassionate, accessible dental care the norm—not the exception. That means equipping clinicians with skills they were rarely given in school: how to talk about fear, shame, money, time, and health in ways that respect both the patient and the practitioner.
For patients
To feel seen, believed, and included in their own care. To experience dentistry as part of their whole-body wellbeing, not as a source of dread.
For providers
To practice in alignment with their values, boundaries, and nervous systems. To have language that supports clear treatment planning and prevents burnout.
For the profession
To normalize conversations about fear, trauma, and systemic barriers—and to imagine a future where every dental visit is grounded in safety and respect.
Services
Coaching, consulting, and speaking for calmer, more connected dentistry.
Every offering is designed to be practical, collaborative, and kind. No shaming. No overwhelm. Just clear frameworks and language you can start using right away.
Practice Consulting
For practices ready to weave calm, consent-based care into every step of the patient journey—from the first phone call to post-op follow-up.
- Workflow and language audit
- Chairside communication frameworks
- Team training & implementation support
Outcome: A calmer, more predictable schedule, increased case acceptance, and patients who feel genuinely cared for.
Team Workshops
Interactive trainings for hygienists, dentists, assistants, and admin teams who want shared language and shared skills for caring for anxious patients.
- Virtual or in-person formats
- Custom scenarios from your practice
- Downloadable scripts & resources
Outcome: A unified team approach to nervous patients, fewer miscommunications, and more confident conversations.
Speaking & Events
Warm, research-informed talks for conferences, study clubs, and continuing education programs that leave audiences with both inspiration and next steps.
- Dental fear & nervous system literacy
- Oral–systemic wellness communication
- Team culture for sustainable empathy
Outcome: Attendees who feel seen, equipped, and excited to bring new tools back to their operatories.
The Gentle Confidence Podcast
Conversations at the intersection of dentistry, fear, and whole-person care.
Each episode offers honest, hopeful conversations with clinicians, patients, and experts on how we can make dental care feel safer for everyone in the room.
Whether you listen on your commute or between patients, you’ll walk away with language you can try that same day.
Subscribe wherever you listen:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Google Podcasts
- Your favorite podcast app
Get episode updates, bonus resources, and gentle reminders right in your inbox.
You can unsubscribe anytime. Your email stays private, always.
Recent episodes
Browse a few favorite episodes, or search your podcast app for “Gentle Confidence” to see the full library.
Episode 27
Helping First-Time Patients Feel Safe in 10 Minutes or Less
Practical scripts and body language cues you can use at the very first appointment to set a foundation of trust and collaboration.
Episode 19
Talking About Oral–Systemic Health Without Overwhelming Patients
A simple three-part framework for connecting gum health to whole-body health in a way that feels hopeful, not scary.
Episode 12
Boundaries, Burnout, and Being the “Nice” Hygienist
A candid conversation about emotional labor in dentistry and how to keep caring without losing yourself.
Contact
Let’s explore what calmer care could look like for your practice.
Share a bit about your practice, event, or project, and we’ll follow up within 2–3 business days. No pressure, no hard sell—just a conversation.
Accessibility note: If forms are tricky for you, you’re welcome to email directly and share whatever feels comfortable.
Inquiry form
Please avoid sharing sensitive medical details. This form is for general information only.
By submitting, you consent to being contacted about this inquiry. Your information will never be sold or shared.
Gentle Confidence Studio
Dental fear, communication, and oral–systemic wellness support for practices and professionals who want their care to feel as gentle as it is effective.
Stay connected
Occasional emails with resources, not spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
© 2026 Gentle Confidence Studio. All rights reserved. This site is for educational purposes only and does not replace individualized medical or dental advice.