A more thorough definition of care | Hope Loyd, RDH, BSDH, MAADH
In this interview, Hope shares her warm personality, love for both dentistry & her patients. Explaining her approach to patient care as nurturing and tailored to individual needs, but most importantly, when they are in her office & op, they are family.
Hope Loyd shares her journey over nearly 3 decades as a dental hygienist with a special passion for the patient experience. Hope’s warmth shines through as she discusses her career, her podcast “Gums and Gossip,” and her dedication to her patients.
‘Hope’ for fearful patients
Hope’s journey began in childhood with her own positive experiences with her dental hygienist. She pursued her own career as a hygienist, graduating from Texas Women’s University in 1996, focusing on periodontics. Through years of practice, she encountered all sorts of patients with all sorts of fears of dental care.
“Some people their fear is leaning back in the chair, just even to lean back in the chair, maybe big hands. I think that was another one was, let me see your hands and my hands are small. And they’re like, we don’t want big hands coming at us. I mean, there’s so many irrational fears, but we don’t know where these people have come from.”
She considers herself an empath & a nurturer, which she applies to her attentive clinical approach: considering their experience from the time they walk in the door to the time they sit down in her chair, ultimately building strong relationships filled with thoughtful gestures & real friendship.
“I feel like the focus is the minute the patient comes into the dental office, they need to feel like they’re a part of your world. Think about yourself going into somebody’s home, you want to feel welcome, right? So I think that the biggest part is starting from the front, starting from how you talk to people, it’s a team effort, I feel like it’s not just me, that’s doing everything they get to the back. And yes, they are, you know, calming and all that when they see me, but it’s more the, the whole team environment and making sure everybody’s aware of that.”
“So I sit there and when they come into my room, I say you’re my friend. You’re my family and when you’re with me, you’re safe, you’re gonna be okay. And we’re gonna get through this and whatever it takes, here’s a blanket, here’s a pillow, what do you need to make yourself a little more comfortable? And so they find themselves sitting down making themselves comfortable.”
Connecting patients & professionals all over the world
The impetus for her podcast, “Gums and Gossip,” came from her desire to comfort patients during the isolation of the pandemic & ameliorate their fears, as she always had. This led Hope to create a platform where she could share a mix of inspiring & fun stories to humanize the dental industry, uniting patients & providers alike.
As Hope discusses her upcoming podcast season, she highlights her international focus, featuring guests from countries around the world, showing us how similar our experiences actually really are.
Throughout the conversation, Hope’s passion for her work and her commitment to patient care are evident. She embodies the qualities of a compassionate healthcare provider who goes above and beyond to ensure her patients feel valued and supported. As she continues to expand her podcast and outreach efforts, Hope remains dedicated to making a positive impact in the dental community and beyond.
Learn more about Hope Loyd and find her published articles by visiting her profile.
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