Episode Details

Trust, Team Culture & the Dentist–Hygienist Relationship | w/ Dr. Mike Sonick | Inspired Hygiene Podcast

Welcome back to the Inspired Hygiene Podcast. This season is all about one thing: rebuilding the dentist–hygienist relationship—and restoring the kind of partnership that creates better outcomes for patients and healthier, more sustainable practices.

In this episode, Rachel Wall is joined by Dr. Mike Sonick—board-certified periodontist, renowned educator in implantology and periodontology, and author of Treating People Not Patients. While many practices have felt growing tension across the industry—capacity challenges, compensation pressure, burnout, shifting expectations—Dr. Sonick believes the root issue often comes down to one word:

Trust.

Dr. Sonick shares why trust hasn’t broken down in his practice the way it has elsewhere—and what he’s done (for decades) to build a high-trust culture through core values, protocol-driven systems, thoughtful hiring, leadership consistency, and clear communication.

If you’re a dentist, hygienist, office manager, or practice owner trying to create stability, alignment, and long-term retention—this conversation is packed with practical takeaways you can start applying immediately.

• Why “industry tension” is often really a trust problem
  
  
• How Dr. Sonick hires for integrity (and what he listens for in interviews)
  
  
• The core values that shape his team culture (and why integrity comes first)
  
  
• Why protocols reduce ambiguity—and how ambiguity fuels stress and conflict
  
  
• What a real protocol manual looks like (and how to build one)
  
  
• How to give feedback that protects patients, strengthens teams, and improves outcomes
  
  
• How leaders can create accountability without creating fear
  
  
• Why team members must feel seen—and how that affects retention
  
  
• The mindset shift: building a practice around purpose, not just procedures
  
  

Dr. Sonick is a full-time practicing periodontist, longtime educator, and author of seven books—most recently Treating People Not Patients, a guide to human connection, hospitality, and trust in healthcare. His mission: help dentistry deliver a better experience by strengthening relationships between teams and the patients they serve.

📌 Links mentioned in the episode (book, article, and resources) will be included in the show notes.

An article about the root problem of tension in the dental industry being a loss of trust

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jdd.70017

The Unseen Force Quietly Sabotaging Your Practice by Dr. Michael Sonick

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unseen-force-quietly-sabotaging-your-practice-michael-sonick-fwyhf?trk=public_post

Books

Treating People Not Patients (Dr. Sonic's last book): 

• https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/84187926-treating-people-not-patients

The Speed of Trust (written by Stephen Covey Jr., son of Stephen Covey Sr.)

• https://speedoftrust.com/

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (written by Stephen Covey Sr.)

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