What if dental hygienists could do more than clean teeth? What if they could coach patients through the barriers that actually prevent them from getting healthy—and get reimbursed for it?

In this episode, Kimberly Williamson explores why dental hygienists are uniquely positioned to become health coaches, and why this model could transform not just dentistry, but healthcare as a whole.

She breaks down the oral-systemic connection—how periodontal disease is linked to diabetes, heart disease, and mental health—and explains why treating the mouth in isolation makes no sense. She also addresses the socioeconomic barriers patients face that traditional dental education never taught us to explore: food insecurity, transportation, lack of insurance, mental health struggles, and more.

Kimberly shares her own journey to becoming a Certified Integrative Health Coach, why she's now pursuing board certification through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching, and the frustrating irony that hygienists—already board certified clinicians—often can't bill insurance directly, while health coaches now have CPT codes and growing recognition.

She also reveals that oral health wasn't even included in her health coaching curriculum—and when she reached out to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition about it, they acknowledged it was a missed opportunity but said they couldn't change the curriculum at this time.

This episode is a call to action for clinicians, patients, and the industry: it's time to reclaim the role dental hygienists were always meant to play.

Resources mentioned:

• National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching: nbhwc.org
• Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
• Duke Integrative Medicine Health Coach Training
• Wellcoaches School of Coaching
• Episode 7: When Getting Out of Bed is Hard: Mental Health and Oral Health

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