Our monthly student roundtable discussion episodes are dedicated to help you navigate the at-times turbulent waters from graduation to internship to full employment in the hygienist industry. This month’s episode specifically focus on the positions with Dental Service Organizations that are available to hygienists and other dental professionals across the country to. Not sure what a Dental Service Organization (DSO) is? Well thank goodness we have three guests who know what they are inside and out. We have three very qualified guests on board to discuss these employment opportunities: Rafael Rondon is a member of American Dental Partners and has been a hygienist for nearly three decades; Tammy Filipiak is the Vice President of Clinical Development for Midwest Dental and also specializes in compliance, having been a member of the organization for 15 years; and Ashley McCauley is another hygienist who joined Tru Family Dental in 2017 and has been their Director of Clinical Development for the past two years. In this episode, our guests define what a Dental Service Organization is, discuss the short- and long-term benefits of working for one, and why you might want to consider working for one as opposed to going straight for a private practice.  Thank you to Paradise Dental Technologies aka PDT for providing sponsorship for this episode! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Interview starts: 3:12 - What exactly are Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) and how do they fit in with clinics across the country? - Breaking down why DSOs and corporate dentistry are different and why the former are so effective at enforcing clinical standards. - What new hygienists can expect working with DSOs vs. working in a private practice. - Some key facts students should be aware of before interviewing for DSO or private practice positions. - Rafael gets into some of the long-term opportunities available for a hygienist employed by a DSO.  - What kind of benefits are available to hygienists working for a DSO as opposed to a private practice?  - Debunking some of the biggest misconceptions students have about DSOs. - Looking toward the future of DSO opportunities and investments. - Rafael, Tammy and Ashley dish out their biggest pieces of advice for hygienist students entering the workforce. QUOTES: “[DSOs] give us the opportunity to offer patients the best standard of care, the best materials, because we’re getting them at a cheaper rate.” “It’s hard to keep up with the pace of change and I think that clinician support helps to do that.” “If you want to grow and learn, a DSO’s gonna help you with that.” “There’s a lot of opportunity for growth within a dental support organization.” “I would like us to be stronger advocates for the care that we provide.” “If you’re not just a little bit afraid you’re probably not challenging yourself enough.” LINKS: Rafael’s phone number: 781-606-2130 Rafael’s email: rrondon@amdpi.com Tammy’s phone number: 715-456-2194 Tammy’s email: tfilipiak@midwest-dental.com Ashley’s phone number: 715-207-9798 Ashley’s email: amccauley@trufamilydental.com Thank you to Paradise Dental Technologies aka PDT for providing sponsorship for this episode!   A Tale of Two Hygienists homepage - https://ataleoftwohygienists.com/   AToTH on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aTaleOfTwoHygienists/   AToTH on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ataleoftwohygienists   AToTH on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/atoth/?originalSubdomain=ca