From Burnout to Business Owner: Kari Carter-Cherelus on Transforming Your Dental Hygiene Career
"I was a weird kid always walking around my house, brushing my teeth and experimenting on my teeth, brushing with mouthwashes and hydrogen peroxide and baking soda," laughs Kari Carter-Cherelus, describing her early fascination with dental health. This childhood curiosity evolved into a 24-year career that has taken her from clinical practice to entrepreneurship, public speaking, and authorship.
In a recent interview on The Dental Handoff podcast with Dr. Kelly Tanner, Kari Carter-Cherelus shared insights from her journey and advice for hygienists seeking to expand their professional horizons.
Finding Her Path In Dental Hygiene
Unlike many who stumble into dental careers, Kari Carter-Cherelus had an early interest in oral health. Though initially planning to become an environmental engineer, she changed course in high school when her mother suggested dental hygiene.
"I spoke to the hygienist I had, and she recommended I go to dental assisting since it was late in the semester to get my prerequisites, to see if I liked it," she explains. This practical approach allowed her to explore the field while completing prerequisite courses through night and online classes.
Now with 19 years of clinical experience, she reflects on what makes dental hygiene meaningful: "We love our patients...I still think about patients that I haven't seen in years. We've seen all their family, their kids grow up and everything like that."
This connection with patients creates powerful bonds that often keep hygienists in practices longer than they should stay. "At times we are very territorial with our patients. We call them our patients, even though they belong to the practice, because they're our people."
Expanding Beyond Clinical Practice
While maintaining occasional temping work, Kari Carter-Cherelus has diversified her career to include:
Public speaking and continuing education courses
Working as a professional product educator for brands including Arm & Hammer, TheraBreath, and Ivoclar
Hosting the "Burnout Bites" podcast
Developing content about "mommy burnout" for working parents
This transition didn't happen overnight. The COVID pandemic provided time for reflection, but the groundwork began with investing in herself professionally.
"I went from clinical hygiene to all I do mainly because of getting consulting, investing in myself, getting help," she explains. "I worked with Jasmine Haley initially...basically working with a consultant, getting help, working with a coach."
Keys To Career Transformation
For hygienists considering career expansion, Kari Carter-Cherelus offers several practical strategies:
1. Invest in yourself professionally: "I purchased my own instruments, my own Cavitron, my own chair, my own loupes and things. I was tired of waiting or having that conversation with dentists regarding getting my things." While she believes practices should provide equipment, this investment gave her control over her clinical experience.
2. Attend conferences and network: "Everyone's always asking for free CE, and free CE is great. I love free stuff, but at the same time, sometimes you gotta pay to play." She emphasizes that conferences provide networking opportunities that online CE cannot replace.
3. Join professional organizations: Carter Shirellis reconnected with ADHA when she began speaking for them: "I'm not supporting an organization that's supporting me and my endeavor to speak for them." Organizations like RDH Connect also offer mentorship groups for aspiring speakers and writers.
4. Embrace imperfect action: "Sometimes we hold ourselves back because we're waiting for perfection. And hygienists tend to be detail-oriented and perfection." Her approach to launching her podcast exemplifies this: "I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'm doing it."
5. Advocate for yourself: Many hygienists suffer silently in challenging work environments. "A lot of us are afraid to have those hard conversations, be it with ourselves or with our employers at times." She encourages direct communication before deciding to leave a position.
Finding Support Through Community
One powerful shift in the profession has been the growth of online communities where hygienists can share experiences and gain perspective.
"I just thought it was me all the time...I keep going to these offices and I have these crazy situations," she recalls. "And then I learned that no, it's not necessarily me."
These communities provide validation and practical advice, especially for new graduates: "We can kind of help others with finding something better or at least telling them to go talk to the employer."
The Burnout Bites Podcast
Kari Carter-Cherelus latest venture, the "Burnout Bites" podcast, addresses the widespread issue of burnout among dental professionals. The 30-minute episodes feature conversations with colleagues about avoiding burnout and interviews with experts on related topics.
She's careful to balance reality with solutions: "Burnout is pretty negative to think about. It can be depressing. So we talk about the issues because that's relatable to the audience. And then we talk about solutions, which is important."
An upcoming episode will feature a recovery center discussing healthier alternatives to substance use for coping with professional stress—a topic rarely addressed openly in dental circles.
Taking Small Steps Forward
For hygienists feeling stuck or burned out, Kari Carter-Cherelus encourages starting with small actions: "Take a small, tiny step toward what you want every single day, that one percent difference."
Whether it's joining a professional group, attending a conference, or simply having an honest conversation with an employer, these small steps can lead to significant career transformation over time.
As she continues evolving her own career, from clinical practice to entrepreneurship to modeling for a uniform company, Kari Carter-Cherelus embodies the diverse possibilities available to dental hygienists willing to invest in themselves and embrace new opportunities, even when the path isn't perfectly clear.
Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/yZMyqwv09rg
Keywords: dental hygiene consulting, dental public speaking, dental podcast, dental hygiene diversification, clinical hygiene alternatives, self-advocacy, dental networking, burnout prevention, dental hygiene community, dental continuing education, The Dental Handoff podcast