520 More Than a Side Gig, Evolving Your Career with Shelley Brown!

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Definitely overwhelming.

But I like to write everything down a list that I have to do.

Like, if an email comes through, I'll put on my list.

And then just throughout the day, when I have a second,

I look at that and say, is this a one minute thing I can get done?

Or do I need 10 minutes?

What slot do I need to fit that into?

What day do I need to put that into?

And so just yes, staying organized, setting the tasks on your calendar,

make a big difference.

While I love being a dental hygienist,

this mobile dentistry has allowed me to be very creative.

In the sense of like, I get to choose what my patients receive as treatment.

I can choose to do, you know, the Hybonax or PariODT.

I can choose to have a robust program where I'm preventing curries,

not just hoping that they don't get curries, but like, we have to prevent curries.

Welcome back to a tale of two hygienists.

I am Jessica Adkinson, and this is episode 520.

I'm here with my illustrious co-host, David Torres.

Hi, everyone.

Again, welcome to the month of January.

We're hosting a special series featuring dental hygienists who started Cygics,

projects, businesses, and creative paths, build alongside clinical practices.

We're talking about how they're started, what they learn, and how saying yes,

to something extra changed the way they see their careers.

So today we have brought on the one, the only Shelley Brown.

Because if there's anyone in this world that has given me opportunities to say yes to something,

something extra, like in the best ways the word extra can be used,

that has changed the way I've seen our profession, my career, and myself,

and I'm not going to keep going otherwise, I will get a motion at all,

but it is Shelley Brown.

Welcome, Shelley.

We are happy to have you here.

Oh, thanks, yes, I'm happy to be here.

I love supporting what you're doing.

I'm so excited to be here today.

Thank you.

We're going to be talking about your extracurricular activities and activities.

I'm kind of struggling with what to call these things.

So we're just going to start with the story of Shelley.

And to give a little background, I mean, I kind of read a bio of Shelley

and it would take up all of our 20 minutes because she's that great.

But I first want to know, Shelley, of all the bios,

what is something that you want to be known for in the dental hygiene space of your life?

Like if everyone were to scrap your bio read, what would you want them to say instead?

That's a great question.

There's a lot of dental hygienist.

Easy.

Well, in 2025, I feel like was my year of public health.

And I didn't think that I would ever be like a public health,

like, like advocate or like that type of stuff.

I was like, that's lame and that's not cool.

But I realized like I really love public health.

And that means autonomy for dental hygienist.

That means expanded scope.

That means, you know, different settings of practice and advocating for that on social media.

So I would say, you know, if I want to go down in history,

creating awareness about public health and dental hygiene profession.

I love that you are going to go down in history.

I can feel it.

They're going to show Shelley dressed up as Irene Newman and Esther Wilkins

at our recent continuing education event for our associations in the state of Utah.

And I think in a hundred years, Shelley,

somebody's going to be dressing up as Shelley Brown.

I feel it.

That's a lot of that's a lot of work on my end.

I feel it.

But with the public health, Shelley has started a number of

side, I want to say side additions.

Like, I don't feel like they're, I don't think, I don't think hustle really

and really just really encapsulates what you do.

Red this morning, here's the term is called career polygamy.

I was like, career polygamy.

That's weird.

Okay.

Shelley is a career polygamous.

And just kidding.

Let's toss side gigs.

You're like, we'll go, we'll go, it's like, it was so, um,

Shelley was one of my educators.

And she has always been doing things like this.

When I was her student, she was talking about writing a book.

And then when I was her colleague, she started a business online,

educating other dental professionals with me.

I was so grateful to be part of that endeavor.

And because you would like to go down as in history,

as in the public health arena, there's one side gig I'd like to focus on today

with you, Shelley.

And can you tell us how your business of homebound smiles came about?

How, how, because I know you want to publicly, you know,

public health and that being that space and advocate,

but you're not just words on a screen.

You actually do it in the real, in the life, in the real life.

And to that, um, Shelley, I'm also curious, did that come out of like burning

now, passion, necessity, or you were just like, I got this.

I'm just going to wake up tomorrow and get it going.

Well, I think I wanted to stay relevant initially.

So as a teacher, I'm in an education of worked there since 2009 with students

and things. Um, I wanted to stay relevant.

So I always have a let go two days of clinic and then every child that I have

because I have four little boys, um, I would cut down a day and then cut down

another day.

And I was like to one Saturday a month, which is like terrible because I was

missing sports games.

So I was like, how do I stay clinically relevant, but have to be able to share

experience, uh, but like set my own hours and work when I would like to.

And so in Utah, it passed around that time, probably 10 years ago.

Now, just when you say, yeah, about that, uh, hygienist could see patients

in public health settings with a collaborative dentist at the time.

And I was always kind of interested.

We had a few people starting that doing something like that.

And I was like, Hey, that looks kind of interesting.

A way to set my own schedule, see patients, like how cool would that be?

And the catalyst that really started it, I initially got the business

license and things like that started going because there's a lot of steps

in 2020 and then like COVID hit and then I had a baby.

So I didn't do anything with it for like a year and a half.

Even though I had the business open, which you can, you can do.

You have the name and the license and all the things.

And then the catalyst was one of my colleagues in St. George, Utah, Daniel Evans.

She said, Shelly, I have a patient who is in a nursing home.

She's a dental hygienist with Alzheimer's and she needs to see somebody up

there and nobody else is doing it.

And you're interested.

And I need you to do it.

So I had this amazing mentor who kind of pushed me to like seeing my first

patient, you know, because like where do you find

patients that like that's a whole other, you know, world, a whole other issue.

So she was like, and it would be my first patient.

This amazing dental hygienist, you love to talk dentistry when I'm with her

that has Alzheimer's.

And so that's initially how, how it started.

Wonderful. Is there any, I've seen I'm so curious because you mentioned a couple

of things that I'm like, okay, we have four boys.

I personally have three boys and it's like, it's a lot of you guys.

Like it's not a lot.

Like I have to know like are they like your personal assistance or how does that

or how do you balance it all?

How do you, how do you, how is it that you managed to be who you are without?

It seems like now this we're all feeling a little burnt out, but being

able to kind of have that as a resilience and say, yeah, like I have my

home life, I have this going on and my psych hustles or gigs.

I'm so curious.

Like is there, is there a mental fatigue that you were going through some days

or is it just caught in back and how much is too much and how much is not

enough?

Mm hmm.

There's a lot of questions in there, David.

See, I'm so curious.

Yeah, I know.

I think what you're trying to ask is, man, how do you balance all the things?

Because, you know, I'm a teacher.

I run two businesses, you know, like that's a lot, right?

And I have children that Shelley has more hours in a day than most people.

That's what I personally decided it by life that that Shelley

just, she knows how to take a minute and squeeze an hour out of it.

Yeah, that's like, that's what I'm always trying to do.

So I'm an, I have to get up really early before the kiddos.

I go to bed at like nine o'clock, though, because I'm going to get up early,

get things done, get the kiddos up and going after a couple hours, you know,

get them ready, give them all their kisses and hugs.

Let them know I'm here.

I love them.

And then they head off to school.

So they're all school aged at this time.

When they were not, I had a daycare, I had a, I had child care.

I had a really great child care.

I think that that is important for parents that you have somebody that you can

lean on child care wise.

I've had a couple great, uh, two great babysitters.

So that's made a big difference for me to be able to get things done.

Because if you have a toddler running around, like it's impossible.

It's impossible to get anything done.

You're in and out of like consciousness.

That's what I call it.

You're working.

You're with a child.

So, um, finding good support systems and just, you know, when you're home,

uh, but there are sometimes where I have to be like,

Mom has to go work for like 30 minutes and get a few things done while you guys hang out.

So, you know, there's that balance and it's definitely overwhelming.

But I like to write everything down on the list that I have to do.

Like if an email comes through, I'll put on my list.

And then just throughout the day, when I have a second, I look at that and say,

is this a one minute thing I can get done or do I need 10 minutes?

What slot do I need to fit that into?

What day, uh, do I need to put that into?

And so just, yeah, staying organized, setting tasks on your calendar, um,

make a big difference.

I will say something that I've learned from you that I working with you is meetings

with Shelley are not just meeting to figure out what you need to do later.

When I meet with Shelley, we're always looking at what can be done right now.

What can be crossed off the list?

Is this something that we can get done instead of just talk about?

Working meetings.

I like, I don't like just listening meetings.

I'm just like, give me my action items and give me out of here.

Yeah, it sounds like you, it's, it's having that intentionality, right?

Like being able to kind of, uh, envision, uh, your, your, your,

and forecast your life a bit with that said, has there been any, can you think of,

or maybe you've been given, give me an example of any mistakes that you've done

in the past that were just like, these are lessons that I had to learn because

if it wasn't for that, this is who I am.

Hmm, mistakes.

Now, I am the type of person who, gosh, I suck at proofreading.

So I think that that's a big mistake.

So I find that I have to do a project and do it to where I think it's complete

and get it done early and then probably a couple of days before I go back and

look at it and I'll be like, what the frink was two week ago, Shelley doing.

So that's my system.

I recognize that I'm not like a great at proofreading.

I'm like, I have chat GBT nowadays and I do, I put a lot of things into there and

be like, check my spelling, save me several times.

Yeah, I think that that has been, you know, me not proofreading, me getting

things done early, I'm an early bird.

I don't like doing things last minute.

It gives me stress.

So I think that helps.

That's great.

That's great.

So here being an early bird and getting things done, can you give us a little

bit of context of what it looks like to start your own business?

Like what are the, the things that have to actually be done to have a

business?

I mean, it wasn't just one day that you put a sign on outside your door and

said, now I'm Shelley owner of Homebound Smiles.

What were the, what were the steps of somebody's listening to this and is like,

huh, I wonder.

Yeah.

What's that next step?

I think to one of my, maybe it's a vice or it's good.

I don't know because yes, just as maybe noticed this about me that when I

have an idea, I just like to start.

I need to get started.

I don't like to be in the dream phase.

Like a little bit, but I'd like to get started quick.

So sometimes I'll just think, what's my first step and then I'll go to the

first step and then in the first step, I'll learn what the second step is.

And then I realized, okay, I got to get.

So my first step starting a business is like, you got to pick a name.

That's like the hardest part.

Okay.

And then from that, then you can go register with your state and pay the money

there.

And then you, then they tell you, you've got to get a city business license.

I'm like, well, how do I do that?

So then I Google that and I look it up with my city and then I go get a city

license and then they tell you, you know, even to actually get a business,

you need an EIN number from this, this, this, the federal government.

So I got to get an EIN number and then they tell you, well, you need a bank

account.

So then you're like, okay, I got to go get a bank account now.

So there's a lot of little steps to get started.

And sometimes people feel that over a while, I'm like, well, there's 100 steps.

I can't even get started because there's so many steps.

So, but if you get them the first step, you're like, well, I'm already half,

like a little bit of ways there.

Like I'm a little bit away in.

And so I think I'm a learn as I go type of girl.

Sometimes maybe I have the cart in front of the horse.

It's not the right term.

And so sometimes I have to backpedal just a little bit.

Maybe that's another one of my mistakes, David, is I'm going, I have to be like,

okay, wait, I got to like do this step before I do this step officially.

So that I can make sure things are in order and running properly.

Because I can't function without that one step.

So that's just my style is just getting started and doing.

I have a little dope.

I mean, maybe you guys experienced the same thing when you get something done, right?

I'm just like, ooh, if I get that done, oh, good.

And then I want to do more things.

So I think that that's my, maybe that's my, maybe not good for the mental health.

I don't know, but I think what do you mean is pretty good for mental health.

So I think from the right track there.

Yeah.

So that means really.

Yeah, I will say that just recently had to speak for the American mobile

IntelliDenistry Alliance, which isn't a really amazing.

If you're interested in mobile dentistry, a really amazing program.

And because of that, I made like a handout that goes through like everything

you need to start a business.

Mine in particular were for Utah, but you can kind of see the just whatever state

that you're in.

It just goes through like that EIN number, you know, like your business license,

like for your state, through your local.

And Shelley, is this something that you created or is just available on this?

Yeah, but okay, you created it.

Yeah.

So it's on Shelley, the hygienist, like my YouTube channel.

And it's for sale on Shelley.Denial.

Not for sale.

It's free.

I'm so sorry.

No sales.

It's free on my website, Shelley.Denial.

There'll be WWE and actually that dental.

And you can go on there.

You can watch the little video about how I got started and get the handout.

So anybody who's interested in that.

New York, actually, they just started will just pass for them.

They could do public health with a collaborative dentist.

And so there I'll, you know, I've seen some high dentists being like,

I'm excited.

I'm going to like get this up and going and help patients, which I love so much.

And I'm like, here's my model in Utah, like do the same thing in your state.

Every state's a little bit different.

So if you're interested, that's a way to get started, you know,

to see some of the babysit, maybe see the the bigger picture,

be like, what's step number one?

So you can check that out.

What a great resource.

I mean, I can't think of a better time now starting 2026, guys.

And being able to say, like, hey, new year, maybe the start of

business and being able to have that resource, that's fantastic.

Can you think of any, any fears of why it will stop anybody?

Like somebody listening to this.

Like, well, I got the resource.

I got this.

Shelley's a great experience.

What are some of the reasons that they might be help back into starting it?

And how can you kind of coach them and guide them to our saying?

Like, maybe it's not that hard.

It was what you think it is or maybe try to check it is.

What advice do you have for somebody who wants to get started?

But it's just very hesitant.

Yeah, I would say to find a mentor.

I think it helped us when Jessica and I first started our first business.

I went into like a local business resource center.

And I was just like, am I doing things right?

And they actually helped me start the first business.

And then I was like, that took five minutes.

So then after that, I was able to start on my own.

Just like two more businesses.

You know, just put just put a business in my pocket here and there.

And so I think mentors and I think a, you know, a business resource center

within your community or your state.

There's many out there.

If you're a little bit nervous about doing something like that, take a course.

I don't know of any particular courses online, but, you know,

there's some probably some great business courses out there that are available for you.

But I sometimes people feel like you have to have a degree in business to start a

business.

That's what I always thought that you don't, you don't have to have that.

So you can start one.

And the hardest part is going to be your name.

I'm going to let you know.

And then that's the hardest part.

Maybe it's not so hard, right?

Yeah.

If you already have a name idea, you're, you're halfway there.

If you already have an idea, you're like, you're on the downward slope now.

Yeah.

And I think answering that question as per like mobile dentistry, I think one

of my biggest fears was I was like, but I don't know what I'm doing.

I've never done this before.

And then obviously like I looked at other like people doing it a little bit,

but I was like, your state's a little different than mine.

So I mean, that's also the exciting part is that you get to be creative.

I think some of a part of my soul, a little bit in clinical, like in the

laboratory, felt a little bit lost because I like, I need creativity.

And you get up a scaler and saying the same thing over about brushing and

flossing, did not feel very creative to me.

And so while I love being a dental hygienist, this mobile dentistry has

allowed me to be very creative in the sense of like, I get to choose what

my patients receive as treatment.

I can choose to do, you know, the hybenx or pariodet, I can choose to have a

robust program where I'm preventing carries, not just hoping that they don't

get carries, but like we have to prevent carries like and realizing, wow,

if I can prevent carries in patients who have no home care, could we do

better job in the world at preventing carries with so do these systems?

Oh, 100%. So, you know, Povodon iodine, silver diming fluorides,

yeah, you're it on like, you know, hopefully they, hopefully people,

they're not covered by insurance.

So that's why people aren't currently using it, but there are amazing ways

out there to prevent carries.

So that creativity has been super fun for me to be like, Oh, this worked.

Oh, this didn't work. This is what I like.

This is how what I don't like this works for this patient.

I don't know why I didn't see that in the laboratory before.

Maybe it was because there was somebody else telling me like, no, you can't do

that, you know, I remember bringing forth like a product one time in an

office. I was like, this is what we could do.

These are the costs.

This is the breakdown.

Like I can implement it this way and the dentist was like, I don't like it.

I don't want to do that.

I don't want you to do that.

I don't, I don't have time to do that.

I'm not, you know, and I was just like, okay, I could be making you money.

This would serve the patients and they were just like, no.

So my, my excitement, my verb was gone a little bit, you know,

it was just like a scaling machine.

And so some offices do offer that autonomy.

And that's amazing.

And if you can find that for yourself, you'll be successful.

But this has allowed me a way to be creative and flexible in the way that I need.

Would that said, do you think that being able to have an exercise gig or,

you know, having us a side house?

So do you think that could potentially help future hygienists prevent some sort of burnout in their own careers?

Is because they have that excitement on going else in the after hours?

100%.

I think there will be still, I mean, my vision of the future and my hope for the future is

there will still be a place for hygienists in the practice, you know, paranormal therapists.

But I see dental hygiene, you know, in the next 20, 30 years being, you know,

like it, like your physical therapist, you, you're, they're separate from the physician's office.

Okay, your gym is separate from the physician's office.

So dental hygienists will be independent.

And obviously you can work for another dental hygienist that they'll be independent offices,

essentially where patients go in and get preventive oral health.

And we will actually prevent disease in our population.

Currently, we're just patching holes and hoping for the best.

But if we set the dental hygienists free, no, I'm on my cell box here,

taking away a lot more prevention for our population.

And that's what we really need.

And what that takes is us dental hygienists advocating for that.

Nobody else is going to do that for us.

People will be pushing us down.

So I love your passion, Shelley.

And I love your vision for the future.

And I have been blessed to have you as a mentor and have felt that my lifeblood of dental hygiene has been fed through your creativity.

And if any of you are listening, thinking, oh, yeah, I am feeling some of these things that Shelley felt,

know that you as a dental hygienist have so much to offer.

And there are so many ways to tap into that.

And one of them being starting something where you have more autonomy, more creativity and an opportunity to,

to change the future of our population.

And I really am grateful for the example and the trailblazing of Shelley Brown.

And thank you so much for coming on and being David in my very first interview.

Thank you.

And to start off the new year with new ideas and new hopes and new dreams, Shelley, you are a blessing to our profession.

Thank you.

Thank you, Shelley.

You're an inspiration to us all, including, you know, the young hygienists that are graduating out there that are coming about.

And they may or may not know what they're doing or they have an idea, but just how you share your vision and what you've been able to contribute not only to our career,

but, you know, to your community and what you've done speaks highly.

And I am, I am very, very, very honored to be able to have a conversation with you.

And again, in the spirit of like 2026, being able to have that momentum, that inspiration of like what I wonder what I can do this year.

I hope that our listeners can look back at the end of this year and say it all started with listening to Shelley.

And it's basically saying just get started.

Come up with your name, but get started.

I'll fix David.

I was sweet of course.

And that's a wrap.

That's a wrap on today's episode of a tale of two hygienist podcast.

If this conversation made you feel seen, inspired or even just a little fight up, share it with a fellow hygienist or fellow dental professional.

Share it with your neighbors, your friends, share it with everyone.

That is how this community grows.

Make sure you subscribe, leave us a review and connect with us on social media so that we can keep on going with this conversation.

Remember, you career, your voice and your story matter here.

Where David and Jessica and until next time, keep learning, keep laughing and keep showing up for yourself and for each other.

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