Description
In this powerful episode of The Bald Truth: Dental Politics Podcast, Dr. Bob Dee sits down with dental hygiene professor and examiner Kerri Friel to discuss the controversial push to eliminate clinical hand skill exams in favor of license portability compacts. They explore why these exams are essential to protect patient safety and professional integrity, and how private equity interests may be shaping this debate. Kerri offers a candid perspective from years of testing hygienists, highlighting real exam failures, clinical risks, and what’s at stake for both the profession and the public.

Highlights
 Dr. Bob confronts the misconception that examiners profit from licensing exams, while Kerri shares emotional real-world stories—like seeing a Cavitron burn on a patient’s tongue—that reinforce the need for hand skill testing. The conversation dives deep into differences in dental school experiences, the threat of written-only OSCEs, the role of private equity in pushing licensure reforms, and concerns about lowering standards under the new DDH compact.

Personal Passions
Kerri is deeply passionate about protecting the public and maintaining clinical competency in dental hygiene. Dr. Bob remains a fierce advocate for transparency, ethical testing, and preserving dentistry as a respected profession—not a trade. Podcast Vision This podcast aims to spark honest, policy-driven conversations about the future of dentistry, unmask hidden influences, and give voice to the professionals on the front lines of care and education.

Takeaways
Hand skill testing remains a vital gatekeeper for patient safety. The move toward license portability must not come at the cost of clinical standards. Both dentists and hygienists must resist pressures to reduce licensure rigor in the name of convenience or cost savings—especially when those pressures originate outside the profession. ___________________________________________________________________

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