Meet Janet Madrid | Registered Dental Hygienist & Independent Practice Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janet Madrid and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janet, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Since dental hygienists can own their own practice in Colorado, it was a dream I always hoped to realize. I longed to have autonomy in my service offerings, where I could implement my holistic philosophy and tailor the length of appointments to the needs of the patient. After forty years of practicing in dental offices, the added bonus would be to have flexibility in my schedule.
In 2020, when dental offices were shut down and designated non-essential, I saw an opportunity and need for mobile dental hygiene services for families that were staying home from work and school. Because oral health is tied to overall health and oral infection is a known driver of systemic inflammation, denying preventive oral health services to the public was putting them at a higher risk of complications from COVID-19. I found this unacceptable. This, along with my passion for empowering patients to optimize their overall health through improving their oral health inspired me to go for it.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is pretty unique because I go to the home of a family and perform their dental exams, x-rays and cleanings from my state of the art Mercedes Sprinter van. The families daily routines are minimally impacted this way. Unlike conventional dental offices, I offer holistic, and eco-friendly dental hygiene services. I generally spend anywhere from ninety minutes to two hours with patients where I initially perform a comprehensive review of their medical history as it relates to their oral health. We then discuss their concerns and dental history. Next, I collect a saliva sample to identify any oral pathogens that are linked to chronic disease, like cardiovascular disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s and diabetes to name a few. The results of this saliva test and other testing allows me to individually target treatment based on the presence of any destructive bacteria. I also spend a lot of time educating my patients about the oral systemic connection and help them connect the dots to their overall health.

I am most proud of the impact I make in my patients lives and the relationships I have with them.

With a commitment to quality care, the support of my husband, and perseverance I am where I am today. It isn’t easy wearing all the hats in the business, but my biggest obstacle was regarding dental insurance. I started out filing patients dental insurance claims myself, but it was too much work and too much of a headache. Two years ago, I decided to stop handling that responsibility and provide my patients with dental insurance a “superbill” to file their own claims for reimbursement. Patients don’t seem to mind. They appreciate my services as a clinician and understand.

Owning a business is a constant learning experience. I have learned that the most important thing is the relationship I have with my patients and my commitment to provide them with a unique and exceptional service. They know that if they have a question or problem, I’m just a text or call away.

I am unique in my field because I have been in dentistry since I was sixteen years old (45 years) and my passion for helping my patients optimize their health has grown stronger year after year. I am a lifelong-learner and recently completed my bachelors degree at age 60. My thirst for the wisdom and knowledge to provide the latest science and technology has to offer to my patients is endless. My mission in life is to generate Hope for Health!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Castle Rock and my favorite restaurant is the Union Bistro. They have the most amazing variety of food with unique flavors. After dinner it’s fun to hang out in Festival Park and get some gelato at Glacier Ice Cream and Gelato. If we wanted a drink later Tribe serves up some great cocktails.

We’d have to take a drive up to one of my favorite mountain towns, Breckenridge. It is a beautiful ski town in winter, with spectacular views, restaurants and shopping, especially in the summer. We’d have to have Crepes downtown and go to the Grand Lodge on Peak Seven and enjoy the salt water hot tubs and pools. Then, I’d have to take them to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs on our way up to the luxurious Chamonix Hotel and Casino in Cripple Creek. A gourmet dinner at 580 Prime is a must. The food is amazing!

We’d have to take in some of our professional sports, maybe a Rockies or Nuggets game. Rodizio Grill is a favorite in downtown Denver.

Of course no visit to Colorado is complete without a visit to the hot springs in Mount Princeton or Glenwood.

There are so many amazing places to go, it’s hard to decide.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am proud to be in a profession whose mission is to improve the public’s overall health and promote the dental hygiene profession as a highly valued and integral part of the healthcare system. My fellow hygienists all over the country and within our great state of Colorado are a unique group and I am eternally grateful for their constant support. We mentor, support and inspire each other to fight for our patient’s very lives every day. Colorado’s Dental Hygiene scope of practice is envied across the country. Our ability to increase access to care for everyone in our state is a model that every other state aspires to adopt. I could not have fulfilled my dream without the hard work and dedication of all those that came before me and blazed the trail through the Colorado Dental Hygienists Association.

Website: https://www.hopeforhealthco.com

Facebook: @JanetLuceroMadrid @hopeforhealth

Image Credits
I took all the images.