In this deeply personal episode of the Marketing 32 show, host Brett Allen welcomes Tija Hunter, a seasoned dental professional whose four-decade journey began at rock bottom—a 19-year-old single mother signing up for Medicaid after her high school sweetheart husband left her. What started as government assistance leading to dental assisting school transformed into a remarkable career that earned her recognition as one of the top 25 women in dentistry by Dental Products Report in 2015, Master status in the American Dental Assistants Association, authorship of "Rockstar Dental Assistant," and now the revolutionary Karma Calendar that's changing how practices manage compliance. Tija's transparent story reveals how mentors like Kevin Henry and Linda Miles (the "grandmother of dentistry") helped her overcome writer's block to complete her book in just three weeks, while her practical frustration with writing the same Walmart calendar compliance notes for multiple practices sparked the creation of a comprehensive digital resource launching November 1st. From traveling weekly between Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and Dallas teaching OSHA compliance to owning a cafe where hidden Jesuses remind patrons to slow down, Tija embodies her golden nugget wisdom: you're absolutely more capable of doing things than you ever thought possible.

In this episode...

Tija Hunter delivers a masterclass in resilience and resourcefulness, beginning with raw transparency about her origin story as a 19-year-old single mother at her lowest point. Her high school sweetheart husband had left her, and she found herself signing up for Medicaid with a baby, facing an uncertain future. The government assistance program offering school for single moms presented dental assisting as an option, which she chose based on positive experiences with her dentist and orthodontist. This seemingly simple choice launched a four-decade career that would eventually elevate the entire profession of dental assisting through education, advocacy, and practical tools. Her journey demonstrates how mentorship and relationship-building create exponential growth—working with amazing dentists who taught her what to do and challenging bosses who taught her what to avoid, all while building connections with industry legends like Kevin Henry and Linda Miles.

The Karma Calendar's origin story exemplifies practical innovation born from frustration. After spending three consecutive weeks handwriting compliance notes on Walmart puppy calendars for different practices—documenting when to test water, check plaster traps, and perform various maintenance tasks—Tija asked her girlfriend a "stupid question": Can I print a calendar with all this stuff on it? The answer launched a trademarked, copyrighted product that evolved from paper-only in 2022 to the comprehensive digital platform launching November 1st. The calendar addresses a critical gap in dental practice management: the beautiful aesthetic practice with perfect front office protocols and full schedules that unknowingly has a back office falling apart, creating ticking time bombs that could result in the nightmare scenario of appearing on the 5 o'clock news with patient infections or regulatory violations.

The calendar's evolution into a subscription-based comprehensive resource platform demonstrates Tija's commitment to continuous value delivery. Starting at just $159 annually, subscribers gain access to OSHA, HIPAA, and infection control checklists, maintenance protocols, front and back office resources, consent forms, morning huddle frameworks, insurance verification processes, and specialized content like waterline treatment protocols and the $40 spore test log book. The digital format enables dynamic content addition throughout the year as Tija encounters new challenges in her weekly travels between Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and Dallas teaching practices. Her closing golden nugget—that we're far more capable than we give ourselves credit for, rooted in faith in both ourselves and God—perfectly encapsulates how a Medicaid recipient single mom became a Master in her field and industry change-maker.