Every morning, Monday through Friday, Shirley Gutkowski, RDH, BSDH, gets to do something she loves: talk on the radio.
Her online show, "Cross Link Radio Live," is celebrating its six-month anniversary this month, and by all appearances this unique program is poised to become a healthcare hit.
Shirley Gutkowski, RDH, BSDH, host of "Cross Link Radio Live."Gutkowski practiced clinical dental hygiene in and around Madison, WI, from 1986 to 2003, when she focused her energy on writing and speaking. She was moved to embark on this new radio venture by what she says is a lack of health information specific to dentistry on the airwaves.
"Online radio and regular radio are filled with health information, but not any of it is centered around dentistry or dental hygiene," she told DrBicuspid.com. "When I looked at online radio, there were some dentists who had shows, but they were mostly about 'Please come to my office.' "
The topics she and her guests cover are near and dear to her heart, ranging from dental hygiene and wellness to career advice, biofilms, and even hobbies. The show, which is hosted by social radio network Blog Talk Radio, is broadcast live each morning at 7 a.m. Central time, then archived for on-demand play anytime, anywhere. The show is currently averaging about 300 listeners per month.
"The way they do it on the Internet, it is so easy and portable," she said. "A lot of people tell me they are listening to it on their morning bike rides, their walks, etc. You can download it to your phone -- you don't have to sit there at your computer to listen. The archives make it super easy for anyone to listen any time, and it makes the shows shareable."
There is a schedule of sorts: Mondays they focus on the business of dental hygiene and dentistry, and one Monday each month is reserved for "career fusion." Tuesday is inflammation day, with a focus on periodontal issues and the oral-systemic link; Wednesday is wellness; Thursday is biofilm and caries management; and Friday is hobby day.
"To be well-rounded, you need to include some kind of a relaxation or leisure topic," she said. "One of our highest-rated shows was on fly-fishing. I have a hygienist friend who fly-fishes, and she came on and talked about that."
Gutkowski also delves into bigger issues -- such as autism, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease -- that affect healthcare providers and the general public alike. She's even had some product-oriented shows that were vendor-sponsored.
"The most important show we did was a two-hour special on a Saturday on autism," she said. "This is an enormous problem that hits everybody. I was at a meeting in May called Autism One where I talked to people who told me their children had recovered from autism, and it was mind-blowing. And the more I looked into it, I found all kinds of people who said they were recovering or nearly recovered. So I wanted to do something along those lines, and 30 minutes wasn't enough."
Gutkowski said she's wanted to have her own radio show since she was a teenager.
"I've been told my whole life that I have a good radio voice," she said. "I have a big personality, and I think it comes across better on the radio."
Being able to marry her passion for dental hygiene and oral health with her interest in broadcasting has been a dream come true, she noted -- albeit one that keeps her busier than usual these days. But that's not going to stop her.
"I like doing this. I get much satisfaction, but it is time-consuming," she said. "But I want to continue to provide high-health-IQ healthcare consumers with information that includes the dental side. This is not just for clinicians, although for the clinicians I want them to be continuously aware of what patients are going to ask them. I want patients to go to their dental practice and ask a lot of questions. That is my ultimate goal."
