Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Zirconia (DHP283)
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 03/13/2020
Very Dental: How to Fix Burnout with Dr. Dawn Grimes
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan welcomes back Dr. Dawn Grimes to talk about burnout. Lately it seems like social media can't stop talking about it and they both have some things to say about it! They define burnout as emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion from prolonged stress, arguing it's not unique to dentistry. Dawn asserts that a poor relationship with stress, a lack of resilience, and unrealistic expectations—often fueled by social media—are the real causes. They suggest that instead of quitting or hiring a coach, dentists should reframe their perspective, manage expectations, and take practical...
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Very Clinical: The Bad CE Stand-Up Tour with Dr. Erin Elliott and Dr. Tim Anderson
The Very Dental Podcast Network
This throwback episode of the Very Clinical podcast features hosts Zach and Kevin discussing the value of continuing education (CE) with special guests Dr. Erin Elliott and Dr. Tim Anderson! They share amusing anecdotes about their worst CE experiences, including a condescending lecturer and courses that didn't deliver on their promises. The conversation then shifts to a more positive outlook, focusing on modern dental practices. Dr. Elliott, a sleep apnea expert, and Dr. Anderson, a 3D printing specialist, highlight the importance of team-driven growth and how live, interactive courses...
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AME: Let Them Say No
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan reflects on his 27 years in dentistry, revealing how his past struggles with addiction and a conservative approach to treatment planning have impacted his practice. He admits he often defaults to a "watch-and-wait" approach in gray-area cases, feeling a need to save patients money or fearing they will say no to treatment. He worries this may lead to more complex and expensive procedures down the road, benefiting neither the patient nor his business. Alan challenges himself to be more assertive in presenting a full range of treatment options, allowing patients to make their own decisions....
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Very Dental: What is an Expert with Dr. Matt Standridge
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan is once again joined by Dr. Matt Standridge. The episode was recorded live at a Voices of Dentistry event following Matt's presentation on "Simplified Smile Design." Matt and Alan explore how a person becomes an expert, from their beginnings on forums like Dentaltown to Matt's current role as an industry educator. They discuss the difference between genuine experience and the illusion of expertise created by social media, and how both can impact the way dentists learn. Matt shares valuable lessons learned from his own journey, including the importance of setting boundaries and the value...
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Very Clinical: How to Make a Trial Smile with Dr. Allie Frounfelter
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this episode of the Very Clinical Podcast, hosts Zach and Kevin chat with guest Dr. Allie Frounfelter about digital dentistry and the process of creating "trial smiles." Allie, a self-proclaimed "trial smile queen," details the steps of designing, 3D printing, and fitting a temporary smile for patients so they can preview their results before committing to treatment. She explains the benefits of this modern approach, including improved patient confidence and better-fitting temporary restorations, which leads to healthier gums. Allie also discusses the shift in dentistry toward more...
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AME: The Customer Service Curve
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan shares his frustrating experience with AT&T's poor customer service after his office's phones went down. The ordeal leads him to develop a theory about the inverse relationship between demand for a service and the need for excellent customer service. He explains that businesses like AT&T, which provide essential services with high demand and low-elasticity, can get away with poor service because it's difficult for customers to switch. On the other hand, professions like dentistry, which operate in a more competitive market, must provide great service to retain patients. Al's...
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Brain Trust: Yes Tacos, No Hygiene?
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan brings together Dr. Lance Timmerman and Dr. Brady Smith for a lunch conversation at VoD Lite 2025. The trio discuss the unique, small-scale nature of the event, which was planned just three weeks beforehand and features a food truck instead of a hotel's expensive catering. Lance and Brady talk about their professional lives, including their pride in their respective hometowns' (Seattle and Portland) high poop-on-the-streets-per-capita and their mutual surprise at the high cost of a hard-boiled egg at hotels. They also delve into their unconventional dental practice models, with Lance...
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Very Clinical: Dr. Allie Frounfelter is the Queen of Trial Smiles
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Zach and Kevin welcome Dr. Allie Frounfelter to discuss her innovative approach to cosmetic dentistry using Trial Smiles. Dr. Frounfelter shares her journey from a high-volume "bread and butter" dental practice to a more balanced and fulfilling one, emphasizing the importance of slowing down to speed up. The episode details the step-by-step process of creating and using a 3D-printed resin shell, or Trial Smile, to help patients visualize their potential new smile. Dr. Frounfelter also highlights the importance of incorporating the entire dental team in the process and discusses how this...
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AME: Sealants, Schmealants
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan argues that dental sealants should be treated more like restorations rather than simple preventive measures. He critiques the common practice of placing sealants without preparing the tooth, which he believes can lead to failure and hidden decay. Instead, he details his own protocol, which involves using a bur to open up and clean out the deep grooves of the tooth, often discovering stain, decalcification or even decay. He then fills these prepped grooves with a glass ionomer material. Alan asserts that this more involved approach results in a highly durable, decay-resistant solution...
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Very Dental: Adam on AI with Adam McWethy
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan welcomes his friend Adam McWethy back to the Very Dental podcast! Recorded in person at the 2025 Voices of Dentistry pop up event in Arizona, Adam drops in to talk about his new company, The Leadership Thread. The Leadership Thread works with specialist practices to achieve growth and life balance by taking control of their careers. Adam and Al explored how AI is poised to change the way dentists handle a variety of tasks, from documenting treatment to managing patient relationships. Adam discussed several ways that AI can dramatically reduce the time specialists spend writing...
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Zirconia is widely used. Many love it, some hate it. But there aren't many people that know more about it than the one and only Dr. Mike DiTolla! Mike joins Jason and Alan to answer questions from the Dental Hacks Nation about all things zirconia! Some topics we cover:
- Mike's shoulder surgery experience and why you shouldn't feel too bad about missing a block again.
- How Mike invented zirconia (Al's word, not his)
- Is zirconia too strong?
- Can you bond zirconia? And how does that work?
- How does the lab approach zirconia (e.g.--die space, etc.)
- 30 micron margins! Crown margins = really narrow class V restoration
- Best ways to adjust zirconia (water on, very fine diamond)
- Mike and Josh Austin's AMAZING performances at VoD 2020!
- What is zirconia's Kryptonite and why do we have to clean zirconia before cementing/bonding?
- Best way to open an access/drill a hold into a zirconia crown and how to repair
- Blended zirconia materials
- Will zirconia eventually take over?
- Cementing vs. bonding
- The Lipscomb Scale of how much it sucks to remove zirconia crowns
- How to get some free polishing and cementing tools from Ivoclar-Vivadent
Some links from the show:
Glidewell Laboratory
Optragloss Universal polishers
The Dental Hacks Nation closed Facebook group has 28,000 members! Head over there to interact with other Dental Hacks listeners, guests and Brain Trust members every day, all day! Remember…if you don’t have anything “dental” on your FB page, we might decline your membership request. So IM the group or email us at [email protected]!
Organization is so important in all facets of your dental office. You have systems for your front desk. But what about systems for how you handle your clinical set ups? There are a ton of systems for organizing instruments, but our friends at Zirc make it easy for you to pick what’s exactly right for you! Zirc has a process that they call ZOBE. That stands for Zirc’s Organizational Box of Efficiency. They send a big box full of their different instrument organization options to YOUR OFFICE. You get to try it all out. Snap the tops on the tubs. Put cassettes in your own sterilizer. Try out YOUR instruments in whatever cassette you like! Plus, Zirc sets you up with your own organizational expert to help you determine what’s right for you. Also, if you do a ZOBE consultation by April 17, 2020...you’ll be in the running for a $300 Amazon gift card! Find out more at dentalhacks.com/ZOBE!
Happy St. Hacky's Day! YAPI is celebrating this grand holiday with an iPad giveaway! All you have to do is head over to the Dental Hacks Nation and "like" or comment on the thread featuring the adorable YAPI puppy in his St. Patrick's Day finest! Everyone knows that YAPI are the paperless people and they want to help you get paperless with this amazing iPad giveaway! Go check it out on the Dental Hacks Nation!
Go Hack Yourself
Jason: Mevo Start streaming camera
Alan: Woebot.io
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