How to Predictably Grow Bone with Dr. Tim Kosinski (DHP291)
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 05/08/2020
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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....
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
Dr. Tim Kosinski has been placing dental implants for 36 years and has been teaching others how to do for almost as long! Recently Jason and Alan had a chance to listen to Tim talk about atraumatic extraction and bone grafting for any experience level in the Dental Hacks Nation. Tim emphasizes simplicity and minimal trauma in removing teeth and immediate grafting in almost all cases. We think you're going to like his presentation and if you need any more details, feel free to check out the video of it below!
Some links from the show:
Physics Forceps from Golden Dent
Osteogen Plug for Bone Grafting
Continuing Education offered by Golden Dent
Go Hack Yourself:
Jason: The Handmaid's Tale
Al: Muscle Milk
The Dental Hacks Nation closed Facebook group has 29,000 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]!
It seems like everyone is talking about aerosols. The Coronavirus crisis has focused our attention on the possible spread of the virus in dental offices and specifically what we can do to reduce it and keep our patients and teams safer. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we do know that suction evacuation and rubber dam is a sure way to reduce dental aerosols. Our friends at Zirc have been producing some of the best products in these areas for a lot of years. If you aren’t familiar with the Zirc family of isolation products, they want you to take a look. You can get the Zirc “Protection Pack +” trial kit for only $9! The protection pack includes their amazing Mr. Thirsty One step (1 Pedo/small and 1 Medium/large) size. It’s the bite block high volume suction evacuator all in one that doesn’t need any complicated hardware. Just plug it directly into your high volume suction and you’re ready to go! The Protection Pack + also includes three “pink petals” which turns any saliva ejector into a hands free suction machine! And finally you get two of Zirc’s amazing Insti-Dam! The Insti-Dam is a nonlatex dental dam and frame all in one! Pre-punched for that emergency endo that shows up in your office tomorrow! Go check out the Protection Pack + at dentalhacks.com/protection and try one out for the low price of $9!
We know this has been an incredibly trying few weeks for really everyone, our dental friends and their patients. Many dental teams are just scratching their heads wondering, what should we be doing? Monitoring the regulations on a daily basis thinking, when are we going to get back to normal? What do we do with our appointments? You aren’t alone. There’s no book on this stuff, well not yet at least, but you know what? We have some advice for you, and it’s coming from our friends at YAPI. All of you that know of or use YAPI are likely familiar that one of their founders is Dr. Gina Dorfman, a practice owner herself. Dr. Gina and YAPI’s marketing team are going to help you stay productive and stay positive during this time. Whether you are closed altogether, treating emergency patients only, we’re going to be sharing a variety of different resources that will help you stay on top of this issue and how to stay engaged with your patients and make sure you don’t miss any opportunities that come your way. As COVID-19 survivor Tom Hanks once said, There’s no crying in baseball, YAPI says there’s no downtime in dentistry! Check the Hacks Facebook page regularly for your downtime checklists, webinars on teledentistry, shareable posts to keep you connected with your patients, advice on patient re-scheduling, and more.Go check them out at dentalhacks.com/YAPI.
If you have any questions or comments for us please drop us an email at [email protected] or find us (and like us!) at www.facebook.com/dentalhacks. Or, if you prefer…give us a call at (866) 223-5257 and leave us a message. You might be played in the show! If you like us, why not leave us a review on iTunes? It helps us get found by like minded people and might even help us get into “What’s Hot” in the iTunes store! Go to this link and let the world know about the Dental Hacks! Finally, if you aren’t an Apple person, consider reviewing us on Stitcher at: stitcher.com/podcast/the-dentalhacks-podcast!
If you would like to support the podcast you can check out our Patreon page! Although the show will always remain free to download, our Patreon supporters get access to special bonus content including (at least) one extra podcast episode every months! Also be sure to check out the Dental Hacks swag store where you can find t-shirts, stickers coffee mugs and all sorts of other things that let the world know you’re a part of the Hacks Nation.