Why Get a Dental Microscope? With Dr. Graham Forbes and Dr. Brad Mattison
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 09/06/2021
Very Dental: Predictable IPR with Dr. Phil Kaplan
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan welcomes Dr. Phil Kaplan, founder of Skyline Dental Designs in New Jersey to the Very Dental Podcast. Phil's dental path began at age fifteen answering phones and cleaning ops before earning his DDS at Howard University and launching a scratch startup during the pandemic . In this episode, Dr. Kaplan shares his perspective on the functional imperative of treating traumatic occlusion and details the clinical realities of clear aligner therapy . Moving past the guesswork of standard diamond flame burs and tedious hand saws, he breaks down how implementing Garrison Dental Solutions’...
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Very Clinical: Getting Ahead of It, part 5: Extractions and Grafting
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this installment of the "Getting Ahead of It" series, Zach, Kevin, and Alan dive into the art of proactive patient communication for extractions and bone grafting. The trio tackles the clinical reality of keeping patients calm and callbacks low. They break down essential chairside scripts—from warning patients about the visceral sounds of intentional crown breaking and tooth sectioning, to setting expectations for the universal 48-hour peak pain window. The conversation also explores surgical nuance: navigating anesthesia differences between endo and extractions, managing pain protocols...
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AME: The 23% Supply Savings Wake Up Call
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan pulls back the curtain on dental supply ordering, sales reps, and overhead costs . Despite traditionally relying on habitual distributor relationships and trusting that his practice was getting the "best price," Alan details a head-to-head comparison shopping test using Net32 for a routine restock order . Matching identical brand-name and disposable commodity items—from local anesthetics to surface barriers—yielded an immediate 23% savings ($117 off a $500 order) with virtually zero effort . Alan discusses the awkward social dynamic of distributor relationships, why dental supplies...
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Group Function: Skipping Class for Scopes and Ergos with Jeff Metcalf and Spencer Smith
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Live from the exhibit floor at the 2026 Bioclear Summit in Scottsdale, Alan sits down with Jeff Metcalf (Zumax) and Spencer Smith (Enova) to demystify high-magnification clinical optics . The conversation explores the advantages of intimate boutique conferences over massive trade shows, why capital equipment like dental operating microscopes requires multiple touchpoints before purchase, and how advancements like Vario-focus lenses and modern LED illumination have flattened the learning curve . They also dive into the explosive rise of ergonomic loupes, discussing how deflection optics are...
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Very Clinical: Getting Ahead of It, part 4: Endodontics
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Zach, Kevin and Alan tackle the art of "getting ahead of it" in clinical endodontics—managing patient expectations before a single bur touches tooth structure so clinical realities sound like explanations rather than post-op excuses. The crew breaks down scripts and practical protocols for handling hot teeth, setting realistic expectations around post-op PDL soreness, and managing the paradox of treating asymptomatic necrotic teeth that leave feeling worse than when they walked in. Along the way, the conversation dives into practical clinical pearls—including pre-op Medrol Dosepacks,...
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AME: True Stories
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan examines how authentic storytelling has been hijacked by modern social media algorithms, manipulative "negative hook" advertising, and political spin . Reflecting on Seth Godin’s early blogging philosophy and the honest conversations shared among colleagues at dental meetings, Dr. Mead critiques how platforms prioritize engagement and hook rates over truth and human connection . Addressing the psychological toll of digital doomscrolling, he shares his personal experiment with stepping back from social feeds using the upcoming keyboard-equipped Clicks Communicator and makes a passionate...
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Very Dental: Dr. Tuan Pham on Regret Minimization and Dental Maverick AI
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan catches up with longtime colleague and Dental Maverick founder Dr. Tuan Pham to explore his transition from clinical practice to the forefront of dental software innovation. Tuan shares the life-first philosophy that led him to retire early to spend formative years with his young children, detailing how Jeff Bezos’s “Regret Minimization Framework” inspired his pivot away from the operatory. The conversation dives deep into Tuan’s latest venture, Dental Maverick AI. It's an intelligent automation platform designed to tackle the dental industry’s most persistent operational...
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Very Clinical: Getting Ahead of It, part 3: Fixed Prosthodontics
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this pre-Halloween clinical roundtable, hosts Zach and Kevin are joined by Alan to tackle the subtle art of "getting ahead of it" in "fixed prosthodontics." After kicking things off with childhood Halloween prank confessions—ranging from flaming bags on doorsteps to near-arson in the storm drains—the trio dives into proactive patient communication for single- and multi-unit crown workflows. They break down essential chairside scripts designed to eliminate post-op callbacks, covering provisional sensitivity expectations, cord-packing and soft-tissue soreness, CEREC milling downtime,...
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AME: Dueling AIs
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this episode of The Alan Mead Experience, Alan dives into the fast-moving, subscription-heavy world of artificial intelligence and its rapid convergence in everyday dental practice . From wrestling with multiple monthly fees to testing dedicated AI recording hardware like the Plaud NotePin, HiDock P1, and the upcoming Flowtica, he explores how quickly general LLMs like Gemini and tools like Riverside are making older transcription apps obsolete . The conversation turns clinical as Alan examines how frictionless tech—whether it's high-magnification operatory microscopes or ambient scribes...
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Very Dental: Treating the Disease, Not Just the Tooth with Dr. Josh Solomon
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Recorded live at the Bioclear Summit in Scottsdale, Alan sits down with pediatric dentist Dr. Josh Solomon for a wide-ranging, candid conversation on treating disease rather than just teeth . The two dive into the eye-opening power of high magnification and microscopes in daily practice, transitioning from surgical interventions to chemotherapeutic protocols, and practical strategies for getting both parents and kids genuinely engaged in home care . From air polishing and caries control with glass ionomer to chairside communication hacks like asynchronous video treatment plans, this episode...
info_outlineAlan is joined by two relatively new owners of microscopes. Specifically the Zumax OMS 2380. Dr. Graham Forbes and Dr. Brad Mattison both bring some pretty compelling arguments for microscope use in their offices in this episode.
Graham’s story: He loved what he saw from the Eastern European scope gurus (Dr. Maxim Belograd and Dr. Nazariy Mykhaylyuk) and found that a full day of restorative dentistry was getting hard on his neck!
Brad’s story: In dental school he watched a lot of dental Youtube and was inspired by Dr. Gerard Cuomo.
The rest of the interview is a deep dive about what you need to know about dental microscopes, what you could expect the shopping experience to be and why the three of us recommend the experience of working with Enova Illumination and Zumax.
Narzariy Mykhaylyuk’s Instagram
Al’s microscope chairs:
BQE Ergodynamic and BQE Backup
Dental EZ J-Chair (“Whale Tongue”)
The Scope Curious Facebook page
Wayne Remington’s microscope classes
The Very Dental Facebook group (password: Timmerman)
Zumax OMS 2380:
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The Very Dental Podcast Network is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Here are 3 reasons that you should check out Microcopy Dental:
- Their Instagram posts are hysterical. Dental marketing is usually cheesy and appeals to the lowest common denominator. Microcopy Dental posts legitimately funny stuff on their Instagram account!
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The Very Dental Podcast Network is also brought to you by the fine folks at Zirc. The first time I knew anything about Zirc was a LONG time ago. I tried the Zirc Crystal HD mirror and it’s wrecked me on any other mirror ever since. If you want a dental mirror that reminds you of using an HD TV, you should check out Zirc’s Crystal HD mirror. It comes as a replacement head for any mirror handle you already use or as a single piece. Either way, it will change the way you see everything for the better. Go check out the Crystal HD mirror from Zirc at verydentalpodcast.com/mirrors
The Very Dental Podcast network thanks our friends at Cosmedent for all of their support! Have you ever wished that one simple and painless change could make your dentistry better? Cosmedent is here for you! If you aren’t using a microfilled composite (and let’s be honest, you probably aren’t), I can guarantee that it makes anterior composite dentistry easier, better and more fun. The handling and polishability of Cosmedent’s Renamel Microfill must be experienced to understand the major difference it makes! Go check out Renamel Microfill at verydentalpodcast.com/microfill
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Our friends at Enova Illumination have your magnification and lighting needs all figured out. Whether you’re looking at new loupes, a surgical headlight like no other or the amazing line of Zumax microscopes, Enova Illumination has you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/Enova and take advantage of the discounts they have for Very Dental Podcast Network listeners!
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