Very Clinical: Dr. Dan Smith Takes the VoD Challenge!
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 05/24/2022
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
Very Clinical: Invisalign Hype vs. Reality with Dr. Craig Harder
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this "throwback" episode recorded live at Voices of Dentistry 2023, hosts Kevin and Zach are joined by guest Dr. Craig Harder to debate and discuss dental myths and tips. The main topic of conversation is the dental myth that Invisalign is a great value for dentists. Craig argues that Invisalign is not a good value because it eats up a significant portion of the fee, especially for dentists who don't do a high volume of cases and therefore don't qualify for discounts. Kevin, a high-volume provider, counters that the value of Invisalign is not just in the cost per case but in its powerful...
info_outline- How did COVID affect your practice?
- You have to have a crown on #2...what material do you choose?
- Did you/would you place sealant on your own children?
- Your significant other needs ortho...wires/brackets or aligners?
- If your own #29 needed endo/core and crown/crown lengthening, would you do it or go right to an implant?
- If your significant other had a slight diastema between 8 and 9 would you suggest ortho, resin or porcelain?
Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy."
If you'd like to support the Very Dental Podcast Network then you should support our sponsors!
Zirc Dental Products’ Color Method will rescue your team from clinical clutter and disorganization and if you use the coupon code “VERYDENTAL” to get 50% off their most popular level of organizational consultation. You’ll have a box of all the different trays, tubs, cassettes and other goodies sent ot your office and then have an in depth conversation with one of Zirc’s clinical efficiency specialists to help you choose what’s best for your office! So head over to verydentalpodcast.com/zirc and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL” to get 50% off Color Method consultation!
Cosmedent is known for teaching restorative dentists how to make beautiful front teeth with composite. But let’s not forget about gorgeous posterior resins! Would you like to learn to make life-like restorations with firm contacts and ideal occlusion? Dr. Javier Quiros is teaching “Become a Cosmetic Dentist with Posterior Composites this July 14-15th! You’ll learn proper posterior layering techniques, material selection, how to get perfect contacts and even how to open the vertical dimension using the dentist’s best tool…composite resin! I just got back from a course at the Cosmedent Center for Esthetic Excellence and I can’t wait to go back! Their classroom is built for hands on teaching with a small class size. You get to use the best materials and you’ll get to know your classmates. It’s quite literally the best continuing education experience you can have! All overlooking Michigan Avenue in Chicago at the very best time to visit! Go check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/CEE!
You won’t believe all the changes and advances they’re having over at CAD-Ray! Now you can get the i700 in WIRELESS! Yes, you heard me correctly, all the goodness of the Medit i700 now is now available with no cables! The i700 wireless is available NOW from CAD-Ray and it ships immediately! If you’ve been waiting for a wireless intraoral scanning solution, your wait is over! Go check out CAD-Ray at verydentalpodcast.com/cadray or cad-ray.com
Do you have something you use every single day on every single procedure? I do. There isn’t anything I do in dentistry that Enova Illumination isn’t a huge part of. I’ve owned a lot of different kinds of loupes. I’ve had Designs for Vision, Zeiss, Orascoptic…all of them. My favorites are the Enova’s Vizix loupes in the Airon frame. Mine are red. RAWR! Along with the amazing, weightless and cordless Qubit, Quasar or Quantum headlights (all others are just toys) you cannot do better. Oh, did I mention the incredible Zumax 2380 operating microscope with built in still and video? Why haven’t you checked out Enova Illumination yet? You can get a killer deal on all things Enova by using the Very Dental link you’ll find at verydentalpodcast.com/Enova!
Do you need help with a logo, website design or anything marketing? Our friends at Wonderist can definitely help! Keep your eyes open for the updated Very Dental Podcast website coming soon! It’s amazing and it was designed by the pros at the Wonderist Agency! Want more information? Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!
Our friends at Crazy Dental have switched things up again! Now you can get 10% off your whole order from Crazy Dental using the coupon code: VERYDENTAL10! That’s right…10% off your whole order! Go check out the amazing prices at verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and be sure to use the coupon code: VERYDENTAL10!