Very Clinical New Dentist Spectacular episode 2: Class III Composites!
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 07/19/2022
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
AME: Some of My Favorite Words
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan shares his favorite verbal phrases that have improved his patient interactions over his 28-year career. He emphasizes the importance of building rapport and setting patient expectations to create a smoother, more enjoyable practice. Alan discusses how these simple word choices help him diagnose problems, manage treatment compromises, and handle post-op concerns, all while fostering trust and a human connection with his patients. Some of Al's Favorite Words: "Can you say more about that?" This phrase encourages patients to elaborate on their symptoms, often unlocking a more accurate...
info_outlineThis summer we're featuring "clinical basics" from the Zach and Kevin (and others) that will benefit new dentists and grizzled veterans alike!
Today's episode features their take on class III composites!
Highlights today include:
- We all walk through doing a #7 MBL restoration, how different can 3 people do it?
- Everyday we're beveling. Alan likes big bevels, and he cannot lie.
- Is Mylar dead? We all learned Mylar in school, but do any of the hacks still use it?
- Alan describes the most expensive way possible to do a Class 3, Zach 1/10th X's that, Kevin is our middle.
Products talked about in the episode today include:
Alan:
Snow Plow Technique (squirt flowable, plow it in with paste... hot!)
Kevin:
Zach:
12 Fluted Polishing Bur from DentalRee
If you want to interact with us, head over to the Very Clinical Facebook Group!
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!
One of the unsung heroes of my practice is Cosmecore! Cosmedent’s dual cured core buildup material is amazingly versatile! It comes in three colors (A2, opaque white and blue!) and it comes in an 8 gram syringe or a 50 gram mixing gun. And speaking of the big cartridge…you can save $50 off of one using coupon code “CORE50” on the website! Go check out the best core material in all of dentistry at verydentalpodcast.com/cosmecore!
--
Our friends at Spear Education want Very Dental people to know about a special event they’re having this summer! This new opportunity brings the leaders in dental education together to Educate, Elevate, and Empower you! Whether a current member or new to Spear, this event will reignite the spark in your practice. It’s a “Whitman’s Sampler” of all the amazing educators at Spear Education including Frank Spear, Gregg Kinzer, Jeff Rouse, Darin Dichter, Gary DeWood and Ricardo Mitrani! It’s clinical! It’s business! But most importantly, it’s all Spear! Spear live is happening on the east coast in Boston, MA on August 12th and 13th! Go check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/Spear!
--
You know that our friends at Zirc are the organization people. With the Color Method and all the different storage and instrument sterilizations options, they’ll keep your processes streamlined and efficient! But they’re not JUST the organization people. Every dental office should check out the amazing products that Zirc has to offer for organization, isolation and visualization at verydentalpodcast.com/Zirc!
--
Our friends at CAD-Ray want you to know that there has never been a better time to get into intraoral scanning! They sell and support all kinds of digital dentistry products from scanners, to printers and even cloud based software! For instance, the Medit i600 itraoral scanner is priced at just about $13,000! And if you didn’t know, CAD-Ray now distributes 3Shape scanners and the amazing Trios 4 wireless just had a $10,000 price cut! It comes in under $25,000. And all these options come with CAD-Ray’s unbeatable support! Go check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/cadray!
--
If there is one thing that’s changed the way I look at teeth the most, it’s probably the headlight I use with my loupes. Our friends at Enova make amazing loupes and distribute Zumax dental microscopes, both the best you can buy. But the amazing, weightless and cordless Qubit, Quasar or Quantum headlights (all others are just toys) are the biggest game changer. But be careful…if you try one, you’re going to buy one! 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!
--
Have you been looking at your supply bill lately? Prices are REALLY going up on all the things you use every day in your office. Our friends at Crazy Dental understand and are here to help! Very Dental listeners can get 10% off their orders from Crazy Dental by using coupon code “VERYDENTAL10”! Go check out their amazing catalog and save yourself 10% off of their already amazing prices at verydentalpodcast.com/crazy!
--
If you’re looking for a one stop dental marketing solution, then look no further than the Wonderist Agency. Wonderist can help you with branding and a killer website. They’ll design ad campaigns no matter how you want to get your name out there. But maybe most importantly, they’ll show you how your marketing plan is working! They have industry leading analytics that help you understand what works and what doesn’t in your area and they’ll help you spend your marketing dollar in the wisest way possible! Go check out the Wonderist Agency at verydentalpodcast.com/Wonderist.