Very Dental: Measuring Success in Marketing with Michael Anderson of Wonderist
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 08/05/2022
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Broadcasting from a shady Michigan porch alongside an overly affectionate cat, Alan details his first clinical experiences integrating biofilm guided hygiene protocols into practice. From navigating setup quirks to pairing Ivoclar's OptraGate with Zirc's disposable Mr. Thirsty bite block, he shares how combining disclosing agents with air polishing completely shifts the prophylaxis experience. The real turning point? Receiving completely unprompted, glowing reactions from patients—including his son Sean—raving that their teeth had never felt so smooth. Alan also explores his microscope...
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Alan welcomes Dr. Katie To to discuss her transformative journey in restorative and biological dentistry. From purchasing an established prosthodontic practice in Katy, Texas, and scaling it using Digital Smile Design (DSD) to facing a career-threatening health crisis caused by heavy metal toxicity, Dr. To shares how personal adversity completely reshaped her clinical philosophy. She breaks down the power of visual communication, the integration of comprehensive biological diagnostics, cross-disciplinary collaboration with medical physicians, and how creating an 80/20 patient-provider...
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In this Very Dental (Dental Hacks) Classic throwback from the 2018 Voices of Dentistry meeting, Alan captures an impromptu, high-energy conversation right from the after-party. Dr. Peter Boulden and Dr. Craig Spodak (hosts of the Bulletproof Dental Practice Podcast) sit down with DSO attorney Brian Colao of Dykema for a candid debate on the shifting landscape of dentistry. Brian lays out a blunt reality check on consolidation, private equity, and the mechanics of DSOs, explaining why traditional practice transitions are facing unprecedented disruption. Together, they break down...
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Recording from the office on a Sunday while assembling new equipment, Alan unpacks the unspoken and infuriating little annoyances that every clinical dentist experiences but rarely posts on social media. From syringes that may or may not have enough composite left to the mysterious physics of rubber dams rejecting wedges, Alan breaks down his top "clinical rage bait" moments and invites listeners to commiserate and share their own operatory pet peeves. The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a...
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Alan is joined by longtime friend and dental podcasting veteran Dr. Richard Low. Moving past the initial hype and overwhelm of modern artificial intelligence, Richard breaks down how dentists and small business owners can actually put AI to work as a tangible personal assistant—giving it "arms and legs." The conversation covers the highs and lows of dental practice ownership, recovery, avoiding the trap of social media doomscrolling, and why downloading local AI desktop apps (ChatGPT and Claude) beats using browser tabs every time. Key Topics Discussed Podcast Origins & Practice...
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This throwback episode of the Group Function Podcast captures a candid roundtable originally recorded in August 2021 during a Spear Education virtual summit. Host Dr. Alan Mead is joined by an all-star lineup of Spear resident faculty to explore the origins of their careers, their transition into prosthodontics, the philosophy behind master-level dental education, and the evolution of modern clinical practice. Featured Guests Dr. Gregg Kinzer – Resident Faculty at Spear Education Dr. Bob Winter – Resident Faculty at Spear Education, master ceramist, and prosthodontist Dr. Jeff Rouse...
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In this throwback episode of The Alan Mead Experience, Alan dives into the universal struggle every clinician faces: the days (or weeks) when it feels like everything you touch falls apart and imposter syndrome sets in. Drawing from an insightful thread in the Very Dental Facebook community, Alan discusses navigating clinical failure, managing patient expectations, and the vital role of peer support. He also shares a candid story about an emergency root canal case that spiraled into clinical self-doubt—until an unexpected twist revealed the real issue at hand. Episode Highlights &...
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Dr. Tiffany Paiva joins Alan for a deeply candid conversation about addiction, professional burnout, and the emotional toll of practice ownership. From overcoming a prescription opioid dependency sparked during dental school to navigating staff crises, embezzlement, and a practice closure, Dr. Paiva shares the raw reality behind the facade of clinical success. Now championing connection over comparison, she discusses how letting go of dentistry as an exclusive identity allowed her to heal—and how her new platform, DentorMatch, is helping dental professionals fight loneliness and burnout...
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In today's throwback Very Clinical episode Kevin and Zach welcome Dr. Ash Mark of YouTube's "All Things Dentistry" to discuss practical clinical strategies for navigating calcified root canals. The conversation dives into essential tips for identifying and treating calcified cases, including the importance of proper diagnostic imaging (like vertical bitewings and CBCT) and utilizing tools like long-shank burs and EndoTracers for enhanced visibility. Dr. Mark highlights the benefits of flexible, heat-treated rotary files, shares insights on avoiding file separation, and explains how practicing...
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Alan dives into the frustrating challenge of open and light interproximal contacts in restorative dentistry. Drawing from recent personal dental experiences and clinical observations, Alan delivers five actionable tips to consistently achieve tight, reliable Class II contacts: Prewedging Staged Wedging Separating Rings Grooming Contacts Push-Pull/Flowable Bracing Whether placing direct composites or working with indirect restorations, these practical workflows will help you eliminate food traps and deliver long-lasting restorative outcomes. Some links from the show: The Very Dental...
info_outlineThe Wonderist Agency is truly a one stop marketing solution. They take a personal and design centered approach to dental practice marketing. They've been supportive of dental podcasting and specifically for the Voices of Dentistry meeting and a partner to the Very Dental Podcast network. All of that said, my conversation with founder Michael Anderson was enlightening in a way that I didn't originally expect.
One of the problems with dental marketing is the inability to know if your spending is truly making a difference. Is the money I'm spending really bringing people through the door? I asked Michael about this consistent gripe from dentists and he had a really direct answer that I think you'll want to hear about!
A few highlights:
- Michael's take on dental meetings in a post-COVID world
- How are you capturing leads? How are you tracking them?
- Can dentists use lead lists in a subtle and effective way?
- How do you become the business that people remember when they're spurred to do something? (spoiler: drip sequences!)
- Consumers want to be chased! (By texts, that is)
- Front desks LOVE messaging because it doesn't feel too pushy
Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy."
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After the course I took at Cosmedent back in May, I realized that polishing restorations, especially composite restorations is an afterthought for most dentists. Getting a beautiful shine with lasting luster is just too much work, so why bother? But what if you could make your patients happier and make your composite restorations last longer? You need to try Enamelize, the aluminum oxide polishing paste from Cosmedent that will change the way you look at composite polish forever. Check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/enamelize!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!