Very Clinical: Very Rock and Roll, part 4
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Zach, Kevin and Al have been tiptoeing around it for three episodes, but today we do a deep dive on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! The guys break down the highly secretive, two-step nomination process—debunking the illusion of the "fan vote"—and call out the historical genre biases that left iconic stadium rock, heavy metal, and progressive bands frozen out for decades. From debating the definition of "innovation" versus "commercial success" to throwing down over legendary snubs like The J. Geils Band, Weird Al, and INXS, this episode is a passionate, witty look at the politics, snobbery,...
info_outline
AME: The Disney Experience
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this episode, Alan returns from a high-stakes, five-day marathon chaperoning a high-school band trip to Orlando. Behind the magic of Disney venues, full-on recording sessions, and a 48-hour round-trip bus ride, he finds a fascinating study of human behavior under pressure. From Disney's multi-million-dollar mastery of the queue to a universal lack of spatial awareness on the park paths, Alan breaks down the massive operational scale of a resort employing 80,000 people. True to form, he bridges these observations directly back to the clinical environment—comparing the luxury of "zero-wait"...
info_outline
Very Dental: 12 Years in Podcasting, part 2
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Celebrating his 12th anniversary in podcasting, host Dr. Alan Mead presents a special episode of The Very Dental Podcast featuring a re-release of the second installment of The Dental Hacks Podcast from June 2014. Dr. Mead kicks off the show by recalling how the original "cliffhanger" format originally drove a young Dr. Zach Meiners crazy, leading to a nostalgic and concurrent release of this payoff episode. The vintage episode continues the original show's signature style, combining a feature interview with a group "Brain Trust" discussion. The feature interview concludes with Dr. Lance...
info_outline
Very Dental: 12 Years in Podcasting, part 1
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Celebrating his 12th anniversary in podcasting, host Dr. Alan Mead presents a special episode of The Very Dental Podcast featuring a re-release of the very first installment of The Dental Hacks Podcast from June 2014. Dr. Mead reflects on his journey since launching Dental Hacks with original co-host Dr. Jason Lipscomb, noting how much the landscape has changed over the past decade. The vintage episode highlights the origin of the show's format, combining a feature interview with a group "Brain Trust" discussion. Our first interview guest was none other than Dr. Lance Timmerman where he...
info_outline
Very Clinical: Very Rock and Roll, part 3
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Welcome back to Very Clinical for "Rock and Roll, Part 3"—the latest installment of our ongoing, completely dentistry-free detour into the music that shaped our lives. In this episode, Zach, Kevin (aka: K-Rock), and Alan shift the spotlight away from the frontmen and look at the "corporate" machinery and unsung geniuses behind the greatest eras of pop and rock. We dive deep into the legendary collective of freelance studio masters in LA known as and Detroit’s incredibly prolific hit-makers, , revealing how some of the most definitive tracks of the 60s and 70s were actually built by daily...
info_outline
AME: Zen and the Art of Dental Hygiene
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan discusses the unexpected clinical and relational insights discovered after a part-time hygienist's departure forced him to step back into the hygiene column. Challenging traditional dental consultant dogma that screams "dentists shouldn't do hygiene," Alan shares his four-month journey of slowing down to find the hidden, high-value ROI of performing his own preventive recalls. From capturing an unfiltered look at a patient’s raw baseline before a single tooth is polished, to uncovering the ultimate comprehensive exam under the lens of a dental microscope, he reveals how a low-anxiety,...
info_outline
Very Dental: The Rise of the Dental Marketplace with Susan Cahill
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan welcomes Susan Cahill, the Chief Operating Officer of Net32, to break down how the online marketplace model is fundamentally reshaping how dental practices buy supplies. Moving away from the traditional, often opaque sales rep model, Susan explains how Net32 acts as a transparent intermediary where over a hundred vendors actively compete for your practice's business. They dive into the crucial differences between a niche professional marketplace and giant consumer platforms like Amazon, how macro shifts like inflation and post-COVID operational changes have accelerated digital adoption in...
info_outline
Very Clinical: Bevels, Bonds, and Sleep Apnea Red Flags
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this episode, the guys dive deep into the multifactorial nature of noncarious cervical lesions (NCCLs). Moving past outdated single-cause theories like pure toothbrush abrasion or simple nighttime grinding, the discussion shifts toward a comprehensive look at systemic triggers, specifically the massive role of airway issues and sleep apnea. The hosts debate the intersecting impact of clenching, acid erosion, and periodontal biotypes, sharing their practical clinical approaches to desensitizing protocols, the realities of enamel-bevel bonding, and knowing exactly when it's time to skip the...
info_outline
AME: The Shame Drawer
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this episode of the Alan Mead Experience, Alan faces down a long-hidden clinical shortcoming: his "shame drawer" of inadequate patient charting. Transitioning from a clunky paper-digital hybrid system, Alan discusses how AI-driven dictation and medical scribes are revolutionizing clinical documentation by delivering flawless, detailed notes in a fraction of the time. From discussing the legal and ethical obligations of patient privacy and Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) to confronting the psychological hurdles of the "avoidance loop" in dentistry, this episode is a candid look at...
info_outline
Group Function: Negative Pressure, Positive Results: Engineering the Perfect HVE Isolation
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this episode of Group Function, Alan connects with fellow Michiganders Austin and Lindsay Ritter, the husband-and-wife team behind Ascentcare Dental Products. Austin shares his unique journey from an HR background to dental product innovation, inspired by casual, after-hours brainstorming sessions with a dentist neighbor. They dive deep into the engineering behind their flagship Vacu-Lux Isolation System, explaining how they designed it as a true high-volume evacuation (HVE) system to turn the oral cavity into a negative pressure environment. The discussion covers the critical role of user...
info_outlineWhat metrics are you measuring? How does measurement affect long term outcomes?
Whether it's tracking blood glucose, logging what you eat or checking on your office's production and collections, measurement can help keep you accountable. But how important is this measurement? Can you measure too much? What happens if you get bad data?
Al relates his experiences with a CGM (constant glucose monitor) and how it's helped improve long term outcomes with diabetes and wonders if there is an appropriate analogy with measurement of key performance indicators of your business!
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!
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!
--
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!