Very Dental: Do What You Like with Dr. Rob Ritter
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 08/23/2024
Very Clinical: The Skeptical Patient
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Zach and Kevin are joined by Alan to navigate the murky waters of patient skepticism. The trio explores the frustration of the "impasse"—when clinical evidence points to a cracked lower molar, but the patient is convinced the pain is coming from a perfectly healthy upper tooth. They discuss the strategic use of referrals to specialists for "validation," the evolution of clinical confidence that comes with gray hair, and how technology like CBCT and high-res photography allows dentists to stop "convincing" and start "showing." Join the using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul,...
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AME: It's Only Rock and Roll
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan returns from a 1,000-mile Spring Break 2026 road trip to share reflections on family, travel, and a "brain-breaking" visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While trekking through the New River Gorge and hunting for kinetic ball machines in Akron and Charleston, Alan finds himself pondering the evolution of media distribution. He explores how the shift from the gatekept era of radio and MTV to the digital frontier of the internet, Spotify and other music services has transformed not only how we consume culture but how expertise and education are distributed in the modern world. Could a...
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Very Dental: Sound Check with Papa Randy (aka: Dr. Randy Houska)
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this "impromptu soundcheck" turned full-length conversation, Alan sits down with the legendary Dr. Randy Houska (affectionately known as Papa Randy) at the Implant Pathway during Voices of Dentistry 2026. The duo dives deep into the gratifications of long-term patient relationships—discussing the evolution of dental benefits in Saginaw and the unique bond formed with patients over decades of care. The conversation takes a scenic detour through Randy’s life in South Dakota, touching on his wife’s expanding retail empire, the charm of seasonal businesses, and why Randy’s dog has a...
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Very Clinical: Experience Isn't Everything
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Kevin and Zach are joined by Alan once again, this time to dive into a candid discussion about the humbling realities of long-term dental practice. The core of the conversation explores the "amateur mistakes" and unexpected hurdles that still plague even veteran dentists with decades of experience, such as the "hot tooth" that refuses to numb, the extraction that goes sideways, and the technical difficulties of back-to-back composite restorations. Some links from the show: Join the using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, McWethy, Papa Randy, or...
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AME: Confessions of a Dentist Doing Hygiene
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan reflects on a recent shift in his clinical routine: stepping back into the role of a dental hygienist due to staffing transitions and vacations. While many dentists avoid the "prophy" side of the chair, he argues that performing hygiene—when supported by an assistant who understands the workflow—offers invaluable diagnostic insights that are often lost during a standard five-minute exam. By seeing patients before they are "cleaned up," utilizing dental microscopes for high-magnification discovery, and employing disclosing solutions to visualize biofilm, he makes a case for a more...
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Very Dental: Selling Your Dental Practice in 2026 with Jack Minahan
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan is joined by Jack Minahan from Henry Schein Practice Transitions for a deep dive into the modern landscape of dental practice sales, recorded live at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting. The conversation moves past the outdated stereotypes of the transition industry, with Jack providing a data-driven look at why private practice ownership remains the dominant model despite the high-profile growth of DSOs. They explore the critical "replaceability" factor for clinicians, the strategic timing of technology investments, and how "goodwill" functions as the lifeblood of a practice's value. From...
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Very Dental Classics: The Art of the Believable Tooth with Dr. Jason Smithson
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In honor of this weekend's Spear Summit, this episode of Very Dental Classics features a conversation with the legendary Dr. Jason Smithson on a Friday morning at the 2022 Spear Summit in Arizona. Amidst coffee and Waffle House nostalgia, they dive deep into the philosophy of "anti-smile design"—the art of making teeth look believable and individual rather than generic. Jason discusses his approach to high-end composite resin, the importance of shade mapping, and why he believes the "decathlon dentist" model is evolving toward more collaborative, interest-based group practices. From the...
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AME: Trusting Your Gut
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan reflects on the fine line between clinical intuition and cognitive bias. Sparked by a failed trivia question about SpongeBob SquarePants, Alan dives into the psychology of decision-making, exploring Daniel Kahneman’s "fast vs. slow" thinking and the pitfalls of confirmation bias. Drawing on 30 years of dental practice, he discusses how "gut feelings" are often just highly trained pattern recognition for common ailments like decay and pulpitis. However, he issues a cautionary tale for practitioners: while your gut is an excellent compass to get you into the ballpark of a diagnosis,...
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Very Dental: The 33% Solution with Dr. Deren Flesher
The Very Dental Podcast Network
You're missing 33% of incoming calls at your office. That's a huge deal. But what if there was a simple way to make sure you miss NONE of them? In this episode of the Very Dental Podcast, recorded live at Voices of Dentistry 2026, Alan sits down with dentist-turned-entrepreneur Dr. Deren Flesher. Deren shares his journey from clinical practice to the administrative side of the industry, detailing how his "entrepreneurial itch" led to the creation and sale of Modento and his latest venture, Aero Dental. The two dive deep into the "missed call" epidemic in dental practices and how AI-driven...
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Very Dental Classics: Check Your Ego at the Operatory Door with Dr. Gregg Kinzer
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this "Classics" episode, Alan sits down with Dr. Gregg Kinzer at the 2022 Spear Summit to discuss the long-awaited return of in-person dental education. Gregg shares his excitement about the palpable energy of live meetings and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how he curates the world-class speaker lineup for the Summit. The conversation dives deep into the philosophy of "Spear Interactive," a residency-style educational model designed to help clinicians master treatment planning through scientific skepticism and literature evaluation. From playful "text-thread-style" debates on stage...
info_outlineToday's throwback episode features the one and only Dr. Rob Ritter. Al talked to Rob back in late 2021 after having a couple of bad clinical beats and Rob has some pretty good advice.
Original show notes:
Alan is joined by Dr. Rob Ritter to talk about a couple of bad beats he had. Perfing an endo and punting a tough extraction had Al wondering if he should be doing these procedures in his office. Rob is a proud “restorative dentist” by choice and has described his approach as “from the gums up.” How did he decide what he wanted to include in his practice? Why did he decide to leave a lot of “specialty” procedures out? Some topics we covered:
- Rob’s course, “The Protocol”, the dates for 2022 are available and registration opens on September 14th. If you’re interested, you better sign up fast because they’ll sell out immediately! (limited to 14 people!)
- No compromise treatment
- “Just because you don’t want to do the right thing doesn’t mean I’m going to do the wrong thing.”
- “When you start feeling bad for patients, you start making bad decisions”
- Late 90’s “needs based” dentistry to “wants based” dentistry
- Doing dentistry because you NEED to (financial constraints) is more common
- Al’s bad beats and walking away from endo and surgery (and why it didn’t last)
- Case selection...don’t let your guard down!
- You don’t HAVE to do anything you don’t want to
- No shame in referring anything that you don’t want to do
- Find a referral network that is an extension of your practice
- Rob ALMOST took a tooth out earlier this year...and then decided against it. It was a wise choice.
- Vedder Society name drop (come in a couple weeks!)
- Learning from Pat Allen...can I be Pat Allen?
- How long had Rob been practicing before he had decided what he WANTED to do.
- Remember that adding new stuff is hard to learn and REALLY hard to implement.
- Developing a referral network and how to work in a rural environment
- Rob on legacy
- Your family >>> teaching dentists/doing dentistry
- The most valuable thing is time!
Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!"
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