Very Dental: AI with Arms and Legs with Dr. Richard Low
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 08/28/2026
AME: Clinical Rage Bait
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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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Very Dental: AI with Arms and Legs with Dr. Richard Low
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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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Spear Education All-Stars on Prosthodontics, Mentorship & Mastery
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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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AME: Talking Myself Off the Ledge
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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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Very Dental: Losing My Practice and Saving My Life with Dr. Tiffany Paiva
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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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Very Clinical: Avoiding Compounding Errors in Endodontics with Dr. Ash Mark
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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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AME: 5 Tips for Rock Solid Interproximal Contacts
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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...
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Very Dental: Intentional Dentistry and the Art of Saving Teeth with Dr. Matt Nejad
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan Mead welcomes Southern California cosmetic and biomimetic dentist Dr. Matt Nejad. Matt shares his career journey—from buying a modest two-chair practice straight out of dental school to run his own self-directed "residency" in meticulous care, to becoming part of an aspirational practice in Beverly Hills. The two dive into the core philosophy of biomimetic restorative dentistry, the power of intentionality and rubber dam isolation, and why saving natural teeth with selective caries removal and vital pulp therapy should be prioritized over rushing to implants or root canals. Plus, they...
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Very Clinical: All Things Calcified...Navigating Tough Canals with Dr. Ash Mark
The Very Dental Podcast Network
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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AME: The Other Side of the Chair
The Very Dental Podcast Network
How often do you experience your own office like a patient? As luck would have it, Alan lost a filling and had the chance to see what it's like to be a patient in his own office and he learned a lot! Alan discusses the unexpected anxiety of losing a restoration, attempting to place a temporary matrix band on himself, and the crucial insights gained from experiencing his own clinical workflow from the patient's perspective. From ceiling-mounted TVs and specialized eye protection to chair pads and operatory lighting, Alan reflects on what works well for patient comfort and where there's room for...
info_outlineAlan 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
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Podcast Origins & Practice Scaling: Richard shares his journey from founding Shared Practices to scaling a 35-location DSO group, the burnout and personal toll of rapid multi-practice ownership, and his new focus with Next Level Dentist.
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Accountability & Wellness: How physical fitness and men's accountability groups serve as a gateway to tackling burnout, addiction, and emotional avoidance in dentistry.
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Taming Digital Distractions: Voice dictation workflows using WhisperFlow and the appeal of tactile, low-distraction hardware like the Clicks Communicator.
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AI with "Arms and Legs": Why desktop versions of Claude (Claude Code) and ChatGPT (Codex) outperform browser interfaces by interacting directly with local
.mdmarkdown files and project folders. -
Practical AI Workflows: Real-world use cases, including bank recipient entries, flight research, customized project management apps, and spreadsheet bookkeeping reconciliation for organizations.
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Curing "AI Mania": Cutting through the noise of complex multi-agent fleets and subscription fatigue by focusing on simple, repeatable "skills" that solve genuine everyday bottlenecks.
Some links from the show:
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Claude by Anthropic: claude.ai (Claude Desktop & Claude Code)
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OpenAI ChatGPT: openai.com (ChatGPT Desktop & Codex)
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WisprFlow: Voice-to-text dictation application
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Clicks Technology: clicks.tech (Clicks Communicator / physical keyboard for mobile)
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Heidi Health: heidihealth.com (AI medical & dental clinical documentation)
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Next Level Dentist Podcast: Dr. Richard Low's new show on YouTube and podcast platforms