Dr. Mike Melkers on How We Get Better (DHP105)
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 07/19/2016
Very Clinical: Walking Away to Win with Dr. Randy Houska
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this throwback episode from the 2023 Voices of Dentistry summit in Scottsdale, Arizona, Kevin and Zach sit down with "Papa Randy" himself, Dr. Randy Houska. The South Dakota solo practitioner shares his rogue dental journey before diving deep into classic patient myths—including the persistent tale of babies "sucking the calcium" out of a mother's teeth and wisdom teeth causing orthodontic relapse. Plus, Dr. Houska delivers a pro tip on dealing with stubborn upper first molars, prompting a great debate on when to walk away for a hygiene check and when to start sectioning. Join the ...
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AME: Endpoints
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan kicks off the July 4th holiday week by diving into the psychological relief of "hard endpoints" in dentistry. From the binary satisfaction of an extraction to the gamified progress bar of using disclosing solution during hygiene, he contrasts these clean wins with the existential anxiety of restorative work—like chasing deep caries or dropping crown margins on a difficult second molar. But in a twist of ultimate podcasting irony, the dental gods decide to test his philosophy mid-recording. After literally just cementing a crown on a patient with limited opening, Alan returns to the...
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Very Dental: The 80/20 Rule of Dental Hygiene with Beth Parkes
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan welcomes Beth Parkes, a clinical dental hygienist and educator from Canada, to break down the evolving world of hygiene instrumentation. Beth challenges the common "ultrasonics-to-completion" mindset, advocating instead for a balanced marriage of 80% power scaling and 20% intricate hand instrumentation for optimal tactile feedback. The duo dives into the resurgence of guided biofilm visualization, the absolute game-changer that is the "Vision Butler" (hilariously rebranded as Spandex Advanced in the US) lip and cheek retractor, and the critical metallurgical differences between...
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Very Clinical: 12 Crowns and $350K in Debt? Inside Modern Dental Education
The Very Dental Podcast Network
This throwback episode from 2023 features Dr. Meylinda Meredith. Zach and Kevin welcome back special guest Meylinda, as they kick things off with some hilariously relatable (and occasionally creepy) bad neighbor stories. The conversation then shifts to the front lines of dental education, diving into the post-COVID realities of dental school, the controversial shift to pass/fail and typodont-based board exams, skyrocketing tuition costs, and the critical decline of clinical "reps" for incoming graduates. Some links from the show: Join the using one of these passwords:...
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Very Dental: Airway, Orthodontics and Omissions with Dr. Matt Standridge, part 2
The Very Dental Podcast Network
The cliffhanger is paid off in this highly anticipated follow-up episode! Alan welcomes back Dr. Matt Standridge to finish their deep dive into the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) controversial white paper on Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). Matt pulls back the curtain on the paper's actual citation list, exposing questionable sample sizes, misplaced reference numbers, and instances where the AAO’s conclusions directly contradict the very research they cited. From the true diagnostic value of CBCT scans to the data surrounding tongue ties, premolar extractions, and palatal...
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Very Dental: Airway, Orthodontics and Omissions with Dr. Matt Standridge, part 1
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan is once again joined by podcast veteran Dr. Matt Standridge to dissect the American Association of Orthodontists' (AAO) controversial 2026 white paper on sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and orthodontics. Together, they pull back the curtain on the document's surprising omissions—including a shrinking author panel that entirely removed sleep physicians—and critique its heavy, restrictive reliance on full polysomnography (PSG) as a gatekeeper for early pediatric intervention. Dr. Standridge highlights how the paper's narrow scope and questionable citations conflict with both...
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Very Clinical: Is Academic Dentistry Better Than Private Practice?
The Very Dental Podcast Network
This throwback episode from 2023 features Dr. Meylinda Meredith. Zach and Kevin sit down with Meylinda, a fellow UMKC dental school alumnus and current clinical faculty member teaching operative dentistry. They dive into a fascinating discussion comparing private practice associateships with a career in dental education, exploring everything from the perks of academic vacation time to the unique traits of Gen Z dental students and how "just-in-time" learning changes the way they absorb material. The trio also discusses the modern integration of digital scanning versus traditional PVS...
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AME: No More Joint Premedication?
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan dives into the long-awaited alignment between dentists and orthopedic surgeons regarding antibiotic premedication for joint replacement patients. Reflecting on a , Alan breaks down the history of joint prophylaxis confusion—from the shotgun antibiotic approach of the 1990s to the frustratingly vague "case-by-case" guidelines of 2012 and 2017. He highlights the game-changing late-2024 AAOS/ADA update, which officially confirms that routine systemic antibiotics do not reduce the risk of periprosthetic joint infections. Alan shares his exact, blunt office protocol letter designed to...
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Very Dental: "Super Flowables," Color Stability and the Bioclear Method with Dr. David Clark
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan once again sits down with Dr. David Clark for a deep dive into a massive paradigm shift shaking up the Bioclear Method! Dave discusses the clinical realities driving the development of the new Tooth and Surface Specific (TSS) matrix system and drops a bombshell announcement: the wholesale transition away from legacy composites toward color-stable materials. They explore why whole-tooth restorations face severe color shifts over time, how new Japanese filler particle technologies from Kuraray and GC prevent these failures, and how the introduction of "super flowables" allows clinicians to...
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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_outlineHow do you become better as a dentist? Is it as simple as taking a course? Or is there more to it. That's one of the topics we discuss with Dr. Mike Melkers in episode 105 of the Dental Hacks podcast. Mike is well versed in how we develop our understanding of new concepts. He's a teacher as well as a learner and he discusses the ups and downs of continuing to learn our craft. He also discusses the work he put in to become a master in the AGD this past weekend! Dr. Melkers returns to teaching this November in Waltham, MA teaching a course called "Occlusionists Now" with Dr. Lane Ochi! If you use the coupon code "HACKS" you'll receive a discount on your registration!
In the Brain Trust things get a little lighter when we open with the question: what's the craziest thing a patient has done in your dental chair. Alan is joined by Dr. Dawn Kulongowski, Dr. Andy Hayes, Dr. Erin Elliott and Dr. David Scardella to tell stories that get very inappropriate very quickly.
Some links from the show:
The Dental Economics Principles of Practice Management Conference (Jason and Alan will be podcasting LIVE!)
Please go take our dental podcasting summit survey
Go Hack Yourself:
Jason: Inside Job
Alan: The Big Short (on Netflix!)
If you have any questions or comments for us please drop us an email at info@dentalhacks.com or find us (and like us!) at www.facebook.com/dentalhacks. Or, if you prefer...give us a call at (866) 223-5257 and leave us a message. You might be played in the show! If you like us, why not leave us a review on iTunes? It helps us get found by like minded people and might even help us get into "What's Hot" in the iTunes store! Go to this link and let the world know about the DentalHacks! Finally, if you aren't an Apple person, consider reviewing us on Stitcher at: stitcher.com/podcast/the-dentalhacks-podcast!
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