270. Are clicking and popping joints healthy? With Dr. Drew. McDonald
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Release Date: 05/29/2025
Beyond Hybrids: Rethinking Full-Arch Implant Therapy with Dr. Kim Schlam
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on In this in-depth conversation, Dr. Melissa Seibert is joined by prosthodontist and Spear Education faculty member Dr. Kim Schlam to take a critical look at one of the most talked-about trends in dentistry: full-arch implant reconstructions and hybrid prostheses. Together, they explore the promises and pitfalls of these complex treatments, challenging the idea that hybrids should be considered a one-size-fits-all solution. Dr. Schlam shares candid insights from years of managing both the successes...
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Redefining Digital Workflows in Dentistry with Dr. Kim Schlam
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on In this episode of Dental Digest, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with Dr. Kim Schlam, prosthodontist and Spear Education faculty member, to explore how thoughtfully integrated digital workflows can transform clinical practice. Dr. Schlam shares her journey from traditional analog techniques to leveraging digital tools like intraoral scanning, photogrammetry, and in-house printing, emphasizing not just efficiency but also precision and predictability. She highlights how these technologies—when...
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Surgically Facilitated Orthodontics With Dr. George Mandelaris
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Dr. Mandelaris attended the University of Michigan from undergraduate through dental school. He completed a post-graduate residency program at the University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, where he obtained a certificate in the speciality of Periodontology as well as a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Oral Biology. Dr. Mandelaris is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery and has served as an examiner for Part II (oral...
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Can Orthodontics Be Surgically Expedited? With Dr. George Mandelaris
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Dr. Mandelaris attended the University of Michigan from undergraduate through dental school. He completed a post-graduate residency program at the University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, where he obtained a certificate in the speciality of Periodontology as well as a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Oral Biology. Dr. Mandelaris is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery and has served as an examiner for Part II (oral...
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Facing Difficult Occlusal Scenarios with Dr. Gregg Kinzer
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on His interdisciplinary approach to dentistry is founded in both empirical research and clinical experience. He attended the University of Washington for both his undergraduate and graduate studies where he received his D.D.S. degree in 1995 and an M.S.D. and certificate in Prosthodontics in 1998. For his entire career, Dr. Kinzer has been committed to furthering the art and science of dental education. His unique ability to impart complex clinical processes in a logical, systematic and clear...
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Alternative to the "Maryland Bridge" with Dr. Bill Robbins
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on J. William Robbins, DDS, MA / Marcela Alvarez, DDS, MS / Bradley Beckel, DDS In the not too distant past, the specialist’s tool box was fairly limited in the adult patient. The orthodontist’s tools included aligning teeth, intruding anterior teeth and orthognathic surgery. The periodontists tools were pocket elimination surgery and gingival grafting. Today orthodontists and periodontists have many procedures and techniques, which have opened a new world of treatment planning for the...
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Caries Management with Dr. Peter Milgrom
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Peter Milgrom, DDS is Emeritus Professor of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Washington. He has been recognized throughout the world as a clinical scholar and innovator in a career spanning nearly 50 years. Among numerous awards, he received the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Bergen, Norway, the Norton Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research by the American Dental Association, the Distinguished Dental Behavioral Scientist and Irwin M. Mandel...
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Leveraging Advanced Imaging for TMD Patients with Dr. Drew McDonald
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on DR. DREW MCDONALD Dr. Drew McDonald is a board certified orthodontic specialist with a strong focus on airway and temporomandibular joint-focused treatment planning, surgically-facilitated orthodontic treatment, and providing complex interdisciplinary care for patients. He lectures internationally on these topics and has contributed to literature and textbooks in these areas. Dr. McDonald is dedicated to advancing the profession of Orthodontics and Dentistry as a whole. He graduated from...
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Managing Occlusion in Wear Patients with Dr. Gregg Kinzer
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dental_digest_podcast Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on His interdisciplinary approach to dentistry is founded in both empirical research and clinical experience. He attended the University of Washington for both his undergraduate and graduate studies where he received his D.D.S. degree in 1995 and an M.S.D. and certificate in Prosthodontics in 1998. For his entire career, Dr. Kinzer has been committed to furthering the art and science of dental education. His unique ability to impart complex clinical processes in a logical, systematic and clear...
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Back-to-Back Class IIs with Dr. Matt Burton
Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert
Join Elevated GP: Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Net32: Founder of , Matthew Burton, DDS, developed the BurtonBands and VursaWedge matrix system to help dentists achieve more predictable and favorable Class II composite results with improved efficiency and optimal outcomes. Dr. Burton specializes in Class II composite restorations at his private practice in Frankfort, Illinois, and he’s leveraged his insights to develop and market new solutions for dentists who face the same challenges in their own practices.
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Dr. Drew McDonald is a board-certified orthodontic specialist renowned for his expertise in airway and temporomandibular joint (TMJ)-focused treatment planning, surgically facilitated orthodontic therapy (SFOT), and complex interdisciplinary care. He is based in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he leads McDonald Orthodontics, a practice dedicated to comprehensive, patient-centered orthodontic solutions.
🎓 Education & Training
• Undergraduate: University of New Mexico (B.S. in Biology, Minor in Chemistry, 2008).
• Dental School: Creighton University School of Dentistry (D.D.S., cum laude).
• Inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon (National Dental Honor Society) and Alpha Sigma Nu (Honor Society of Jesuit Universities).
• Served as class president and student body president.
• Orthodontic Residency: University of Missouri-Kansas City (Certificate in Orthodontics and M.S. in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, 2016).
🦷 Clinical Focus
Dr. McDonald specializes in integrating airway and TMJ considerations into orthodontic treatment, emphasizing the importance of addressing underlying functional issues alongside dental alignment. His approach often involves the use of advanced imaging techniques, such as CBCT and MRI, to inform diagnosis and treatment planning.
🎤 Lectures & Publications
An international lecturer, Dr. McDonald shares his insights on topics including airway-focused orthodontics, TMJ disorders, and interdisciplinary treatment planning. He has contributed to various professional publications and educational programs, collaborating with organizations like The Breathe Institute and ACT Dental.
👨‍👩‍👧 Personal Life
Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Dr. McDonald’s passion for baseball led him to play as a catcher for the University of New Mexico Lobos from 2006 to 2008. He met his wife, Emily, during his time in Albuquerque. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with his two daughters, grilling, and golfing.