The Vedder Society Celebrates 60 Years of CE (DHP260)
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 10/04/2019
Very Clinical: The Bad CE Stand-Up Tour with Dr. Erin Elliott and Dr. Tim Anderson
The Very Dental Podcast Network
This throwback episode of the Very Clinical podcast features hosts Zach and Kevin discussing the value of continuing education (CE) with special guests Dr. Erin Elliott and Dr. Tim Anderson! They share amusing anecdotes about their worst CE experiences, including a condescending lecturer and courses that didn't deliver on their promises. The conversation then shifts to a more positive outlook, focusing on modern dental practices. Dr. Elliott, a sleep apnea expert, and Dr. Anderson, a 3D printing specialist, highlight the importance of team-driven growth and how live, interactive courses...
info_outline
AME: Let Them Say No
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan reflects on his 27 years in dentistry, revealing how his past struggles with addiction and a conservative approach to treatment planning have impacted his practice. He admits he often defaults to a "watch-and-wait" approach in gray-area cases, feeling a need to save patients money or fearing they will say no to treatment. He worries this may lead to more complex and expensive procedures down the road, benefiting neither the patient nor his business. Alan challenges himself to be more assertive in presenting a full range of treatment options, allowing patients to make their own decisions....
info_outline
Very Dental: What is an Expert with Dr. Matt Standridge
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan is once again joined by Dr. Matt Standridge. The episode was recorded live at a Voices of Dentistry event following Matt's presentation on "Simplified Smile Design." Matt and Alan explore how a person becomes an expert, from their beginnings on forums like Dentaltown to Matt's current role as an industry educator. They discuss the difference between genuine experience and the illusion of expertise created by social media, and how both can impact the way dentists learn. Matt shares valuable lessons learned from his own journey, including the importance of setting boundaries and the value...
info_outline
Very Clinical: How to Make a Trial Smile with Dr. Allie Frounfelter
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this episode of the Very Clinical Podcast, hosts Zach and Kevin chat with guest Dr. Allie Frounfelter about digital dentistry and the process of creating "trial smiles." Allie, a self-proclaimed "trial smile queen," details the steps of designing, 3D printing, and fitting a temporary smile for patients so they can preview their results before committing to treatment. She explains the benefits of this modern approach, including improved patient confidence and better-fitting temporary restorations, which leads to healthier gums. Allie also discusses the shift in dentistry toward more...
info_outline
AME: The Customer Service Curve
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan shares his frustrating experience with AT&T's poor customer service after his office's phones went down. The ordeal leads him to develop a theory about the inverse relationship between demand for a service and the need for excellent customer service. He explains that businesses like AT&T, which provide essential services with high demand and low-elasticity, can get away with poor service because it's difficult for customers to switch. On the other hand, professions like dentistry, which operate in a more competitive market, must provide great service to retain patients. Al's...
info_outline
Brain Trust: Yes Tacos, No Hygiene?
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan brings together Dr. Lance Timmerman and Dr. Brady Smith for a lunch conversation at VoD Lite 2025. The trio discuss the unique, small-scale nature of the event, which was planned just three weeks beforehand and features a food truck instead of a hotel's expensive catering. Lance and Brady talk about their professional lives, including their pride in their respective hometowns' (Seattle and Portland) high poop-on-the-streets-per-capita and their mutual surprise at the high cost of a hard-boiled egg at hotels. They also delve into their unconventional dental practice models, with Lance...
info_outline
Very Clinical: Dr. Allie Frounfelter is the Queen of Trial Smiles
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Zach and Kevin welcome Dr. Allie Frounfelter to discuss her innovative approach to cosmetic dentistry using Trial Smiles. Dr. Frounfelter shares her journey from a high-volume "bread and butter" dental practice to a more balanced and fulfilling one, emphasizing the importance of slowing down to speed up. The episode details the step-by-step process of creating and using a 3D-printed resin shell, or Trial Smile, to help patients visualize their potential new smile. Dr. Frounfelter also highlights the importance of incorporating the entire dental team in the process and discusses how this...
info_outline
AME: Sealants, Schmealants
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan argues that dental sealants should be treated more like restorations rather than simple preventive measures. He critiques the common practice of placing sealants without preparing the tooth, which he believes can lead to failure and hidden decay. Instead, he details his own protocol, which involves using a bur to open up and clean out the deep grooves of the tooth, often discovering stain, decalcification or even decay. He then fills these prepped grooves with a glass ionomer material. Alan asserts that this more involved approach results in a highly durable, decay-resistant solution...
info_outline
Very Dental: Adam on AI with Adam McWethy
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Alan welcomes his friend Adam McWethy back to the Very Dental podcast! Recorded in person at the 2025 Voices of Dentistry pop up event in Arizona, Adam drops in to talk about his new company, The Leadership Thread. The Leadership Thread works with specialist practices to achieve growth and life balance by taking control of their careers. Adam and Al explored how AI is poised to change the way dentists handle a variety of tasks, from documenting treatment to managing patient relationships. Adam discussed several ways that AI can dramatically reduce the time specialists spend writing...
info_outline
Very Clinical: Invisalign Hype vs. Reality with Dr. Craig Harder
The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this "throwback" episode recorded live at Voices of Dentistry 2023, hosts Kevin and Zach are joined by guest Dr. Craig Harder to debate and discuss dental myths and tips. The main topic of conversation is the dental myth that Invisalign is a great value for dentists. Craig argues that Invisalign is not a good value because it eats up a significant portion of the fee, especially for dentists who don't do a high volume of cases and therefore don't qualify for discounts. Kevin, a high-volume provider, counters that the value of Invisalign is not just in the cost per case but in its powerful...
info_outline
Alan has talked about (bragged about?) The Francis B. Vedder Society on the show for years. He's been a member for 20 years or so and it's been very influential in his career. Some of the speakers Alan has seen in the last 20 years or so include Dr. Frank Spear, Dr. John Kois, Dr. Jeff Rouse, Dr. Jeff Okeson, Dr. Stephen Chu, Dr. Pat Allen, Dr. John Burgess, Dr. Bernard Touati and Dr. Bob Winter to name a few. It's been a literal "who's who" in dentistry lecturing to a small group of colleagues in a laid back setting.
Last weekend was the 2019 Fall meeting and the society celebrated 60 years of continuing education and fellowship. Alan recorded a "live podcast" at the event where many of the members of the Vedder society shared some funny and emotional stories of what the society has meant to them. We hope you enjoy this unconventional episode and maybe you'll consider a trip to northern Michigan next fall (September 24-27th, 2020)!
Some links from the show:
Voices of Dentistry #DancewithLance
The Dental Hacks Nation closed Facebook group has 27,000 members! Head over there to interact with other Dental Hacks listeners, guests and Brain Trust members every day, all day! Remember…if you don’t have anything “dental” on your FB page, we might decline your membership request. So IM the group or email us at [email protected]!
Stuff YAPI can’t do:- YAPI can take in and organize a ton of patient information and make sure it shows up in the right place at the right time.
- YAPI helps you discreetly communicate throughout your office at any time!
- YAPI can help remind your patients of their appointments to avoid broken and failed appointments.
- YAPI helps reactivate the patients that have fallen through the recall cracks
- YAPI can help ask your loyal patients for reviews in the right places like Google, Facebook and Yelp!
To effectively do chairside CAD/CAM, you've got to be organized. You want to have the right inventory of blocks, but you don't want to overstock. Most importantly, you need to be able to find exactly what you're looking for when you're looking for it! Zirc understands the needs of the chairside CAD/CAM community! If you're doing CEREC or other chairside milling, you should control block chaos with their CAD/CAM Block Locker! They're offering a 20% discount for the Dental Hacks Nation using coupon code CADCAM20 at https://www.zirc.com/products/cad-cam-block-locker. It's the best way to organize your CAD/CAM blocks!
Dr. Arthur Volker is teaching anterior composites in Chicago at Cosmedent’s CEE! His course is called “POWERlooking: Anterior Direct Composite Course and it’s this coming November 14-15! Artie will be teaching anterior composite techniques from simple to complex and you don’t want to miss it! Learn color theory, smile design, texture, polishing, simple class IVs all the way to layered composite veneers from a master who’s also a great teacher and a great guy! Go check it out at dentalhacks.com/Artie!
Go Hack Yourself
Jason: Naked Training
Alan: Bloody Genius by John Sandford
If you have any questions or comments for us please drop us an email at [email protected] 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 Dental Hacks! Finally, if you aren’t an Apple person, consider reviewing us on Stitcher at: stitcher.com/podcast/the-dentalhacks-podcast!
If you would like to support the podcast you can check out our Patreon page! Although the show will always remain free to download, our Patreon supporters get access to special bonus content including (at least) one extra podcast episode every months! Also be sure to check out the Dental Hacks swag store where you can find t-shirts, stickers coffee mugs and all sorts of other things that let the world know you’re a part of the Hacks Nation.