The Very Dental Podcast Network
In this throwback episode of the Very Clinical Podcast, hosts Zach and Kevin are joined by Dr. Nate Lawson to dive into the evolving world of 3D printing in dentistry. They touch on a variety of topics including the current state of 3D printed crowns, bonding protocols, practical applications in night guards and dentures, and market trends. They also discuss the economic and technological benefits and challenges of integrating 3D printing in a dental practice. Some links from the show: on Instagram Join the using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Bioclear, Hornbrook,...
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Alan opens the episode by discussing his experiences teaching his two sons, particularly his youngest, Jacob, how to drive. This experience, which he finds unnerving and anxiety-producing, has highlighted how much of his own driving is now automatic "muscle memory" that he struggles to verbalize. He notes the beginner's mindset—or lack thereof, particularly in confident teenage boys—and how new drivers often don't realize what they don't know, struggling with basic things like staying in the lane. Alan draws a parallel between his son's learner's permit and a new dental license, reflecting...
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This episode features host Alan welcoming back guest Dr. David Clark, the founder of the Bioclear Method, for an insightful and entertaining discussion. The main focus is the launch of the new Tooth and Surface Specific (TSS) matrix system, which David describes as a "game-changer" that significantly simplifies complex composite restorations, particularly for teeth with normal papillae. They also cover the rising value of Bioclear procedures, with David sharing a story of a patient who expected to pay $10,000 per tooth for comprehensive treatment. Finally, they dive into a "King of the Nerds"...
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In this episode of the Very Clinical Podcast, hosts Zach and Kevin welcome back special guest Dr. Frank Clayton for a deep-dive conversation sharing essential advice on navigating a dental career from its beginning stages to retirement. The discussion kicks off with lighthearted banter about alternative dream careers—Zach as a baseball play-by-play announcer, Kevin as a morning radio host, and Frank as a game show host. For the early career dentist (Years 1–7), Frank advises working for a couple of years, then investing heavily in CE to establish a clinical niche (like his focus on form,...
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Alan reflects on his self-described "average" skill level as a dentist and explores how adopting prescriptive, systematic approaches can help practitioners in the middle of the bell curve achieve consistently excellent patient outcomes. Inspired by his recent experience at a Bioclear course, he argues that a systemized methodology, like the one taught by Bioclear, is often more reliable than relying on individual "superhero" hand skills or talents. Dr. Mead shares how the course's emphasis on a specific, step-by-step process—from using warmed composite and specific matrices to...
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This episode is a special interview where Alan is the guest! He's interviewed by his long-time friend and podcasting colleague, Andrew Johnston, the host of A Tale of Two Hygienists, as Andrew wraps up his run on that show. The conversation is a blend of dentistry, business, and the endurance of creative work. Dr. Mead shares his experience attending a Bioclear course and the challenge of changing established habits in dental practice. The core of the discussion centers on the evolution and future of dental podcasting, including the shift from audio-only to video/social content, and the...
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This episode features hosts Zach and Kevin, who welcome returning guest Dr. Frank Clayton to discuss the psychology and process of retiring from dentistry. Dr. Frank Clayton, who sold his practice and fully exited clinical work in July 2023, shares his insightful journey and the various phases of retirement he's experienced, including the "honeymoon phase." Kevin, who recently sold his practice in August and is now navigating the associate phase, offers his perspective on the initial mental shifts of stepping away from ownership. The hosts and Frank delve into the factors that drive the...
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Alan reflects on his recent return to the Bioclear Learning Center, an experience that served as a powerful system reset for his restorative dentistry. He connects the challenge of maintaining new techniques in the dental office to the physics concept of entropy—the natural tendency of a system toward disorder. Alan explains that his initial failure to fully implement the prescriptive Bioclear system (including key steps like "bioblasting") was due to the energy required to fight against this entropy, often manifesting as personal laziness or team resistance to change. He stresses that...
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This episode features host Dr. Alan Mead sitting down with his friend, Dr. Lance Timmerman, in the artsy Hotel Murano lobby in Tacoma, Washington, while Dr. Mead is attending a four-day Bioclear core certification course. The conversation flows between the excellence of the Bioclear hands-on CE curriculum and the company's continuous innovation in dental matrices (like the redesigned twin ring). Dr. Mead and Dr. Timmerman also share humorous and insightful anecdotes from their dental school days, discussing the crushing weight of modern student debt, the challenges of implementing new CE...
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Hosts Zach and Kevin put the sports talk (mostly) aside to dive deep into a critical area of everyday dentistry: various scenarios involving soft and hard tissue grafting and the management of periodontal recession. They discuss how to handle common cases like recession in post-ortho teens (especially on the lower anterior teeth) and the different approaches for the challenging chewing tobacco patient. Zach and Kevin share their experience with generalized recession, debating when to refer for a graft—often noting that patient concern over esthetics or sensitivity drives the decision more...
info_outlineYou know what sucks? Well lots of things I guess, but in dentistry one of the many things that sucks is when you put in a 2nd molar crown or MO filling only to see it on recall and the patient is complaining they are packing food around it. Why does this happen?
You know what sucks worse? When you re-do said restoration for free only to see it happen AGAIN.
Why does this happen?
What can you do about it?
Kevin offers some solutions orthodontically.
Zach gives some bad advice out of frustration for incidents where this has happened to him. “Splint early and splint often”.
Has this happened to you? What did you do about it? Did it work?
There is also a thread on this topic that recently came up in the Very Clinical Facebook Page. Check it out.
A big thank you to Dr. Rod Kurthy! None of this conversation would be possible without the work of Rod, who updated his concept “Walking Forward” in 2019.
Would you like to support the podcast? Then you should take a look at our sponsors! When you choose to buy from our sponsors you're helping support the podcasts that you love!- The Very Dental Podcast network is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Single patient use carbide burs, diamond burs, polishers and a variety of single use products that make your office more efficient, make your infection control simpler and your dentistry better! Find more information at verydentalpodcast.com/microcopy!
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