Very Dental: What To Do With a Dental Degree featuring Dr. David Rice
The Very Dental Podcast Network
Release Date: 12/03/2021
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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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_outlineDr. David Rice joined Alan for a rousing conversation that took place above the exhibit floor at the recent Greater New York Dental Meeting! David is the creator/founder of IgniteDDS and was recently placed as the editor in chief of DentistryIQ! Their conversation went all over the place and here are some of the highlights:
- Where did IgniteDDS come from?
- Dental school and student debt: then vs. now
- What are new dentists doing after dental school nowadays?
- What options does a dental degree give you? (spoiler: it's not just private practice!)
- Dentists as writers
- Dental speaking isn't as glamorous as you might think
- Connecting with an audience is the best and worst part about speaking
- Presenting "naked" and perfectionism
- Becoming an owner in 2021
- Practice transitions: work with the people who know how!
- Do startups take a special kind of person? (spoiler: yes)
- Buy or startup?
- How do you find out what you like to do/you're good at?
- DON'T COWBOY UP! aka: know your limitations
Some links from the show:
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Why should you care about single patient use burs? I can think of a lot of reasons, but the one your patients are thinking about is this one. What’s that sound? That’s the sound of a rotary instrument that’s never been used on another patient. That’s the sound of no cross contamination. That’s the sound of your patient knowing that you are looking out for them. Sure you get a super sharp, never been used bur each and every time you open a Microcopy bur, but mostly your patients know that you take cross contamination seriously. Go check out the wide variety of single patient use products at verydentalpodcast.com/microcopy. A new (and sterile) bur…every time. Microcopy Dental.
Ideal preps. That’s what we aim for. One excellent way to get there is to use a core material to build the tooth back up to ideal contour. Cosmecore from Cosmedent is my choice for building up a broken down tooth. It’s dual cure, comes in a variety of colors and cuts just like a tooth. You’ll get a super smooth finish with no gouging. Right now I’ve got the 50 gram dispenser that fits in a small impression gun, but when I need to refill I think I’ll go with the 8 gram syringe. Both work great, but those syringes are handy and don’t take much room on a set up. Check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/cosmecore!
It’s funny, but you never really know how your branding effects people until you see it in your own life. So Jacob, my youngest 11 started Invisalign with a local orthodontist. He’s following all the instructions, including taking them out to eat. So I’m CONSTANTLY seeing a case for his aligners with our orthodontist’s brand. Like every single day. I’m realizing that cases for aligners, splits and removable offer a brilliant way for people to remember your office and your brand! And then I thought of our friends at Zirc who offer aligner sized and denture sized boxes in tons of colors that you can customize with YOUR logo! They’re offering a buy one, get one deal on retainer or denture boxes with your logo and 4 lines of custom print! Go check it out at verydentalpodcast.com/imprint and use code: verydentalimprint for your Very Dental deal!
Our friends at Enova Illumination have your magnification and lighting needs all figured out. Whether you’re looking at new loupes, a surgical headlight like no other or the amazing line of Zumax microscopes, Enova Illumination has you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/Enova and take advantage of the discounts they have for Very Dental Podcast Network listeners!
Do you need help with a logo or website design? Our friends at Wonderist can definitely help! Keep your eyes open for updated logos of all your favorite Very Dental Podcast Network shows this month...they’ve been designed by the pros at the Wonderist Agency! Want more information? Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!
Do you want an easy way to support the Very Dental Podcast network? Go check out the monthly deals from our friends at Crazy Dental! Each month Crazy Dental will be offering all kinds of different coupons on the product you’re using most! Head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy to see the monthly deals they have in store for you!