The Dental Hacks Podcast

Herodontics.  For normal, mortal human dentists, sometimes we do it. Even when we know we shouldn't. But can our patients really understand it? In today's episode Alan finds an analogy that helps based on the college basketball game he recently attended! Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! I’ve found that using a digital workflow for posterior zirconia is very predictable. So much so that when I’ve evaluated margins, contour and interproximal contacts...I’m ready to cement. Why so cocky? Typically the digital workflow usually nails the occlusion. But more importantly, Microcopy Dental has a posterior adjustment system for zirconia (and lithium disilicate) that is so simple and SO GOOD. First, I use Bite-Chek articulating paper for accurate and easy to read occlusal cont

Alan welcomes two of the most accomplished and entertaining presenters in dentistry to the Group Function podcast. Dr. Mike DiTolla and Dr. Josh Austin are known as dental educators that can connect with an audience better than anyone and they prove it again in today's episode. Both of them have been working out new and never before seen material for the Voices of Dentistry meeting coming soon in January 2021! Some of the topics they covered: The very first Voices of Dentistry! (Holidome anyone?) Josh and Mike have taken VoD "under their wing." It's their favorite meeting to present at. And we love it! Previews for VoD Why is social media is so bad for us? How do Mike and Josh prepare/write their stuff? "Start with the 3 most embarrassing moments of your life..." Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group Porn for Your Practice (social media article by Josh) Inside by Bo Burnham Matthew Posa Youtube channel If you would you like support the Ve

Nate Lawson, DDS is a dental researcher who is the mastermind behind the @dentaltube Instagram page which has been voted one of the top educational dental accounts on the internet.  With 76K followers and growing, you’ll see why with their excellent images. We start off talking about funny Thanksgiving stories. We pivot into discussing cracks and fiber usage. We lament the lack of cracked tooth education in dental school. We talk about transilluminators. We talk about using fibers as reinforcement.  We talk about fiber reinforced composite. It’s always a good time when N8 the Gr8 joins us! Thanks for listening and check out the Very Clinical Facebook group if you haven’t already. If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are awesome, bu

Al is heading to NYC for the Greater New York Dental meeting in a couple of weeks wondering the whole time, "are dental meetings dead?" Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group Enova Illumination If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are awesome, but some of them are actually “very fine.” Specifically I mean the yellow striped ones they call “finishing” diamonds. I use Microcopy finishing diamonds on just about any patient that I might be spinning a bur on. Very fine finishers do the heavy lifting on composites so polishing is simple and easy. I use them to finish crown preps. I’ve been known to adjust Emax and Zirconia with them. Once you try them you’re going to fin

Al is joined by his best friend from dental school, Dr. Bart Schultz. They had a wide ranging conversation about dental school, early dental practice and how much patients can really understand about their treatment. Also, the jobs they had in dental school and other stuff. Some links from the show: Miracle Mix Todd Johnson DDS, Paul Thomas DDS Very Dental Facebook group Voices of Dentistry (use coupon code: VeryDental) If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are awesome, but some of them are actually “very fine.” Specifically I mean the yellow striped ones they call “finishing” diamonds. I use Microcopy finishing diamonds on just about any patient that I might be spinning a bur on. Very fine finishers do the heavy lifting on compos

Nate Lawson, DDS is a dental researcher who is the mastermind behind the @dentaltube instagram page which has been voted one of the top educational dental accounts on the internet.  With 76K followers and growing, you’ll see why with their excellent images. We start off by talking about Curb your Enthusiasm and our favorite episodes.   Spoiler alert, if you’re watching the most current season airing now, episode 11.2 has some great scenes of Larry at the dentist. We pivot into discussing the benefits of sandblasting in clinical and lab settings and white line formation in composites. It’s always a good time when N8 the Gr8 joins us! Thanks for listening and check out the Very Clinical Facebook page if you haven’t already. If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are ver

Back when this podcast was called "The Dental Hacks" we used to include a segment in most shows that we called "Go Hack Yourself." It was a chance for us to talk about something we'd been using in our practice, listening to, reading, eating watching on Netflix or whatever caught our fancy at the time. I'm bring in this tradition back starting with today's episode! I'm going to drop some spicy recommendations for the Very Dental Nation to try. Or not try. Either way is cool with me. Recommendations in today's episode: Berman Instruments #3 and #4 Flexible-Thin Composite instruments "Land of the Giants: The Apple Revolution" from Recode and Vox Quad Lock phone cases/mounts Waterpik Sonic 2.0 flossing toothbrush Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental pod

Dentistry is hard. We can only give so much of ourselves and we can only be compassionate to our patients for so long. Dr. Brian McGue teaches sedation with 3D Dentists and at Implant Pathway and is acutely interested in helping dentists avoid burnout from compassion fatigue. So, what is compassion fatigue? Brian and Alan dig in to a topic that many of us relate to but probably haven't put into words yet.  This is the first full episode of the "We Are All Broken" podcast series. I'd love to hear from you if you find it helpful and worthwhile and perhaps some other topics you might be interested in hearing discussed! Some links from the show: 3D Dentists Implant Pathway Brian's email If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are aweso

Today we reach WAY back in the Very Clinical catalog! The gang is back.  Kevin, Mac, and Zach discuss posts and cores! Highlights include: - When do you choose to place a core, or a post? - Do you remove all the previous restoration every time?  Most of the time? How does Mac do a core? - He mentioned like 5 products, Cosmecore, Absolute Dentin, Fuji 2, Equia Forte, and Miracle Mix.  I'm exhausted just typing all of those, so I pinned him down to one for technique. - Cosmecore - Mac bonds that in with a Self-Etching Primer Bonding Agent Prelude SE (technically he uses the generic KoolBond SE, but uses the Prelude branded dual-cure link) How does Kevin do a core? - He uses regular light cure composite sometimes (Kalore from GC), but usually uses Absolute Dentin from Parkell - Bonds with Brush and Bond from Parkell How does Kevin do a post? - Dentatus Posts - Buildup material cements the post How does Mac do a post? - Unicore Posts - Buildup Material cements the post Zach buildup and posts: - Bulk EZ for bu

Have you ever had that patient that's never quite ready to do the work they need done? The patient that you've had multiple consultations and treatment plans ready to go but can never quite manage to follow through? Al calls this kind of patient "The Big Talker." We've all got a few of these in our practices and Al talks about identifying and dealing with them in today's episode! Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group The Peaceful Practice Podcast If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are awesome, but some of them are actually “very fine.” Specifically I mean the yellow striped ones they call “finishing” diamonds. I use Microcopy finishing diamonds on just about any

Alan welcomes Dr. Richard Low of the "Shared Practices Podcast" to Very Dental! Alan has known Richard since he was a dental student helping with the Howard Farran's podcast! He's since created one of the premier sources of information on practice ownership for new dentists, The Shared Practices ecosystem! Some of the topics they discussed were: Alan, Richard and the history of dental podcasting "Getting Things Done" and Merlin Mann Richard likes coaches and personal assistants Alan is uncoachable There is TOO MUCH CONTENT out there The problem with multiple offices (especially with only one dentist) The advantages of being old (on practice ownership, on debt, on lifestyle) Change comes when it hurts enough "Let student loans be the fire to motivate practice ownership." What is Shared Practices?   Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group The Shared Practices podcast Shared Practices events If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcas

The Very Clinical guys ring In the dam New Year (2020)! Highlights include: No New Year’s Resolutions except just be nice! Kevin uses Coltene Non Latex Rubber Dam Zach uses Hedy Isodam Kevin uses lube Kevin uses this template Zach uses PacDam…which looks way cooler Kevin uses this punch Zach uses this punch Zach uses this block out resin Kevin likes winged 14A and 12A rubber dam clamps for molars Both use Optragate in the anterior We pimp Voices Of Dentistry Mac Jones word count …zero.

Al discusses the importance of having something outside of the office that you look forward to. Whether it's cycling (current obsession), podcasting, baking or something else, I've benefitted by having something of my own. Call it a hobby, avocation or obsession...it's nice to have something that you love outside of your career and other obligations. Something that's just for you.  Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are awesome, but some of them are actually “very fine.” Specifically I mean the yellow striped ones they call “finishing” diamonds. I use Microcopy finishing diamonds on just about any patient that I might be spin

The words you use with patients can be important. Alan discusses a few that he's found to be less than helpful over the years that he tries to avoid using with patients. The four words he discusses: Small (in terms of dental disease) Dental "Insurance" Expensive Painful Do you have any words you try and avoid during patient communication? Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are awesome, but some of them are actually “very fine.” Specifically I mean the yellow striped ones they call “finishing” diamonds. I use Microcopy finishing diamonds on just about any patient that I might be spinning a bur on. Very fine finishers do the

Returning this week is Dr. Chris Salierno formerly from Dental Economics and now at Tend Dental. Chris lets us know where to go and eat in NYC and how he’s taking lessons from the hospitality industry to advance customer service at Tend. Clinically, Chris took an implant residency post dental school in implant restorations and he talks about how implant restorations sparked his speaking career which sparked his entire career in the spotlight. Chris has used Neoss Implants extensively and lets us know the pros to this particular implant system. We also talk a bit about how problematic implant cases can be that you inherit because of the sheer number of different implants out there. Thanks for listening and we’ll catch you next time! Be sure to find the Very Clinical Facebook group! If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! Our friends at Microcopy understand that having systems in

What's the very best way to figure out what a patient really wants? You have an honest and authentic conversation with them! Alan welcomes back Dr. Jason Smithson to the Very Dental Podcast to talk about having conversations with patients! Jason and Alan spend a LOT of time talking about how they've learned to have great conversations. (hint: less talking, more listening) Any time I get a chance to tell stories with Jason, I take it! I think you'll really enjoy this one Some of the topics they covered: "Instant Orthodontics" good dentistry or bad dentistry? Gen Z and Instagram filters The esthetic preferences of younger generations and cultures are not necessarily the same as what dentists have learned! John the 80-ish year old "very English guy" ("I don't want to look like her.") Why don't we teach how to have a conversation with people about what they want? The cosmetic patient that "didn't like" what they had done Giving diastemas back! Clinician to patient "I don't care" vs. "I don't mind" Dentists need

If your business model is based on, "what else are they going to do?" then you suck. As a business owner, the bar for taking good care of your customers is very low. Be better. Elvis Dahl from Preat is the opposite of this. You should check them out. Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group Voices from the Bench (Elvis's podcast) If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean, all of them are awesome, but some of them are actually “very fine.” Specifically I mean the yellow striped ones they call “finishing” diamonds. I use Microcopy finishing diamonds on just about any patient that I might be spinning a bur on. Very fine finishers do the heavy lifting on composites so polishing is simple

Very Clinical welcomes Dr. Chris Salierno onto the podcast! Chris was well knows as the Editor-in-Chief of Dental Economics for the past several years, but has taken on a new role as one the main officers in a hot new growing DSO on the East Coast. Highlights include: Bond, James Bond - Have you seen “No Time to Die”?   Which Bond is your favorite? What is Tend? Where is Tend? Who is Tend? How does a DSO differ clinically from a non-DSO? What is Chris’ role with the company? An interesting interview especially since Kevin and Zach are both in non-DSO practices, it’s interesting to hear how the other side does things. If you haven’t joined the Very Clinical Facebook Group, check it out for more discussion! If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very Dental podcast is brought to you by our friends at Microcopy Dental. Neodiamonds from Microcopy Dental are very fine. I mean,

Alan is joined by Dr. Addison Killeen to talk about Voices of Dentistry, his new book with Dr. Mark Costes and a bunch of great ideas for purchasing an existing practice! Addison has done a startup, done acquisitions and has owned multiple practices...he's done the thing. Buy a practice or startup? What's the best kind of practice to buy? Acquisition = revenue from the get go Advice to sellers: don't "upgrade" stuff to attract a buyer. Let the buyer choose their technology, etc. What are banks looking for from a potential buyer? How to handle difficult conversations with patients of the last guy (the office who never treated perio, etc.) Where did Addison's entrepreneurial streak come from? Hot cycling talk Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group Dental Success Network Addison's books: By The Numbers Dental Startup Manual Dental Operations Manual Dental Acquisition Manual If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you

Alan welcomes Dr. Shawn Van de Vyver to the Very Dental podcast! Shawn is a self described "regular dentist." What is a regular dentist? Why are we having this conversation? Well, blame it on social media. Some of the things they discussed: Shawn gets up early in self defense Social media has ruined the "regular dentist" gig for many people. Who are the patients that do all these FMR's that we ce in continuing education? Shawn's time is worth nothing (he does his own lab work) The narrative of "opportunity cost" Al on podcasting/Shawn on video Buying a practice during COVID (and hiring) Narratives vs. reality in dental hygiene models Health care choices and how money affects them Some links from the show: The Voices of Dentistry (use code VeryDental) The Very Dental Facebook group XOcademy (Shawn's Exocad learning academy) If you would you like support the Very Dental Podcast Network you should support our sponsors! They help us create content that is, for lack of a better word...Very Dental! The Very De