The Very Dental Podcast Network Alan Mead

If you've been practicing dentistry for awhile, you've probably changed your mind about some stuff. Today's episode starts an interesting series for Zach and Kevin where they talk to some experienced dentists about what things they've changed their mind about over the years. Today's episode features a discussion with Al about some things we've changed our minds about clinically!
Al has changed his mind about where to place margins. Now, he aims for equigingival margins vs. below the gingiva. Kevin changed his mind about specialty procedures for general dentists (implants, ortho, sleep, etc.) Kevin changed his mind about how soon to get a CBCT (seeing things in 3D). Zach changed his mind about sectioning teeth (he does it much sooner). "Atraumatic extractions start with the handpiece." Al has changed his mind about how soon he goes to an indirect restoration (go to indirect sooner). Zach changed his mind about digital dentistry. Become a member of the Very Clinical Facebook group! 
Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook," McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb."
The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!
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Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you’ll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “verydental10” you’ll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time!
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The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!
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Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!
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CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you’ll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!
 
 

Are there things you can do to make the day to day dental grind a little bit more fun? A little bit less of a grind? Would that make your day a little better? I think yes! 
Al discusses how adding "upgrades" to your day to day dentistry is good for your mental health and doesn't have to cost a bunch of $$$.
Some links from the show:
Berman Instruments rubber dam retainers Septodont Paroject from Crazy Dental (use coupon "VERYDENTAL10" for 10% off! Intraoral scanners from CAD-Ray CBCT's from CAD-Ray Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!"
The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!
--
Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you’ll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you’ll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time!
--
The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!
--
Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!
--
CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you’ll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!
 

In today's throwback episode, Alan welcomes back Amy Morgan, the VP of Practice Growth Strategies for Spear Education. Way back in September of 2022, Al had the chance to talk with Amy about dental hygiene, bouncing back from COVID and a whole lot of other stuff. This episode has so much good stuff in it that I thought it was time to offer it back up!
"...a hygiene dollar, even in the best of times, has at best a 15-20% profit margin. A doctor dollar has up to 60%..."
-Amy Morgan
Amy Morgan will give you 52% clinical excellence. But she wants 48% for business excellence! Amy joined Spear in 2018 as Vice President of Consulting Strategy. For more than 25 years as a She's been a consultant and trainer for more than 25 years and is the former CEO of Pride Institute. 
Some of the topics they covered include:
How did Spear quickly retool for the COVID crisis? Is she over Zoom? Once the "fight or flight" crisis was over, what did Amy and Spear Education learn?  "The Great Hygiene Migration" What's the strategy for the lack of hygienists? (spoiler: you can't wish for something that's not there) Healthy patients vs. less healthy patients Doctors should NOT be doing hygiene Embrace your inner hypochondriac What do you do for COVID no-shows? (RFR..."reason for return") Having patient sign their financial commitments ("we hold this spot for YOU") "Lost time fee" vs. "missed appointment fee" (you can have that one for free!) "It's OK to not like people" Paying your team well is important, but you need to know how to do it right. "Don't chase behaviors but question beliefs" How does a team member show their value objectively? Variable component of pay: quarterly bonuses paid out over a quarter A very fat pitch for Spear Practice Solutions! A specific hygiene formula: hygiene wages should range 30-40% of their production Some links from the show: 
Spear Education Spear Practice Solutions Spear Online Go get your ticket and your room for Voices of Dentistry 2023!
Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook," "McWethy" or "Lipscomb!"
The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!
 

This throwback episode features Kevin and Zach expanding on the idea of improving your verbal skills!
Some links from the show:
Isodam
Become a member of the Very Clinical Facebook group! 
Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook," McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb."
The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!
--
Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you’ll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “verydental10” you’ll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time!
--
The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!
--
Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!
--
CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you’ll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!
 

Al discusses an amazing Facebook group thread about what to do when you feel like you're doing an awful job. Inspired by a recent bad outcome, Al has a GREAT story that's going to make you feel better about your clinical abilities!
Some links from the show:
The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells Ivoclar Adhese Universal Pen (get it at Crazy Dental using coupon VERYDENTAL10 and save 10%!) Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!"
The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!
--
Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you’ll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you’ll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time!
--
The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!
--
Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!
--
CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you’ll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!
 

Al is joined by Youtube sensation, Dr. Ash Mark! Ash has joined the Very Clinical crew many times but this is the first time Al sat down to talk dentistry. 
On being a hockey dad How the Youtube channel started All Things Dentistry is like dental school on Youtube Driving a minivan vs. a race car Lots of mistakes = lots of practice = a gift Ash feels no pressure to put out video content Two content creators talking about the process Two reasons for a microscope (he was voluntold in residency) Does Ash record everything?  Real dentistry vs. Instagram dentistry People don't want to have dentistry done (efficient...don't waste your patient's time) Profound anesthesia required Is endo the most "given up" procedure? Hard to dabble. Stress test your endo files on extracted teeth! Extracted teeth are harder to come by due to ridge preservation The pros and cons of Youtube Some links from the show:
All Things Dentistry website All Things Dentistry Youtube channel
Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!"
The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!
--
Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you’ll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you’ll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time!
--
The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!
--
Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!
--
CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you’ll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!