Evolution of Dental Podcast

Robert Norton

Dive into the latest advancements in digital workflows, innovative materials, and techniques that are redefining dental restorations. Join conversations with leading clinicians, technicians, and innovators driving progress in the field. Gain insights into the digital tools and modern workflows shaping the future of dental care. Hear exclusive stories from the front lines about embracing change and overcoming challenges to deliver better care for patients than ever before.

  1. 19h ago ·  Video

    Owning Your Digital Dental Workflow | Dr. Peyray | EODP #40

    Digital dentistry, in-house dental labs, and full-arch workflows have completely changed what clinicians can control inside their own practices. Dr. Peyman Raissi, DDS — better known as Dr. Peyray — joins Rob Norton to break down how he built an in-house dental lab and developed a digital full-arch workflow centered around technology, precision, and the patient experience. Peyray shares why frustration with the final prosthetic results of his implant cases pushed him to bring dental technology into his own practice — and why buying the equipment turned out to be the easy part. He opens up about learning dental CAD design himself during the pandemic, transitioning away from analog workflows, adopting photogrammetry, and discovering just how much goes into running a successful in-house lab. The conversation dives into full-arch digital dentistry, CBCT, intraoral scanning, facial scanning, photography and video, 3D printing, milling, exocad, treatment planning, FP1 vs. FP3 restorations, patient communication, and the data Peyray tracks to continuously improve his results. He also explains his five-part data-capture process for full-arch patients and why documenting complications is one of the most important things a clinician can do. For dentists thinking about bringing more production in-house, Peyray shares one of the biggest lessons from his own experience: don't try to build everything at once. Learn the workflow, master one technology at a time, find the right mentors and partners, and build a system around what your practice actually needs. Plus, Peyray discusses patient communication, social media, education, the challenges that shaped his career, and the philosophy behind his motto: “One patient, one miracle a day.” FOLLOW US Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/evolutionofdentalpodcast/ ⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585454046519 ⁠ Website: ⁠https://www.evolutionofdental.com/ ⁠ Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:40) - Why Dr. Peyray Built an In-House Dental Lab(00:07:31) - Bringing Digital Technology Into the Practice(00:15:17) - Taking Control of the Dental Workflow(00:17:44) - Learning exocad & Going Fully Digital(00:20:07) - Tracking Complications to Improve Results(00:21:33) - Building a Three-Visit Full-Arch Workflow(00:23:50) - The 5 Records Peyray Captures for Every Full-Arch Case(00:34:00) - FP1 vs. FP3 & Prosthetically Driven Treatment Planning(00:46:09) - How Dentists Should Build an In-House Lab

  2. Sep 11 ·  Video

    Dental Entrepreneurship: Building Harvest Dental From the Ground Up | Sasha Der Avanessian | EODP #39

    Dental entrepreneurship, dental technology, product innovation, and branding have all played a role in the growth of Harvest Dental. Founder Sasha Der Avanessian joins Rob Norton to share how he started in a two-car garage, grew his business into a dental brand serving customers around the world, and why building a successful business takes more than simply creating a good product. Sasha shares the story behind Harvest Dental, the influence of his father and the dental industry he grew up around, and the philosophy that shaped Harvest's approach to product development and branding. The conversation goes deeper into what it actually means to build a business in dentistry. Sasha and Rob discuss entrepreneurship, relationships, mentorship, faith, overcoming difficult periods in business, and the importance of understanding the areas many dental professionals aren't traditionally taught. #DentalTechnology #DentalBusiness #DentalEntrepreneurship #DigitalDentistry #HarvestDental FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolutionofdentalpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585454046519 Website: https://www.evolutionofdental.com/ LISTEN TO THE PODCAST Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3NvY9OUqxuCXB0PIZx2AkC Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/evolution-of-dental-podcast/id1854831301 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/df7afa85-69e1-4c33-8448-2447b266465b/evolution-of-dental-podcast PocketCasts: https://pocketcasts.com/podcast/evolution-of-dental-podcast/020d3ec0-a92b-013e-810c-0eb214331a07 Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/evolution-of-dental-podcast/PC:1001111418 Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/evolution-of-dental-podcast-6289605  Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:17) - Growing Up Around the Dental Industry(00:06:14) - Learning Digital Dentistry & Starting a Business(00:09:28) - Why Relationships Matter in Dentistry(00:20:07) - The Story Behind Harvest Dental(00:28:12) - Building a Recognizable Dental Brand(00:30:00) - What Would Customers Miss About Harvest?(00:34:37) - Entrepreneurship, Failure & Finding Purpose(00:37:19) - Education, Honesty & Giving Back(00:48:28) - Digital Dentistry, 3D Printing & the Business Skills Gap

  3. Sep 4 ·  Video

    Analog Craftsmanship to Digital Dentistry: The Experienced Eye | Jim Stallings, CDT | EODP #38

    Digital dentistry and dental technology have transformed the dental laboratory, but decades of analog craftsmanship still have a place in today's digital workflows. Jim Stallings, CDT, has experienced that evolution firsthand throughout more than 40 years in dental technology. From traditional denture techniques to CAD/CAM, scanning, 3D printing, and modern digital dentistry. Jim joins Rob Norton to explore the evolution from analog to digital dentistry and what happens when decades of hands-on dental craftsmanship meet modern technology. Jim shares the history of Stallings Dental Company, how his lab has approached digital adoption, and why an experienced technician's eye remains valuable even as the technology reshapes dental laboratory workflows. Hear how Jim became a professional painter, taking him from Macon, Georgia, to the mountains of Wales and the legendary cottage associated with Led Zeppelin!

  4. Aug 28 ·  Video

    How to Build Your Ideal Hybrid Dental Workflow | Alex Jakson | EODP #37

    In-house digital dentistry is giving dental practices and laboratories more flexibility to decide which parts of design and manufacturing they want to control themselves and which parts make more sense to outsource. Alex Jakson joins Rob Norton to share how Evolve Dentistry grew from an exocad reseller and training platform into a digital dentistry partner offering design services, manufacturing, technology, education, and hybrid workflows built around the needs of each individual practice or laboratory. Alex explores exocad, dental 3D printing, milling, full arch design, same day dentistry, SprintRay Midas, AI assisted design, material selection, chairside manufacturing, and the four digital workflow models that allow clinicians and technicians to gradually bring more production in house without having to change everything at once. The conversation also examines Evolve’s approach to hands on education, training dental assistants and technicians, working through real patient cases, evaluating the return on bringing different procedures in house, and why access to experienced designers and laboratory technicians can help teams build confidence as they adopt new technology. Looking toward the future of digital dentistry, Alex explains how advances in AI, materials, design software, and accessible manufacturing technology are creating new opportunities for practices and laboratories to build workflows around their own goals while developing the skills needed to become increasingly independent. Chapters (00:00:43) - Meet Alex Jakson & the Story of Evolve(00:04:28) - Why Evolve Only Sells Technology It Uses(00:09:20) - Building a Hybrid Digital Dentistry Workflow(00:11:50) - How Same-Day Full Arch Dentistry Works(00:17:49) - Evolve Design Services & Digital Workflow Tools(00:20:59) - The Four Pillars of Digital Dentistry(00:22:33) - Bringing Dental Manufacturing In-House(00:27:30) - SprintRay Midas, Chairside Crowns & AI Design(00:32:34) - exocad Training & the Future of Dental Education

  5. Aug 21 ·  Video

    The Hybrid Digital Workflow: Full-Arch, exocad & In-House Production | Dr. Daniel Greenbaum | EODP #36

    Digital prosthodontics gives clinicians new ways to combine treatment planning, surgery, restorative design, and in-house manufacturing while preserving the analog techniques that remain valuable for complex patient care. Prosthodontist Dr. Daniel Greenbaum joins Rob Norton to share how his surgical training, in-house dental laboratory, exocad design experience, 3D printing, milling, and hands-on approach to fabrication have transformed the way he treats everything from digital dentures and cosmetic restorations to full-mouth rehabilitation and full-arch implant cases. Dr. Greenbaum explores rapid prototyping, digital denture duplication, digital wax-ups, photogrammetry, same-day teeth, zygomatic and pterygoid implants, denture conversions, zirconia milling, and why clinicians using advanced digital workflows should always maintain a reliable plan B when technology or clinical conditions do not behave as expected. The conversation also examines a life-changing palatal augmentation prosthesis for a tongue cancer patient, the use of semi-precision attachments with fixed zirconia restorations, and how combining traditional prosthodontic principles with modern digital tools can create new solutions for unusually complex restorative challenges. Looking toward the future of digital dentistry, Dr. Greenbaum discusses AI-assisted full-arch design, occlusion, technology support, and why continually adding skills and tools can make clinicians and dental teams more resilient, collaborative, and capable of delivering predictable patient care. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:25) - From Prosthodontics to Implant Surgery(00:04:23) - Building an In-House Digital Dental Lab(00:06:27) - Digital Dentures & Rapid Prototyping(00:09:43) - Digital Wax-Ups, exocad & Restorative Design(00:16:44) - What “Same-Day Teeth” Really Means(00:19:33) - Zygomatic Implants & Complex Full-Arch Treatment(00:21:43) - Dr. Greenbaum’s Hybrid Full-Arch Workflow(00:31:15) - Palatal Augmentation Prosthesis & Semi-Precision Attachments(00:39:28) - Getting Started With Digital Dentistry & the Future of AI

  6. Aug 7 ·  Video

    Clear Aligner Treatment: Why Every Great Case Begins with the End | Dr. Melissa Shotell | EODP #35

    Clear aligner treatment has evolved from manually repositioning teeth on stone models to sophisticated digital workflows using treatment planning software, intraoral scanning, 3D printing, and increasingly artificial intelligence. Orthodontist Dr. Melissa Shotell joins Rob Norton to explore how she approaches clear aligner treatment by beginning with the final restorative outcome, collaborating with dentists and laboratories, and reverse engineering orthodontic tooth movement to help position teeth where the restorative team ultimately needs them. The conversation examines digital wax-ups, interdisciplinary treatment planning, IPR, attachments, hybrid braces and aligner treatment, in-house clear aligner production, and why clinicians must understand the biology of tooth movement rather than assuming that a beautiful digital simulation represents an achievable clinical result. Dr. Shotell also traces the history of clear aligners back to pioneering work with vacuum-formed thermoplastic dental contour appliances, connecting those early analog techniques to the advances in software, materials, and 3D printing that now allow clinicians to treat increasingly complex orthodontic cases. Looking toward the future of orthodontics, Dr. Shotell discusses AI treatment planning, customized appliances, in-office 3D printing, continuing education, and why clinical experience remains essential as computers take on a larger role in designing how teeth should move. Sources: Nahoum, H. I. The Contour Appliance Revisited: Evolution, Advancements, and Applications in Orthodontics. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Nahoum, H. I. (1964). The Vacuum Formed Dental Contour Appliance. New York State Dental Journal, 30(9), 385–390. McCool, C. (2024, February 16). 104 Year-Old Dr. Henry Nahoum Lectures. Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. Patankar, K. A. Clear Aligner Treatment [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:17) - Interdisciplinary Orthodontic & Restorative Treatment(00:05:35) - Planning Clear Aligner Cases Backward From the Final Smile(00:10:27) - Digital Wax-Ups & Clear Aligner Treatment Planning(00:11:49) - When Digital Simulations Become “Gorgeous Liars”(00:16:04) - AI in Clear Aligner Treatment Planning(00:19:30) - The Evolution of Clear Aligners(00:23:33) - In-House Clear Aligners & Dental 3D Printing(00:31:15) - Learning Aligners, Evolve & the Future of Orthodontics

  7. Jul 31 ·  Video

    Full-Arch Implants: Making Treatment More Accessible | Dr. Robert Jung | EODP #34

    Digital full arch implant workflows can make complex treatment more efficient and predictable, but Dr. Robert Jung believes clinicians also need to understand where the technology can fail and how to adapt when it does. Dr. Jung joins Rob Norton to share how his goal of making full arch dentistry more accessible led him to build an in-house dental laboratory, adopt 3D printing and milling, develop his own clinical workflows, and eventually begin teaching other dentists from the lessons he learned through trial and error. They explore guided implant surgery, EZ Ref, iCam photogrammetry, intraoral scanning, CBCT, 3D printed provisionals, zirconia restorations, FP1 and FP3 prosthetics, and the digital workflow his team uses to treat multiple full arch cases while keeping surgery efficient for patients. The conversation also examines why he no longer considers current 3D printed resins truly permanent, the importance of long term patient education and maintenance, when digital workflows can become overcomplicated, and why strong clinical fundamentals remain essential even when treatment is digitally planned. Looking toward the future of full arch dentistry, Dr. Jung discusses AI assisted design, stronger printed materials, jaw tracking, automation, mentorship, and why developing predictable systems should ultimately help clinicians deliver better treatment without sacrificing their health or their lives outside dentistry. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:16) - Building an In-House Full Arch Dental Lab(00:03:24) - Learning & Teaching Digital Full Arch Workflows(00:08:33) - Why Dr. Jung Went Fully Digital(00:10:08) - Are 3D Printed Dental Resins Really Permanent?(00:16:48) - How His Full Arch Workflow Has Evolved(00:23:50) - Dr. Jung's Digital Full Arch Implant Workflow(00:35:16) - Guided vs. Freehand Implant Surgery(00:43:07) - AI, 3D Printing & the Future of Full Arch Dentistry

  8. Jul 24 ·  Video

    exocad Smile Design: Creating Smiles with Digital Dentistry | Kristina Vaitelytė | EODP #33

    Digital dental design is transforming the role of the dental technician by bringing technicians deeper into smile design, treatment planning, patient communication, and the complete digital dental workflow. Digital dental technician and exocad Dental Hero Kristina Vaitelytė joins Rob Norton to share how her background in art and photography led her into dental technology and helped shape the way she approaches CAD design, anatomy, esthetics, and collaboration with clinicians. Kristina explores exocad, Smile Creator, dental photography, intraoral scanning, 3D printing, orthodontic planning, and minimally invasive dentistry while explaining why modern technicians increasingly need to understand the patient and the treatment plan rather than simply manufacture a restoration from a prescription. The conversation also examines how Kristina uses AI and tools like ChatGPT as a second opinion during smile design, why digital visualization can help patients understand conservative treatment options, and how emerging technology is changing the relationship between dentists, technicians, and patients. Looking toward the future of dental technology, Kristina explains why there is no digital without analog and why designers must continue seeing, printing, milling, and evaluating their physical work to preserve the artistic and technical skills required to create successful restorations. Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:05) - From Photography to Digital Dental Technology(00:04:10) - Learning CAD & Becoming a Dental Technician(00:09:24) - How Photography Improves Digital Dental Design(00:12:41) - Designing Smiles Around the Patient(00:20:19) - How to Learn exocad & Dental CAD Design(00:26:05) - exocad, Treatment Planning & Minimally Invasive Dentistry(00:30:00) - Intraoral Scanning, Smile Creator & AI Dental Design(00:43:14) - Orthodontics, exocad ART & the Future of Dental Technicians

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

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Dive into the latest advancements in digital workflows, innovative materials, and techniques that are redefining dental restorations. Join conversations with leading clinicians, technicians, and innovators driving progress in the field. Gain insights into the digital tools and modern workflows shaping the future of dental care. Hear exclusive stories from the front lines about embracing change and overcoming challenges to deliver better care for patients than ever before.

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