The Very Dental Podcast Network

Recent Episodes

1. Very Dental: Inviting Your Demons in for Tea with Dr. Dawn Grimes

   Sep 18, 2026

   Dr. Alan Mead sits down with longtime friend and meditation teacher Dr. Dawn Grimes for a candid conversation on navigating life changes, managing stress, and breaking cycles of mental exhaustion. The episode explores Buddhist teachings on impermanence and suffering through the lens of renowned meditation instructor Sharon Salzberg, covering practical mindfulness techniques like managing middle-of-the-night anxiety and reframing one's relationship to difficult emotions—including the concept of "inviting your demons in for tea."

2. Very Clinical: Extractions, Sticky Bone, and Guided Implants

   Sep 15, 2026

   Zach Myners and Dr. Kevin Hare host fellow course instructors Dr. Shane Wingler (Lexington, North Carolina) and Dr. Emily Wojtowicz (Elroy, Wisconsin) to discuss clinical pearls for their upcoming TRT implant course. The panel covers three critical phases of implant therapy: atraumatic extractions using wide flap reflection and surgical handpiece sectioning, socket grafting with sticky bone and PRF for improved handling and healing, and guided implant placement with attention to bone density assessment and osteotomy depth measurement.

3. AME: Everything Is Amazing and Nobody in Dentistry Is Happy

   Sep 14, 2026

   Dr. Alan Mead reflects on nearly three decades in clinical dental practice, drawing parallels to Louis C.K.'s observation that "everything is amazing and nobody is happy." He nostalgically traces the evolution of dental technology—from film radiography and polysulfide impressions to digital sensors, intraoral scanners, and AI-assisted charting—highlighting how practitioners often take miraculous advances for granted while fixating on minor inconveniences. The episode serves as a gratitude check on how dramatically better, faster, and more enjoyable modern dentistry has become.

4. Very Dental: Dr. Lance Timmerman on Guided Biofilm Therapy & Frictionless Case Acceptance

   Sep 11, 2026

   Dr. Lance Timmerman discusses his implementation of Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) and EMS Airflow technology in his dental practice, explaining how the system improves clinical efficiency, patient comfort, and appointment workflow. He also covers hygienist staffing challenges post-COVID, the use of asynchronous video case presentations via private YouTube links to improve case acceptance, and shares personal anecdotes about mountain biking injuries and protective gear.

5. Very Clinical: How to Stop Doing Fillings and Love Practice Ownership

   Sep 8, 2026

   Hosts Kevin and Zach welcome Dr. Emily Wojtowicz from Elroy, Wisconsin and Dr. Shane Wingler from Lexington, North Carolina to discuss their practice ownership journeys and career evolution. Both doctors credit their involvement with 3D Dentists and the Mastermind community with transforming their practices from early-stage chaos into focused, high-production surgical practices. They share how specializing in implant surgery, full-arch rehabilitation, and sedation while empowering associates through mentorship has allowed them to reduce patient volume, increase profitability, and maintain strong general practices in their small communities.

6. AME: Unprompted

   Sep 7, 2026

   Dr. Alan Mead, a practicing dentist and podcaster, shares his first-hand clinical experience integrating biofilm-guided hygiene protocols into his practice. Recording from his Michigan porch, Alan details his workflow combining Ivoclar's OptraGate, Zirc's Mr. Thirsty bite block, air polishing with the Woodpecker PTE unit, and disclosing agents to transform the prophylaxis experience. He highlights unprompted positive patient feedback—including from his son Sean—about how smooth and clean their teeth felt, and introduces LosslessCut, a simple video editing utility for trimming clinical footage.

7. Very Dental: Dr. Katie To on Biological Dentistry and Finding the Root Cause

   Sep 4, 2026

   Dr. Katie To shares her transformative journey from building a successful cosmetic and comprehensive dental practice in Katy, Texas using Digital Smile Design, to discovering she had severe heavy metal toxicity that forced a complete practice philosophy shift. After being diagnosed with mercury and lead toxicity from occupational dental exposure, she restructured her practice around biological dentistry, comprehensive diagnostics, and cross-disciplinary collaboration with medical physicians. Today her practice operates on an 80/20 patient-provider partnership model, focusing on finding root causes of health issues rather than treating symptoms, and she now trains other dentists through the Wellness Dentist Institute.

8. Very Dental Classics: Is Solo Practice Dead?

   Sep 1, 2026

   A 2018 throwback from the Voices of Dentistry conference featuring an impromptu, high-energy conversation among DSO attorney Brian Colao of Dykema, and Dr. Peter Boulden and Dr. Craig Spodak of the Bulletproof Dental Practice Podcast. The discussion covers consolidation trends, private equity involvement in dentistry, EBITDA multiples, DSO structures, and the predicted decline of solo practice viability within 10 years as the market consolidates.

9. AME: Clinical Rage Bait

   Aug 31, 2026

   Dr. Alan Meade, a practicing dentist and podcast host, records from his office on a Sunday while assembling equipment to discuss the unspoken frustrations and "clinical rage bait" moments that every clinical dentist experiences but rarely shares publicly. From syringes with uncertain composite levels ("Schrodinger syringe") to non-latex gloves that don't fit properly, rubber dam wedge displacement, and matrix band dislocation, Meade catalogs the small but infuriating operational annoyances of clinical practice and invites listeners to commiserate and share their own operatory pet peeves.

10. Very Dental: AI with Arms and Legs with Dr. Richard Low

    Aug 28, 2026

    Dr. Richard Low discusses his journey from founding the Shared Practices podcast to scaling a 35-location DSO, experiencing severe burnout, and his subsequent pivot to coaching dentists through fitness and accountability groups. The conversation covers practical AI implementation for dentists and small business owners, specifically recommending Claude and ChatGPT desktop apps as the primary tools needed, along with strategies for managing digital distractions and emotional wellness in dental practice ownership.