The Very Dental Podcast Network

Latest Episodes:

Group Function: Dental School Horror Stories Jun 14, 2021

Show notes

Alan is joined by a round table of dentists who want to talk about dental school and what it did to them. Dr. Russell Schafer graduated from LSU in 2013, Dr. Sarah Meyer graduated from Creighton in 2011 and Dr. Maggie Saludis graduated from University of Maryland in 2018! Each of them brings their own trauma/hilarity to the conversation! Some of the topics we covered are:

instructor hazing
classmates being removed
operative practicals
casting gold
pediatric dentistry term papers and marathons
taking (and failing) boards
the ethical ramifications of boards
using your brother as a boards patient

Got your own dental school horror stories? Join the Very Dental Facebook group (use password: Timmerman) and freak us all out there!

Very Dental Shorts: The Vanilla Latte Class IV Jun 11, 2021

Show notes

Everyone loves the Jason Smithson-esque class IV composite done with a gorgeous wax up and beautifully layered composites placed with precision using a polyvinyl stent. These "double half caff mochaccinos with a twist and extra sprinkles can be found all over Instagram and Facebook groups. They're awesome and everyone should learn to do them.

But quite often a case lands in your schedule that doesn't allow you to do the prep work for this. Sometimes you have to settle for a vanilla latte. And vanilla lattes can be delicious!

Al gives you his recipe for a consistent and satisfying "vanilla latte" class IV that can make you and your patient happy with a quick and simple appointment!

Some links from the show:

Very Dental: Your Benevolent Leader (part 2) Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

Today's episode is part 2 of the interview of Al by Dr. Melissa Zettler! We go all over the place in this one with topics including:

How to lose weight during a pandemic
Fitness as a middle aged person
The one thing that Al needs for dentistry: light and magnification (that's two things)
- Enova Illumination light/loupe deal
Melissa wants all the information about Al's farm. How many ducks are enough?
Gracie the rescue lab
How has work been affected by having kids?

Very Clinical: Advice to Our Younger Selves Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

We start off talking about summer vacations! Summer is here and we're excited, and summer plans seem real this year!

As new dentists begin to graduate this year, we reminisce on our own beginnings in dentistry, failures we made and things we'd tell ourselves if we had a time machine.

Topics include:

Anesthesia

Don't be stingy on how much you give
Have a skull to review anatomy when you get into slumps
When you are slower, give more anesthesia for duration of anesthesia
Have a youtube video of a block saved and ready to review
Cold test prior to prepping

Preps:

Cavity Prep are you being too conservative? The answer is probably yes
Is your class ii box too small? Probably
Bevel big for class V's
Small class IV chips can be a big problem for you without over-engineering it.

Lots of good pro-tips this week for the younger dentist.

Check out the Very Clinical Facebook group for more on these topics, and so much more.

Very Dental: Your Benevolent Leader (part 1) Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

They say that turnabout is fair play, so in that spirit Dr. Melissa Zettler interviewed your host and benevolent leader, Al!

A few topics covered in this first episode:

How did the podcast start? Why podcasting?
The heady early days of podcasting
What was it like to "grow up" in a dental office?
Al had orthodontics. A lot of orthodontics.
How did dad's influence affect the way Al practices now?
How did the "dentist's kid" lifestyle affect Al's career choices?
The Zoology family!
Working/owning a horse farm
Al's creative space is in headphones

Some links from the show:

The Very Dental Facebook group

Very Dental Shorts: 3 "Expensive" Things that Are Totally Worth It Jun 04, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the first episode of "Very Dental Shorts!" All of the goodness of the Very Dental podcast now in "Fun Size!"

A lot of what we use in dentistry is expensive. Some of this stuff costs a bunch of money and sometimes we try and cut corners. Al offers three "expensive" items that he uses every day that are worth the money and he wouldn't live without!

Why buy the "expensive" one? They're noticeably better than any other product I've tried. Purchase Zirc Crystal HD mirrors and the Septodont Paroject at Crazy Dental and you'll get the best price I've found on them anywhere. Use coupon code VDP10 and you'll get 10% off of that! Buy an Enova Qubit Cool or PLT 100a using this link: for a 18% discount (or 20% discount with loupes and a light!)

Very Clinical: In the (Dental School) Trenches with Dr. Matt Hudzinski Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

Kevin and Zach are joined by Dr. Matt Hudzinski, a newly graduated dentist! First, they spend some quality time doing national board questions (giant fail).

Then, Zach and Kevin both recount their dental school experiences.

Dental school in the social media/Youtube era

Dental school in the time of COVID. (4th year was clinical work ONLY!)

And what about the debt. (Oh yes...the debt).

The boys finish up with a rousing game of "how many requirements" and Matt did pretty darn well!

Go join the Very Clinical Podcast Facebook group!

Very Dental: Very Dent "Al" (see what I did there?) May 31, 2021

Show notes

A solo episode featuring your benevolent leader doing some podcast housekeeping as well as talking about a variety of dental topics!

The Very Dental Facebook group has amazing potential to create a tribe of like minded people! Join it with password: "Timmerman" and see what's happening in the Very Dental community!
Social media is a garbage fire, but there are some diamonds hiding in the rubbish
How are guests for the show chosen and why I take my "curating" job seriously
The monetization talk: ads vs. Patreon...weigh in!
Learning to love removable
Why I didn't do consults before and why I'm doing them often now
The Vedder Society invitation: September 24-26th, come see Dr. David Hornbrook with Al!

Some links from the show:

The Very Dental Facebook group

Freddie Mercury goofing around during "One Vision"

GC ISO Functional Compound

Lang Denture Duplicator

Ministar from Great Lakes Orthodontics

The Francis B. Vedder Society

Very Dental: The New Grad Experience, 2021 edition May 28, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Sara Rosen joins Alan to talk about dental school, the new grad experience and what it's like to be a part of the "COVID class."

Dr. Sara Rosen recently graduated from the Touro College of Dental Medicine in New York. They discussed all kinds of things including dental school, residencies, boards, clinical competency and being a student in the COVID era! Also, Alan offered some of the wisdom from members of the Very Dental Facebook group to new graduates and dental students!

The conversation:

Sara attended the Touro College of Dental Medicine which is BRAND NEW!
New York licensing and residencies
Why choose a residency?
New dental schools and adding bagels...the problems that new schools have to address
How did the dental school handle COVID?
Transitioning from dental school to "post dental school"
How is Dr. Rosen thinking about dental school debt? Did she understand the debt she would be facing?
The Very Dental Facebook group offers amazing advice! If you'd like to see the advice offered you need to join the group! Click through and use password "Timmerman" to get in!

Some links from the show:

Touro College of Dental Medicine

Ergofitlife Facebook group (Katrina Klein!)

Sara's Instagram

Very Clinical: Finding the MB2 Spot with Dr. Ash Mark May 25, 2021

Show notes

The Very Clinical Podcast welcomes Dr. Ash Mark of All Things Dentistry fame is back with us to discuss all things Canadian, all things endo, and all sorts of other things.

We kick off by discussing our favorite Canadian acting legends.

Then into a rousing discussion about MB2 and cone beam for endo.

If you're on Dentaltown Ash recommends Hank's Guide to the MB2 as a definitive topic thread on MB2.

Ash has 4 different videos on all aspects of MB2, all shot through a scope. Kind of a visual expansion of that thread.

Kevin enjoys watching MB2 videos on Christmas morning while his wife is in the shower. Let that sink in for a moment. #nerdalert

There's European endodontist named John Rhodes - do a youtube search for him, he also produces some great content on endo and specifically MB2.

Ash starts getting into anesthetic chemistry - our minds are blown. Get out your OrGo chem book, or don't. You do you.

Ash gives a pro tip for PDL anesthesia - 30 gauge super short needles.

Thanks for listening. Ash is in the Very Clinical Facebook Page and you should be as well!

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