The Very Dental Podcast Network cover art

The Very Dental Podcast Network

The Very Dental Podcast Network

Written by: Alan Mead
Listen for free

About this listen

 The Very Dental Podcast network brings you entertaining and relevant conversations with visionaries, clinicians and your friends in the dental space. Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • Group Function: Bread and Butter Reality with Dr. Mitch Hopkins, Dr. Russell Schafer and Dr. Matt Standridge

    Group Function: Bread and Butter Reality with Dr. Mitch Hopkins, Dr. Russell Schafer and Dr. Matt Standridge
    Feb 20 2026
    "Instagram is dentistry and Facebook is where friends and family are... Instagram is like meth, I can't get off it." — Alan Mead Alan sits down with a powerhouse trio—Dr. Russell Schafer, Dr. Mitch Hopkins, and Dr. Matt Standridge—live from Voices of Dentistry 2026. They bridge the gap between "Instagram Dentistry" and the daily grind of running a productive practice, covering everything from why 2D photography still beats 3D face scanning to the hard truths about dental school debt and clinical mastery. The Guest List: Dr. Russell Schafer: The man who helped name the "Group Function" and a recurring voice on the network. Dr. Mitch Hopkins: A first-time guest and longtime listener, sharing his journey into implant training and full-mouth rehabs. Dr. Matt Standridge: The "Tom Hanks of the Very Dental Podcast," returning to discuss the discipline of dental photography. Key Conversations: The Gateway to Comprehensive Care: Photography The group discusses Matt's presentation on photography. While high-end DSLRs create "dental porn" for Instagram, the real value lies in using photography as a diagnostic tool for every new patient. The "Dummy" Solution: Discussion on the ShoFu camera as a simpler alternative to complex DSLR setups. The IG Satire: A hilarious pitch for "Garbage Mouth Instagram"—high-end photography of the most neglected cases to stick it to the "AACD" types. 3D Scanning vs. The "Uncanny Valley" Despite the push for $10,000 3D face scanners, the consensus remains: 2D photos are more useful for lab design. * 3D renderings often fall into the "uncanny valley"—looking almost human but just "off" enough to be distracting. Photos are essential for designing smiles that actually fit the patient's face, not just their arches. Advice for the "Mid-Career" and New Dentists The conversation turns to the crushing debt and clinical gaps facing new grads. The All-on-4 Trap: Why jumping straight into full-arch implants because of debt can be a recipe for malpractice. The Power of Bread and Butter: A defense of molar endo, quadrant fillings, and the "Lean and Mean" model of dentistry. The PVS Skillset: Why learning analog impressions (and packing cord!) is still a vital skill in a digital world. Leveling Up Your Clinical Skills The episode wraps with a "lightning round" of advice for improving your work tomorrow: Design Your Own Crowns: Use software to marginate your own preps. It's the fastest way to realize where your technique is failing. Magnification & Lighting: Whether it's jumping from 2.5x to 4.5x loops or investing in high-quality surgical headlamps, if you can't see it, you can't treat it. Some links from the show: Clinical Mastery Series (Mitch teaches here)Russell's denture ceMatt's "Clear Aligner Boot Camp" Matt's "Self Ligating Band and Bracket" CourseMatt at 3D Dentists Shofu Eyespecial camera Join the Very Dental Facebook Group using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, 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! I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method! I think you should give it a try and I've got a great offer to help you get on board! Use the exclusive Very Dental Podcast code VERYDENTAL8TON for 15% OFF your total Bioclear purchase, including Core Anterior and Posterior Four day courses, Black Triangle Certification, and all Bioclear products. Are you a practice owner who feels like the bottleneck in your own business? If you're tired of being the hardest-working person in your office, I've got something you need to hear. Dr. Paul Etchison, is hosting a virtual event that is a total game-changer. Paul is honestly one of the most brilliant minds in dental leadership today, and he's hosting the 3-Day Freedom Practice Workshop from February 19th through the 21st. He's going to show you exactly how to break through that two-million-dollar revenue ceiling while actually compressing your clinical week. It's about building a leadership team that takes ownership so you can finally step into the CEO role you deserve. Head over to DentalPracticeHeroes.com/freedom to grab your spot. And do me a favor—mention the Very Dental podcast when you sign up. It's 100% guaranteed, so you've got nothing to lose but the stress. 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 "VERYSHIP" you'll get free shipping on 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/...
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • Very Clinical: The Olds

    Very Clinical: The Olds
    Feb 17 2026
    Kevin and Zack welcome back Dr. Alan Mead for a discussion of modern geriatric dentistry. It's not as much a recipe book for treating older patients but how the guys have seen their geriatric patient population change over time. They discuss the massive divide between "spry" seniors and those struggling with late-life health declines, the ethics of aggressive treatment in nursing homes, and how clinical rules must change when the goal shifts from "permanent fix" to "comfort and function." Episode Highlights Genetics vs. Lifestyle: Why some 80-year-old patients have the periodontal health of a 20-year-old, while some 30-year-olds are already on multiple medications. The "Caries Explosion": A discussion on why a sudden spike in decay in older patients is often a systemic "red flag" for overall health decline. To Treat or Not to Treat: Navigating the difficult conversations with the adult children of aging patients. When is a denture a "death sentence," and when should you just reach for the SDF? Clinical Tools for the Aging: The role of Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) and Glass Ionomers in "patching" and maintaining quality of life without invasive surgery. Join the Very Clinical Facebook group! Join the Very Dental Facebook Group using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, 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! I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method! I think you should give it a try and I've got a great offer to help you get on board! Use the exclusive Very Dental Podcast code VERYDENTAL8TON for 15% OFF your total Bioclear purchase, including Core Anterior and Posterior Four day courses, Black Triangle Certification, and all Bioclear products. Are you a practice owner who feels like the bottleneck in your own business? If you're tired of being the hardest-working person in your office, I've got something you need to hear. Dr. Paul Etchison, is hosting a virtual event that is a total game-changer. Paul is honestly one of the most brilliant minds in dental leadership today, and he's hosting the 3-Day Freedom Practice Workshop from February 19th through the 21st. He's going to show you exactly how to break through that two-million-dollar revenue ceiling while actually compressing your clinical week. It's about building a leadership team that takes ownership so you can finally step into the CEO role you deserve. Head over to DentalPracticeHeroes.com/freedom to grab your spot. And do me a favor—mention the Very Dental podcast when you sign up. It's 100% guaranteed, so you've got nothing to lose but the stress. 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 "VERYSHIP" you'll get free shipping on 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!
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • AME: 8 Essential Truths About High-Magnification Dentistry

    AME: 8 Essential Truths About High-Magnification Dentistry
    Feb 16 2026
    Alan dives deep into his decades-long journey with high magnification dentistry. In this episode, Alan breaks down why high-powered magnification isn't just for practitioners with "bad eyes" and why it has become the most humbling yet rewarding tool in his operatory. From the technical evolution of the varioscope to the critical importance of specialized lighting, Alan shares why he believes every restorative dentist should consider making the leap to the microscope to rediscover the joy and precision of their craft. The Eyesight Myth: Why magnification isn't a crutch for poor vision, but a tool to see beyond human limits—and why Alan wouldn't let a "naked eye" dentist work on him. Light vs. Magnification: A look at why lighting is arguably as important as the lens itself, including Alan's preference for Enova surgical headlamps over traditional overhead lights. Beyond Endodontics: Debunking the idea that microscopes are strictly for root canals and exploring their value in restorative diagnosis and execution. The Varioscope Revolution: How variable objective lenses have drastically lowered the learning curve for new microscope users compared to the "static" lenses of the past. The "Humbling" Reality of 15x: Why seeing your work under high power can be frustrating but ultimately raises the bar for your foundational skills and polishing techniques. Mastering Documentation: Practical tips on using beam splitters, keeping your camera in focus, and why a dedicated scope monitor is a game-changer for your workflow. Patient Perception: The surprising truth about why patients are often more impressed by 3D scanners than live microscope feeds. Some links from the show: Enova Illumination surgical headlamps Zumax OMS 2050CJ Optik dental microscopes Global Surgical dental microscopesBioclear Learning CenterEnova Learning CenterBelograd AcademyMVision (Dr. Nazariy Mykhaylyuk) Join the Very Dental Facebook Group using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, 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! I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method! I think you should give it a try and I've got a great offer to help you get on board! Use the exclusive Very Dental Podcast code VERYDENTAL8TON for 15% OFF your total Bioclear purchase, including Core Anterior and Posterior Four day courses, Black Triangle Certification, and all Bioclear products. Are you a practice owner who feels like the bottleneck in your own business? If you're tired of being the hardest-working person in your office, I've got something you need to hear. Dr. Paul Etchison, is hosting a virtual event that is a total game-changer. Paul is honestly one of the most brilliant minds in dental leadership today, and he's hosting the 3-Day Freedom Practice Workshop from February 19th through the 21st. He's going to show you exactly how to break through that two-million-dollar revenue ceiling while actually compressing your clinical week. It's about building a leadership team that takes ownership so you can finally step into the CEO role you deserve. Head over to DentalPracticeHeroes.com/freedom to grab your spot. And do me a favor—mention the Very Dental podcast when you sign up. It's 100% guaranteed, so you've got nothing to lose but the stress. 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 "VERYSHIP" you'll get free shipping on 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!
    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
No reviews yet