Dentistry Unmasked: A Roundtable Podcast

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Brian and Pam sit down with Dr. Jeff Brucia for a practical, clinically relevant conversation about what it really takes to bond composite predictably. Think you know the difference between an immature bond and a mature bond? This episode may change the way you look at and practice adhesive dentistry. Dr. Brucia breaks down the details that influence bond strength,...

What does it take to grow a single dental practice into a thriving multi-location organization—and then step back from the day-to-day to pursue an even bigger mission? In this episode of Dentistry Unmasked, Brian and Pam chat with Dr. Chris Lugo, The Dentrepreneur and a pediatric dentist, educator, and mentor who transformed one practice into five while mastering the art of remote leadership. Arme...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian sit down with Stephen Taylor, Marketing Director at Delmain, for a candid conversation about one of the hottest topics in dentistry today: artificial intelligence in dental marketing. Stephen breaks down where AI can truly add value, where it falls short, and how practices can leverage technology without losing the human connection patients still crav...

Are your restorative materials working with or against your bonding protocol? In this episode of Dentistry Unmasked, we take a deep dive into some of the most exciting developments in restorative dentistry with Dr. Nate Lawson, a leading expert in dental materials science. We explore the growing popularity of dual-cure bulk-fill composite resins, including a critical discussion on their compatibil...

The conversation with Dr. Kessler last week couldn’t be contained. This week Dr. Pam and Dr. Brian continue last week’s discussion with the past president of the American Dental Association, Dr. Brett Kessler, and things heated up. The very personal nature of dentistry is full display this week as they discuss the future of organized dentistry, what it means to each of them, and the support provid...

How familiar are you with THE American Dental Association? Do you sometimes feel as though it’s hidden behind a veil? In this episode, Dr. Pam and Dr. Brian sit down with Dr. Brett Kessler, past president of the ADA and get to know the dentist (and human) behind the mask. The conversation is vulnerable, but steady, honest, and quietly courageous, moving through themes of personal reinvention, the...

It might feel early—but according to Brian, if you’re not thinking about the holidays now, you’re already behind. This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian tackle a topic most practices put off until it’s too late: end-of-year planning. From team celebrations to scheduling and budgeting, they break down how a lack of preparation can lead to stress, burnout, and missed opportunities to boost m...

What if the tooth fairy could do more than just leave a dollar under the pillow?  This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Brian and Pam sit down with Oliver Finel, an animator who’s reimagining the tooth fairy experience for today’s tech-savvy kids—and their dental providers. With the tooth fairy already welcomed into more than 90% of U.S. households, Oliver saw an opportunity to turn a beloved tradition...

Ever wondered what it would actually take to drop insurance participation—but weren’t sure how to make it work?   This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian sit down with Dr. Brian Edwards, a preventive-focused dentist who has successfully transitioned out of network with all insurance plans while continuing to grow a thriving, patient-centered practice.   Dr. Edwards shares how he transformed...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Brian and Pam continue the conversation on practice transitions—this time through the lens of the buyer.   They’re joined by Brian Hanks, a seasoned buyer’s advocate who pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to purchase a dental practice in today’s market. From timing the decision to buy, to identifying what actually makes a practice a strong opportunity,...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Brian and Pam sit down with Brian Franco for a candid, eye-opening conversation that challenges how dentists think about the value of their practices.   Brian makes a compelling case that a dental practice is, first and foremost, a business—and should be evaluated and sold like any other business. But here’s the twist: it’s not collections, production, or even EBIT...

Is your office manager truly managing—or simply keeping the office running day to day?   This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Brian and Pam are joined by the one and only Dr. Roger Levin, who brings his decades of experience in practice management and dental consulting to a critical (and often overlooked) topic: what it really takes to build an effective office manager.   Too often, office managers ar...

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) has been around for years—but how it’s actually used in practice is still widely misunderstood. In this episode, Dr. Brian Novy and Dr. Pam Maragliano take a closer look at where SDF fits in modern caries management, what clinicians often get wrong, and why it continues to spark debate.   From technique missteps to patient communication, this conversation moves beyond...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian sit down with Dr. Jonny Norris, the creator of an upcoming Netflix documentary that promises to challenge long-held assumptions in dentistry and spark important conversations with patients. As the profession anticipates a public spotlight on treatment decisions and standards of care, Dr. Norris shares his perspective on minimal intervention dentistry...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian chat with Dr. Charlie Ward, who was recently accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Ward pulls back the curtain on what it truly takes to earn AACD accreditation—from the specific types of cases required and the rigorous evaluation process to the mentorship, preparation, and mindset shifts that made the difference. He also share...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Brian and Pam  sit down with Dr. Jason Auerbach—better known to many as @bloodytoothguy. With a schedule that seems nonstop, we finally ask the question everyone’s wondering: does he still see patients? (Spoiler: you’ll have to tune in.)  Beyond the social media persona, Dr. Auerbach dives into serious clinical ground—highlighting the critical importance of thoroug...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian sit down with renowned pharmacologist Tom Viola for a timely and practical conversation on preventives in dentistry. From the latest updates on antibiotic prophylaxis to what every dental professional should know about the growing use of PrEP and PEP, this episode breaks down complex pharmacology into clear, clinical takeaways you can use immediately....

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, we cover Brian’s all-time favorite topic… saliva. Pam and Brian sit down with Dr. Paul Slowey—the innovator behind many of the salivary diagnostic tests transforming health care today. He’s the mind behind cutting-edge saliva tests, including the one used by the NFL to help determine whether a player has suffered a concussion. But that’s just the beginning. What if...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam Maragliano and Brian Novy take a deep dive into one of dentistry’s most talked-about preventive materials: Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF). They break down what SDF is, how it works at the chemical and clinical levels, and how to thoughtfully select the right cases to ensure predictable, patient-centered outcomes. But the conversation doesn’t stop there. There’s...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian sit down with Dr. Uche Odiatu for a conversation that goes far beyond the operatory.   With RFK’s newly proposed inverted food pyramid making headlines, what does it actually mean for your patients—and for your own daily life? Dr. Odiatu breaks down how today’s heavily processed diet (now making up 55% of adults’ and 65% of children’s calories) is imp...

In Part Two, the conversation expands beyond one individual’s story to examine what it means for all of us in dentistry.   Building on her lived experience, our guest shares insights on how transitioning reshaped her approach to patient care and why empathy is essential in creating trust and safety in the dental setting. Together, we discuss how dental professionals can better support transgender...

In part one of this two-part series, we sit down with a dentist who shares her deeply personal journey of coming out as transgender and the profound impact it had on every aspect of her life. She reflects on years of struggling with her identity, navigating complex family dynamics, and facing the very real fear of losing the dental practice she worked so hard to build when she decided to transitio...

In this engaging episode, Brian and Pam chat with Dr. Jeannette MacLean, a board-certified pediatric dentist, as they dive into the power of effective partnerships between general dentists and pediatric specialists to deliver the best possible oral health outcomes for children.

Millions of patients walk into dental offices each year with jaw tension, headaches, or clenching—classic signs of TMJ disorder—yet most leave without a true solution. For years, dentists have been limited to mouthguards, Botox, or referrals, missing both a clinical and business opportunity hiding in plain sight. In this episode of the Dental Economics podcast, we sit down with Dr. Jonathan Levine...

This week on Dentistry Unmasked, Pam and Brian sit down with Dr. Keith Nicholson—an orthodontist, MBA, and practice transition expert—for a wide-ranging, eye-opening conversation about what dentists aren’t taught in school. From learning business the hard way in private practice to earning an MBA at Wharton, Keith shares powerful insights on practice growth, smart investments, CRM systems, patient...