Protrusive Dental Podcast

The most important part of your surgery isn’t plugged in, mounted, or calibrated. It’s the person standing beside you. Have you ever dreaded walking into a beautiful practice with lovely patients — purely because of who you share the surgery with? What do you actually do, in the moment, when your assistant rolls their eyes at a request for rubber dam? And should you be friends with your assistant...

The most important part of your surgery isn’t plugged in, mounted, or calibrated. It’s the person standing beside you. Have you ever dreaded walking into a beautiful practice with lovely patients — purely because of who you share the surgery with? What do you actually do, in the moment, when your assistant rolls their eyes at a request for rubber dam? And should you be friends with your assistant...

Is rotary really better than reciprocating? Can you safely skip the glide path with modern reciprocating systems? What is the best file system for a GDP who wants predictable endodontic results? And perhaps the biggest question of all: does the file system matter as much as we think it does? In Part 2 of the Endo Showdown, Dr Samuel Johnson returns to tackle some of the most common questions denti...

Is rotary really better than reciprocating? Can you safely skip the glide path with modern reciprocating systems? What is the best file system for a GDP who wants predictable endodontic results? And perhaps the biggest question of all: does the file system matter as much as we think it does? In Part 2 of the Endo Showdown, Dr Samuel Johnson returns to tackle some of the most common questions denti...

Rotary or reciprocating files — which should you actually be using? Is one safer than the other? Does reciprocation really reduce file separation? Are you choosing your system because it suits the canal anatomy, or because it is simply the one you were taught? Endodontic file systems can feel like a maze of brands, tapers, alloys, motions and marketing claims. But beneath all that noise, the real...

Rotary or reciprocating files — which should you actually be using? Is one safer than the other? Does reciprocation really reduce file separation? Are you choosing your system because it suits the canal anatomy, or because it is simply the one you were taught? Endodontic file systems can feel like a maze of brands, tapers, alloys, motions and marketing claims. But beneath all that noise, the real...

Should we still be drilling early caries lesions? Where do peptides, resin infiltration, fluoride varnish and SDF actually fit in modern practice? Is hydroxyapatite toothpaste a genuine alternative to fluoride, or just another dental trend? And when you see that suspicious grey occlusal shadow, do you seal it, explore it, or actively surveil it? In part two of this modern caries management episode...

Should we still be drilling early caries lesions? Where do peptides, resin infiltration, fluoride varnish and SDF actually fit in modern practice? Is hydroxyapatite toothpaste a genuine alternative to fluoride, or just another dental trend? And when you see that suspicious grey occlusal shadow, do you seal it, explore it, or actively surveil it? In part two of this modern caries management episode...

If you showed the same bitewing to 10 dentists, would they all agree on whether to pick up the drill? Why does the word monitoring mean nothing to a patient — and how does swapping it for active surveillance change everything from your notes to your indemnity to your government policy meetings? Is it overtreatment to act on an E2 lesion — or is “watch and wait” actually the lazy answer dressed up...

If you showed the same bitewing to 10 dentists, would they all agree on whether to pick up the drill? Why does the word monitoring mean nothing to a patient — and how does swapping it for active surveillance change everything from your notes to your indemnity to your government policy meetings? Is it overtreatment to act on an E2 lesion — or is “watch and wait” actually the lazy answer dressed up...

Why does dentistry on social media look so perfect? Are those flawless before-and-after cases the reality of everyday practice—or just the highlight reel? And why aren’t we talking more openly about the failures, frustrations, and imperfect outcomes that every dentist experiences? In this episode, Dr Artem Mkrtichyan joins Jaz for a refreshingly honest conversation about the realities of modern de...

Why does dentistry on social media look so perfect? Are those flawless before-and-after cases the reality of everyday practice—or just the highlight reel? And why aren’t we talking more openly about the failures, frustrations, and imperfect outcomes that every dentist experiences? In this episode, Dr Artem Mkrtichyan joins Jaz for a refreshingly honest conversation about the realities of modern de...

Why does occlusion feel so confusing at dental school? What if the problem is not that occlusion is too complex, but that it was taught in the wrong order? How do you make sense of worn teeth, bite scans, shimstock, leaf gauges, provisionals and T-Scan without getting overwhelmed? And which small ideas can genuinely change the way you diagnose, plan and restore? In this episode, Jaz is joined by D...

Why does occlusion feel so confusing at dental school? What if the problem is not that occlusion is too complex, but that it was taught in the wrong order? How do you make sense of worn teeth, bite scans, shimstock, leaf gauges, provisionals and T-Scan without getting overwhelmed? And which small ideas can genuinely change the way you diagnose, plan and restore? In this episode, Jaz is joined by D...

Are we overcomplicating posterior composites? Are those beautiful fissures and stains actually helping the patient… or just us? Why does that “perfect” restoration suddenly need 20 minutes of occlusal adjustment after rubber dam removal? And how can we make functional, predictable composites without burning time or stress? In this episode, Dr. Vishaal Shah shares a refreshingly practical approach...

Are we overcomplicating posterior composites? Are those beautiful fissures and stains actually helping the patient… or just us? Why does that “perfect” restoration suddenly need 20 minutes of occlusal adjustment after rubber dam removal? And how can we make functional, predictable composites without burning time or stress? In this episode, Dr. Vishaal Shah shares a refreshingly practical approach...

When is it appropriate to consider an MRI for your TMD patient? What’s actually involved in MRI of the TMJ? Can you use any MRI machine, or is the choice of imaging center crucial? And who should be reporting on these scans — does it really matter? (Hint: yes, it does!) Dr. Kevin Lotzof , a straight-talking radiologist, joins Jaz for a controversial deep dive into the role of MRI in Temporomandibu...

When is it appropriate to consider an MRI for your TMD patient? What’s actually involved in MRI of the TMJ? Can you use any MRI machine, or is the choice of imaging center crucial? And who should be reporting on these scans — does it really matter? (Hint: yes, it does!) Dr. Kevin Lotzof , a straight-talking radiologist, joins Jaz for a controversial deep dive into the role of MRI in Temporomandibu...

Is titanium still the gold standard for implants? Are zirconia implants just hype from biological dentistry… or something more? Do ceramic implants really integrate as well as titanium? And should we already be offering patients a choice? Zirconia implants are no longer a fringe concept—they’re entering mainstream conversations. In this episode, Dr. Pav Khaira returns to break down the science, cl...

Is titanium still the gold standard for implants? Are zirconia implants just hype from biological dentistry… or something more? Do ceramic implants really integrate as well as titanium? And should we already be offering patients a choice? Zirconia implants are no longer a fringe concept—they’re entering mainstream conversations. In this episode, Dr. Pav Khaira returns to break down the science, cl...

Is burnout inevitable in dentistry? Why do so many high-achieving dentists still feel unfulfilled? Are we too harsh on ourselves without even realising it? And what if the way we speak to ourselves is the real problem? In this episode, Jaz sits down with Dr Aditi Bhalla —a Prosthodontist and Integrative Psychotherapist, with over 15 years in dentistry and extensive training in mental health, mindf...

Is burnout inevitable in dentistry? Why do so many high-achieving dentists still feel unfulfilled? Are we too harsh on ourselves without even realising it? And what if the way we speak to ourselves is the real problem? In this episode, Jaz sits down with Dr Aditi Bhalla —a Prosthodontist and Integrative Psychotherapist, with over 15 years in dentistry and extensive training in mental health, mindf...

Are you sacrificing your health for your patients? Are your neck and back quietly dictating how long you can practise? Do you skip workouts because you “don’t have time”? And what if your career ended—not by choice, but because your body gave up first? In this episode, Jaz is joined by Fraser Smith , a sports scientist and nutrition expert, to break down what dentists actually need to do to stay h...

Are you sacrificing your health for your patients? Are your neck and back quietly dictating how long you can practise? Do you skip workouts because you “don’t have time”? And what if your career ended—not by choice, but because your body gave up first? In this episode, Jaz is joined by Fraser Smith , a sports scientist and nutrition expert, to break down what dentists actually need to do to stay h...

(This episode discusses suicide prevention and mental health. It does not include graphic details, but please listen with care. If this topic feels close to home, consider pausing and reaching out to someone you trust or a mental health professional.) Why does dentistry have such high levels of stress and burnout? Why do so many clinicians feel isolated despite working in busy practices? What are...