The Very Dental Podcast Network

Zach, Kevin and Al have been tiptoeing around it for three episodes, but today we do a deep dive on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! The guys break down the highly secretive, two-step nomination process—debunking the illusion of the "fan vote"—and call out the historical genre biases that left iconic stadium rock, heavy metal, and progressive bands frozen out for decades. From debating the definiti...

In this episode, Alan returns from a high-stakes, five-day marathon chaperoning a high-school band trip to Orlando. Behind the magic of Disney venues, full-on recording sessions, and a 48-hour round-trip bus ride, he finds a fascinating study of human behavior under pressure. From Disney's multi-million-dollar mastery of the queue to a universal lack of spatial awareness on the park paths, Alan br...

Celebrating his 12th anniversary in podcasting, host Dr. Alan Mead presents a special episode of The Very Dental Podcast featuring a re-release of the second installment of The Dental Hacks Podcast from June 2014. Dr. Mead kicks off the show by recalling how the original "cliffhanger" format originally drove a young Dr. Zach Meiners crazy, leading to a nostalgic and concurrent release of this payo...

Celebrating his 12th anniversary in podcasting, host Dr. Alan Mead presents a special episode of The Very Dental Podcast featuring a re-release of the very first installment of The Dental Hacks Podcast from June 2014. Dr. Mead reflects on his journey since launching Dental Hacks with original co-host Dr. Jason Lipscomb, noting how much the landscape has changed over the past decade. The vintage ep...

Welcome back to Very Clinical for "Rock and Roll, Part 3"—the latest installment of our ongoing, completely dentistry-free detour into the music that shaped our lives. In this episode, Zach, Kevin (aka: K-Rock), and Alan shift the spotlight away from the frontmen and look at the "corporate" machinery and unsung geniuses behind the greatest eras of pop and rock. We dive deep into the legendary coll...

Alan discusses the unexpected clinical and relational insights discovered after a part-time hygienist's departure forced him to step back into the hygiene column. Challenging traditional dental consultant dogma that screams "dentists shouldn't do hygiene," Alan shares his four-month journey of slowing down to find the hidden, high-value ROI of performing his own preventive recalls. From capturing...

Alan welcomes Susan Cahill, the Chief Operating Officer of Net32, to break down how the online marketplace model is fundamentally reshaping how dental practices buy supplies. Moving away from the traditional, often opaque sales rep model, Susan explains how Net32 acts as a transparent intermediary where over a hundred vendors actively compete for your practice's business. They dive into the crucia...

In this episode, the guys dive deep into the multifactorial nature of noncarious cervical lesions (NCCLs). Moving past outdated single-cause theories like pure toothbrush abrasion or simple nighttime grinding, the discussion shifts toward a comprehensive look at systemic triggers, specifically the massive role of airway issues and sleep apnea. The hosts debate the intersecting impact of clenching,...

In this episode of the Alan Mead Experience , Alan faces down a long-hidden clinical shortcoming: his "shame drawer" of inadequate patient charting. Transitioning from a clunky paper-digital hybrid system, Alan discusses how AI-driven dictation and medical scribes are revolutionizing clinical documentation by delivering flawless, detailed notes in a fraction of the time. From discussing the legal...

In this episode of Group Function , Alan connects with fellow Michiganders Austin and Lindsay Ritter, the husband-and-wife team behind Ascentcare Dental Products. Austin shares his unique journey from an HR background to dental product innovation, inspired by casual, after-hours brainstorming sessions with a dentist neighbor. They dive deep into the engineering behind their flagship Vacu-Lux Isola...

The crew is back for Part 2 of their deep dive into classic rock and roll, shifting the conversation from the physical exhibits of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the fascinating evolution of how we consume and distribute music. Zach, Kevin, and Alan discuss why we love music award shows, the historic regional importance of radio towns like Cleveland and Detroit, and how the transition from crat...

Alan explores his recent deep dive into hardware-based AI recorders like the Plaud AI and HiDock P1. He details how he successfully utilized the HiDock to transcribe and organize a school chaperone meeting, before tackling the elephant in the room for medical professionals: the high cost of compliant AI scribing software. Alan breaks down why medical AI solutions carry a premium price tag, pointin...

In this episode of the Group Function podcast, Alan sits down with Joe Chickerillo and Lana Rivera to recap an incredible Chicago Midwinter meeting and dive deep into why the word "consultant" feels broken in modern dentistry. Joe shares his "first and only" philosophy for evaluating tech startups and disruptive ideas, while Lana leverages her 20+ years of industry experience to unpack the critica...

In this special, off-topic feature of the Very Clinical Podcast , hosts Zach and Kevin trade dental bonding agent chat for guitars and grit. They welcome Alan to kick off a multi-part series on the cultural endurance of rock and roll music. Inspired by Alan's recent trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the trio dives deep into Kevin's theory of the  "grocery store enigma" —the bizarre phenomeno...

Alan dives into the clinical and psychological mysteries of pain tolerance and the supreme value of profound anesthesia. Alan opens up about a humbling experience with a phobic patient who simply wouldn't go numb, his deep love for his trusty Septodont Perject "pencil" syringe, and why he fiercely stands by Itena DentoTemp for zero-failure provisionals. Wrap it all up with a passionate, unfiltered...

Alan sits down with  George Khoury , VP of Enterprise Sales at Net32 , to discuss the evolution of the dental supply industry. Drawing on his 30-year career—spanning the early days of digital X-rays at Schick to nearly two decades at Henry Schein—George provides a candid look at why the traditional "high-touch" sales rep model is facing significant pressure. They explore how Net32 functions as a t...

In this throwback episode from 2023 Alan revisits a long-standing "chip on his shoulder": the persistent and often unscientific demand for antibiotic premedication in joint replacement patients. Sparked by his own wife's hip surgery, Alan dives into the disconnect between evidence-based ADA/AAOS guidelines and the "premedicate for life" culture maintained by many orthopedic surgeons. With his sign...

Alan recovers from a Mother's Day brunch—feeling a bit like a boa constrictor that swallowed a goat—to discuss a profound connection between the worlds of 12-step recovery and clinical dentistry. Drawing on his 24 years of recovery, Alan explores the "spiritual principles" of honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness, and how they apply to patients struggling with rampant tooth decay. He shares a...

In this special compilation episode of the Very Dental Podcast , Alan explores one of the most universal and uniquely blunt experiences in the profession: the "I hate dentists" phenomenon. Recorded live at the 2026 Voices of Dentistry meeting in Arizona, this episode features a wide-ranging roundtable of perspectives from doctors Eric Applesies, Alex Kantor, Paul Etchison, Tiana Hall, Abe Hoellric...

This throwback episode from May 2024 brings together Zach, Kevin and Al for a candid look at how their clinical philosophies have evolved over decades of practice. From the baseball diamonds of the Midwest to the operatory, the guys dive into the "then vs. now" of daily dentistry. They tackle the shift from buried subgingival margins to biology-first placement, the transition from "last resort" ha...

Alan explores the shifting landscape of digital reputation, from the "gold rush" era of 2018 to the current state of consumer skepticism and review fatigue. He dives into how online feedback has largely replaced traditional SEO and Yellow Pages for dental marketing, specifically through its influence on the Google "three-pack." He balances his perspective as a practice owner—noting how automated s...

Recorded live at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting,Alan is joined by Kate Reinert and Brian Shoberg from Zirc Dental Products to the podcast lounge. The trio discusses the evolving landscape of dental trade shows in the digital age and the enduring value of hands-on continuing education. Brian and Kate introduce Zirc's latest innovation: a double-sided, one-piece soft grip mirror designed to improve v...

In this throwback episode Alan and Dr. Dawn Grimes explore the unexpected parallels between physical and mental decluttering. Starting with the simple, visceral satisfaction of a "dump run," the conversation pivots to the "self-administered poison" of modern media. Alan shares his recent transition to a three-day clinical work week and the surprising discovery that has changed his morning routine:...

Alan gets candid about the "aging practice" and the sobering clinical hurdles of geriatric dentistry. As both he and his long-term patients cross major milestones, Alan explores the dangerous intersection of polypharmacy , xerostomia , and the "comfort food" trap of sugary hard candies. The discussion dives deep into why the dental "ratchet" only turns one way, the necessity of shifting toward mor...

Alan sits down with  Dr. Michael Wenzel (known to his YouTube fans as " Michael the Dentist ") to discuss the transformative power of the dental microscope. From his early days of "magnification envy" at dental conferences to becoming a leading voice in dental videography, Michael shares how switching from loops to a scope changed his clinical flow and patient communication. The two dive deep into...