The Very Dental Podcast Network

Recent Episodes

1. Very Dental Classics: Finesse, Panache, Elan with Dr. Bart Schultz

   Jul 21, 2026

   Dr. Bart Schultz, a seasoned dentist and best friend of host Dr. Alan Meade from dental school, joins the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about clinical dentistry, practice philosophy, and life balance. The discussion spans complex restorative cases (implants, bone grafts, sinus lifts), patient communication challenges, treatment planning across multiple phases, and the 'all-on-4' approach. They reflect on their 23-year careers since graduation, personal purchases and consumerism, the importance of doing work that brings joy, and Bart's recent experience with his father's full-mouth dental rehabilitation.

2. AME: The Averages

   Jul 20, 2026

   Dr. Alan Mead, host of the Alan Meade Experience, discusses his personal experiences with chainsaw use while preparing for his son's graduation party on his 40-acre farm, and reflects on a challenging tooth extraction case that prompted deeper thinking about dental fee structures. The episode centers on Mead's observation that general dentists typically charge flat fees regardless of procedure difficulty, forcing them to 'live within the averages' rather than scale fees based on actual complexity, time, and patient difficulty factors.

3. Group Function: From Hours to Minutes with Erez Druk and Dr. Giles Damron

   Jul 17, 2026

   Erez Druk, co-founder and CEO of Freed AI, discusses his AI-powered medical scribe software that converts clinical conversations into structured notes. Joined by returning guest Dr. Giles Damron, a practicing dentist who has used Freed for two years, they explore how the technology reduces documentation burden across 100+ medical specialties, with specific focus on dental applications, customization capabilities, and upcoming features like AI-powered front desk scheduling.

4. Very Clinical: Streamline Your Implant "Tackle Box" with Dr. Chris Salierno

   Jul 14, 2026

   Dr. Chris Salerno, a restorative implant specialist from New York, joins the Very Clinical Podcast to discuss streamlining implant workflows and inventory management using the Neos implant system. The episode covers his philosophy on implant restoration beyond simple placement, the benefits of single-platform implant systems for reducing inventory complexity, and innovative Neos components like aesthetic healing abutments and tissue formers. Salerno emphasizes learning from clinical complications and shares insights on implant economics and practice efficiency.

5. AME: The Rise of the Instant Expert

   Jul 13, 2026

   Alan B., host of the Alan Meade Experience podcast and practicing dentist, discusses the rise of "instant experts" and influencer culture across recovery and dentistry. He critiques sobriety influencers with minimal clean time who monetize recovery through sponsored content, yoga posts, and mocktail promotions, contrasting their polished "pink cloud" aesthetic with the humility and anonymity of traditional 12-step recovery. He draws parallels to dental influencers—often newly graduated—who present unrealistic highlight reels of cosmetic cases without showing failures, remakes, or the grinding reality of building a dental practice.

6. Very Dental: Recovery and Layered Learning with Dr. Steve Ratcliff

   Jul 10, 2026

   Dr. Steve Ratcliff, a faculty member at Spear Education since 2009, discusses his journey in dental education, the evolution of Spear's online learning platform, and the power of study clubs for interdisciplinary learning. Ratcliff shares his personal recovery story and how it shaped his mentorship philosophy, and discusses the concept of 'layered learning'—how repeated exposure to concepts at different times deepens understanding. He also addresses career reinvention, the shift from traditional teaching to business operations, and how modern learners, particularly millennials, are influencing dental education.

7. Very Clinical: Walking Away to Win with Dr. Randy Houska

   Jul 7, 2026

   Dr. Randy Houska, a solo general dentist from South Dakota, joins the Very Clinical Podcast to bust myths and share clinical pro tips. He debunks the common misconception that pregnancy causes calcium loss in teeth, explaining that poor oral hygiene during morning sickness is the actual culprit. Houska also shares a surgical extraction technique: stepping away from a difficult tooth for 10 minutes allows bone resorption and bleeding pressure to loosen it, sometimes eliminating the need for sectioning.

8. AME: Endpoints

   Jul 6, 2026

   Dr. Alan Mead, host of the Alan Meade Experience podcast and practicing dentist, delivers a solo monologue exploring the concept of clinical endpoints in dentistry. He discusses his growing appreciation for procedures with clear, binary endpoints—particularly extractions and biofilm removal with disclosing solutions—contrasting these with the ambiguous endpoints of restorative procedures like caries removal and crown placement. Throughout the episode, Mead reflects on the perfectionism inherent in dentistry and the mental toll of procedures lacking obvious completion markers, culminating in a real-time example when a crown he had just seated shifts during the recording, illustrating his central thesis.

9. Very Dental: The 80/20 Rule of Dental Hygiene with Beth Parkes

   Jul 3, 2026

   Beth Parkes, a dental hygienist and continuing education educator from Canada, discusses the 80/20 rule of dental hygiene—combining 80% ultrasonic instrumentation with 20% hand instrumentation for optimal results. The episode covers trending topics in hygiene including the resurgence of disclosing solutions, emerging retraction tools like the Vision Butler (Spandex Advanced in the US), sharpen-free versus sharpen-less hand instruments, and the concept of lean instrument trays with accessory kits for clinical efficiency.

10. Very Clinical: 12 Crowns and $350K in Debt? Inside Modern Dental Education

    Jun 30, 2026

    Dr. Melinda Meredith, a faculty member at UMKC dental school who teaches operative dentistry and works on the clinic floor, joins hosts Kevin and Zach to discuss the current state of dental education post-COVID. The episode covers major changes including the elimination of live patient boards in favor of standardized typodont exams, the transition to integrated written boards, declining student clinical reps (particularly crowns dropping to 12), and the growing student debt crisis with graduates leaving with approximately $350,000 in loans. The conversation also explores systemic issues including reduced state funding for public dental schools, decreased faculty support, and concerns about graduate competency levels.