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

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

This throwback episode from 2023 features Dr. Meylinda Meredith. Zach and Kevin welcome back special guest Meylinda, as they kick things off with some hilariously relatable (and occasionally creepy) bad neighbor stories. The conversation then shifts to the front lines of dental education, diving into the post-COVID realities of dental school, the controversial shift to pass/fail and typodont-based board exams, skyrocketing tuition costs, and the critical decline of clinical "reps" for incoming graduates. Some links from the show: * UMKC School of Dentistry Alumni Page [https://dentistry.umkc.edu/alumni/] * Stevenson Dental Solutions YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@StevensonDentalSolutions] Join the Very Clinical Facebook group! [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1731846006905360] Join the Very Dental Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/752256272130042] 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! We're proud to be supported by the folks at Net32! https://www.net32.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=very-dental-fb I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method [https://www.bioclearmatrix.com/bioclear-learning-center/]! 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. 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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay]!

Very Dental: Airway, Orthodontics and Omissions with Dr. Matt Standridge, part 2

The cliffhanger is paid off in this highly anticipated follow-up episode! Alan welcomes back Dr. Matt Standridge to finish their deep dive into the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) controversial white paper on Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). Matt pulls back the curtain on the paper's actual citation list, exposing questionable sample sizes, misplaced reference numbers, and instances where the AAO's conclusions directly contradict the very research they cited. From the true diagnostic value of CBCT scans to the data surrounding tongue ties, premolar extractions, and palatal expansion, this episode explores the standard of evidence-based medicine in modern orthodontics and highlights the massive opportunity ahead for practitioners willing to follow the science. Some links from the show: * Sleep-disordered Breathing and [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1] Orthodontics: An American Association [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1] of Orthodontists white paper update [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1] * Matt Standridge's VERY thorough rebuttal [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.2] * Matt would like to thank some mentors/friends for the inspiration: Drs Mark Deluke, Audrey Yoon, Tracey Nguyen, Jeff Rouse, and Marianna Evans Join the Very Dental Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/752256272130042] using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, McWethy, Papa Randy, Frank 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! We're proud to be supported by the folks at Net32! https://www.net32.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=very-dental-fb I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method [https://www.bioclearmatrix.com/bioclear-learning-center/]! 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. 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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay]!

Very Dental: Airway, Orthodontics and Omissions with Dr. Matt Standridge, part 1

Alan is once again joined by podcast veteran Dr. Matt Standridge to dissect the American Association of Orthodontists' (AAO) controversial 2026 white paper on sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and orthodontics. Together, they pull back the curtain on the document's surprising omissions—including a shrinking author panel that entirely removed sleep physicians—and critique its heavy, restrictive reliance on full polysomnography (PSG) as a gatekeeper for early pediatric intervention. Dr. Standridge highlights how the paper's narrow scope and questionable citations conflict with both well-established historical data and contemporary European medical guidelines, framing the white paper more as a defensive "CYA" document than a progressive guide for patient care. Some links from the show: * Sleep-disordered Breathing and [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1] Orthodontics: An American Association [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1] of Orthodontists white paper update [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1] * Matt Standridge's VERY thorough rebuttal [https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMVjNzJHzzXvVZnNWGBhRrjvf?projector=1&messagePartId=0.2] * Matt would like to thank some mentors/friends for the inspiration: Drs Mark Deluke, Audrey Yoon, Tracey Nguyen, Jeff Rouse, and Marianna Evans Join the Very Dental Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/752256272130042] using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, McWethy, Papa Randy, Frank 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! We're proud to be supported by the folks at Net32! https://www.net32.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=very-dental-fb I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method [https://www.bioclearmatrix.com/bioclear-learning-center/]! 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. 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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay]!

Very Clinical: Is Academic Dentistry Better Than Private Practice?

This throwback episode from 2023 features Dr. Meylinda Meredith. Zach and Kevin sit down with Meylinda, a fellow UMKC dental school alumnus and current clinical faculty member teaching operative dentistry. They dive into a fascinating discussion comparing private practice associateships with a career in dental education, exploring everything from the perks of academic vacation time to the unique traits of Gen Z dental students and how "just-in-time" learning changes the way they absorb material. The trio also discusses the modern integration of digital scanning versus traditional PVS impressions in a dental school setting, before wrapping up with a fun round of UMKC dental trivia. Some links from the show: * UMKC School of Dentistry Alumni Page [https://dentistry.umkc.edu/alumni/] * Stevenson Dental Solutions YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@StevensonDentalSolutions] Join the Very Clinical Facebook group! [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1731846006905360] Join the Very Dental Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/752256272130042] 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! We're proud to be supported by the folks at Net32! https://www.net32.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=very-dental-fb I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method [https://www.bioclearmatrix.com/bioclear-learning-center/]! 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. 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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay]!

AME: No More Joint Premedication?

Alan dives into the long-awaited alignment between dentists and orthopedic surgeons regarding antibiotic premedication for joint replacement patients. Reflecting on a wildly sarcastic blog post he wrote back in 2012 [https://thebloggingdentist.com/?p=211], Alan breaks down the history of joint prophylaxis confusion—from the shotgun antibiotic approach of the 1990s to the frustratingly vague "case-by-case" guidelines of 2012 and 2017. He highlights the game-changing late-2024 AAOS/ADA update, which officially confirms that routine systemic antibiotics do not reduce the risk of periprosthetic joint infections. Alan shares his exact, blunt office protocol letter designed to push back against old-school surgeons who refuse to follow modern data, explains why patient safety and antibiotic stewardship must override legal fears Some links from the show: * "Meet the New Guidelines, Same as the Old Guidelines" [https://thebloggingdentist.com/?p=211] * Latest AAOS recommendation [https://www.aaos.org/globalassets/quality-and-practice-resources/dental/dental-2024/prevention-of-total-hip-and-knee-arthroplasty-pji-in-patients-undergoing-dental-procedures-cpg.pdf] * AAOS evidence base [https://www.orthoguidelines.org/topic?id=1050&tab=all_guidelines] * Alan's letter [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c5cLe4i751-BB9pU1u3YbbVaq2u5howCCOLPDK-8TxM/edit?usp=sharing] Join the Very Dental Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/752256272130042] 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! We're proud to be supported by the folks at Net32! https://www.net32.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=very-dental-fb I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method [https://www.bioclearmatrix.com/bioclear-learning-center/]! 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. 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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.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 [http://www.verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay]!