“Instagram is dentistry and Facebook is where friends and family are… Instagram is like meth, I can’t get off it.” — Alan Mead Alan sits down with a powerhouse trio—Dr. Russell Schafer, Dr. Mitch Hopkins, and Dr. Matt Standridge—live from Voices of Dentistry 2026. They bridge the gap between “Instagram Dentistry” and the daily grind…
Kevin and Zach welcome back Dr. Alan Mead for a discussion of modern geriatric dentistry. It’s not as much a recipe book for treating older patients but how the guys have seen their geriatric patient population change over time. They discuss the massive divide between “spry” seniors and those struggling with late-life health declines, the…
Alan dives deep into his decades-long journey with high magnification dentistry. In this episode, Alan breaks down why high-powered magnification isn’t just for practitioners with “bad eyes” and why it has become the most humbling yet rewarding tool in his operatory. From the technical evolution of the varioscope to the critical importance of specialized lighting,…
This special Saturday episode of the Very Dental Podcast is all about the upcoming Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting! Alan Mead sits down with Dr. Phil Schefke, President of the Chicago Dental Society (CDS), to preview the 2026 Midwinter Meeting. Whether you’re a 30-year veteran of the meeting or a dental student looking for your first…
“I think we’re reaching a breaking point where people are starting to reflect and say, ‘Man, I don’t know if the juice is worth the squeeze anymore.’” — Dr. Paul Etchison Recorded live at Voices of Dentistry 2026 in sunny Gilbert, Arizona, Alan sits down with a VOD favorite, Dr. Paul Etchison of the Dental…
Zach and Kevin welcome Alan back to the show by commiserating over those moments where you look at your schedule and wonder why you (or your past self) agreed to a specific procedure. Kevin’s #16 Crown Prep: Kevin recounts the dread of seeing a crown prep on a third molar (#16) at 8:00 AM. Despite…
Alan discusses his “whirlwind” travel plans for the Chicago Midwinter Meeting, reviews the new Bioclear TSS Matrix system, and shares his first impressions of the remarkably small Shining 3D Elf scanner. Key Highlights The Chicago Midwinter Strategy Alan is opting for a surgical strike on Chicago this year: The Schedule: Working Thursday, driving to Indiana,…
In this episode of the Group Function podcast, host Alan Mead sits down with Dr. Alex Kantor and Dr. Eric Applesies from the Just a Couple of Dentists podcast to unpack the “regular ass dentist” experience of buying, starting, running and selling dental practices! Fresh off their presentation at the 2026 Voices of Dentistry conference,…
In this episode Alan sits down with Dr. Abe Hoellrich in Scottsdale, Arizona, during the Voices of Dentistry conference! Abe’s practice focuses on sedation dentistry in Columbus, Ohio. He offers an insider’s perspective on the “turf battles” surrounding anesthesia privileges, weighing the tensions between general dentists, oral surgeons, and medical doctors. The discussion highlights the…
In this episode of the Very Clinical podcast, Zach and Kevin explore the evolution of social media within the dental profession, tracing the landscape from the early days of message boards like Dentaltown to the current era of Facebook groups, Reddit, and X. The hosts reflect on their personal experiences as digital observers and participants,…