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The Dr. Phil Klein Dental Podcast Show
Series: Viva Learning Originals
Stay informed on the latest dental topics, innovations, procedures and insights with Viva Learning's podcast, The Dr. Phil Klein Dental Podcast Show. Listen and learn from expert dental clinicians and key opinion leaders. The Dr. Phil Klein Dental Podcast Show covers a broad range of dental topics and specialties. Listen to episodes that apply to your practice or branch out and discover new interests.

All Episodes:
Opening the VDO is Simple and Fast: Gives You Prosthetic Convenience and is Good For Your Patients!
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 5/15/2024
We've all seen patients with a worn dentition with loss of vertical dimension of occlusion. Is this a big deal? Well, it can cause TMJ issues and even sleep issues. And when it comes to preparing a single crown, we're often challenged with little occlusal clearance. So what is the simplest and best way to open up the VDO prior to doing your restorative dentistry? To tell us all about it is our guest Dr. Stephanie Vondrak. Dr. Vondrak owns and operates a private practice in Elkhorn, Nebraska. She has pursued over 600 hours of post-doctorate education in TMD, occlusion, orthodontics, and sleep apnea including the Pankey Institute, the Schuster Center, and the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain.
The Infection Control Coordinator's Impact on Dental Practices
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 5/8/2024
Why is it so important to have a designated ICC in your practice? Why can't your assistant handle all the infection control protocol? Or can they? This episode will clarify some of the confusion on this topic and really nail down why an ICC can be a game-changer for your practice. Our guest is Michelle Strange, a registered dent hygienist with a masters in Dental hygiene education. She brings over 20 years of experience to her numerous roles in dentistry. You can get more information including Michelle's ICC guidebook at levelupip.com.
3D Printing: The Future is Now...Sort Of
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 5/1/2024
Why has the popularity of 3D printing growing so quickly among US denitst? How does 3D printing differ from milling? Is 3D printing going to replace milling as a way to produce in-office restorations? What do you look for when buying a 3D printing system? To help us answer these questions and more is our guest Dr. Anthony Mennito. He has been involved with digital workflow in the dental practice for almost 20 years. He is in private practice in SC and is an adjunct faculty member at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Mennito also is part of an excellent in-person CE program in Charleston SC. You can find more info on that at imprescourses.com.
Unleashing the Team’s Impact on Practice Success
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 4/25/2024
The dental practice, today, is more complex than ever before. Each and every day, from the time a dental office opens its door, every facet of the business needs to run seamlessly. To be successful at it, the office must be super organized, have a team that works well together with really good systems in place. Our guest today, an expert in creating the model dental office, is Ella Mullokandova. She has over 16 years of experience as a dental hygienist and is co-founder of Converge Dental.
Full Arch Implant Therapy
CE Credits: 0.5 CEU Release Date: 4/22/2024
Immediate placement and loading of dental implants with full-arch fixed implant-supported prostheses has proven to be a successful treatment modality. In fact, it's becoming a standard treatment approach that provides an incredible service to patients by streamlining the transition from a terminal dentition to a fixed prosthesis. One of the big benefits with this approach is eliminating the need for an interim removable denture and reducing overall treatment time. However, full arch dental implant therapy does present some challenges. To tell us more about this is Dr. Isaac Tawil. Dr. Tawil received his Diplomate from the International Academy of Dental Implantology and is the founder of Advanced Implant Education. He is a graduate of NYU Dental School and practices in Brooklyn NY.
The Periodontal War: How Not to Lose
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 4/17/2024
There's a Perio war going on between the host and the invading bacteria. Can the host ever win? Our guest, Dr. Steven Milman, a periodontist will help us answer this question. Dr. Milman received his dental degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. He completed his Periodontal residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He was a researcher in periodontal microbiology and was a full time periodontist in his private practice in Round Rock and Austin, Texas for 36 years.
Oral Cancer and Head and Neck Evaluations: The Role of the Dental Practice and Getting Paid Through Medical Insurance
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 4/10/2024
Dentists are on the front lines when it comes to spotting signs of oral cancer and other abnormalities in the head and neck region. Yet, despite its importance, oral cancer screening is often overlooked during routine dental visits. Not only are these screenings vital for patient health, but they also present an opportunity for dental practices to leverage patients' medical insurance for reimbursement. To tell us all about it is Kandra Sellers. Kandra is a RDH with over 25 years in the dental industry. She is an educator in the field of oral systemic health, as well as founder and CEO of TIPS Medical Billing.
In-Office Milling: How to Transition to Single-Visit Dentistry
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 4/5/2024
In-office mills allow dental practices to offer crowns in a single visit. Are all systems alike? Do we incorporate a closed system or an open system? What are the advantages and disadvantages to both? To help us better understand all of this and make the right decisions in our digital dentistry journey is our guest, Dr Anthony Mennito. He has been involved with digital workflow in the dental practice for almost 20 years. He is in private practice in SC and is an adjunct faculty member at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Mennito also is part of an excellent in-person CE program in Charleston SC. You can find more info on that at imprescourses.com.
Get Paid for What You Do!
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 3/27/2024
You are in the tough position of pushing for the collections from the patient, or adjusting the balance down as a professional courtesy “write-off," leaving you with a lot less money. So what went wrong to put your office in this position in the first place? To help answer that question and address how to keep dental insurance money coming in seamlessly is our guest Dr. Dominque Fufidio. She is the CEO, Founder and main coach at Fufidio Consulting Group where she has pioneered a unique coaching offering: one focused on understanding the dental insurance claims review process. Her goal is to have dental practices benefit from her proven techniques to “build a better benefits reimbursement success rate.” She can be reached at https://fufidioconsultinggroup.com/
Implant Assessment: Fear Not, Your Guide Is Here!
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 3/21/2024
Accessing dental implant health is different than accessing the health of a natural tooth. So when it comes to implants and the surrounding tissue and bone, what do we look for and how do we proceed with our hygiene treatment and our recommendations to the patient regarding a feasible homecare strategy? Our guest is Michelle Strange, a registered dent hygienist with a masters in dental education. She brings over 20 years of experience to her numerous roles in dentistry. You can get more information at levelupip.com.
Navigating Responsible Cosmetic Dentistry for the Younger Generation
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 3/14/2024
At varying extents, most of us are doing cosmetic dentistry in our practice. But how do we manage the 12 year old that is suffering from what we call SnapChat Dsymorphia? It's a mindset that makes individuals feel inadequate as a result of constantly comparing themselves to social media influencers. They're requesting aggressive treatment like veneers hoping to turn their teeth into celebrity smiles. So what's the best way to approach this? To tell us more about it is our guest Dr. Susan McMahon. Dr. McMahon has devoted her professional career to the pursuit of advanced technologies in cosmetic and minimally invasive dentistry. She frequently lectures across the United States and abroad on minimally invasive dentistry, technology and conservative, undetectable cosmetic dentistry.
DSO, DPO, and DPG: Demystifying Corporate Dentistry Options
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 3/11/2024
Most dentists are noticing the changes in the industry. Supplies are getting more expensive, insurance collections are decreasing, and large dental organizations are moving into the neighborhood! So what's the difference between a DSO, DPO, and DPG? And why does all this matter and how does it affect you as a dentist and practice owner? To tell us all about it is Dr. Weston Spencer, Chief Dental Officer for SPP and a practicing general dentist in La Jolla, CA.
Attract, Convert and Deliver: Patient Communication
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 3/7/2024
This episode focuses on the importance of patient communication and what we can do as dentists to improve our communication skills and processes. Our guest is Dr. Todd Snyder, a regular contributor on Viva Learning.com, a cosmetic dentist, international author, lecturer and consultant to a variety of dental companies. You can reach Dr. Snyder at: https://www.legion.dentist/.

Thanks to our episode sponsors:

3M - https://www.3m.com/clarity-aligners-flex/
DENTALEZ - https://www.dentalez.com/
Navigating Dental Lasers: From Clinical Impact to Practice Integration
CE Credits: 0.5 CEU Release Date: 2/28/2024
In this episode, we'll be talking about dental lasers, exploring their multifaceted clinical uses, matching specific laser types with particular clinical applications, and discussing the reasons why every dentist should contemplate incorporating one into their operatory. Our guest is Dr. Scott Benjamin, who is in private practice in rural upstate NY and is an internationally recognized authority on dental lasers and advanced dental technologies. Dr. Benjamin has faculty appointments at several universities, is the Chairman of the ADA Standards Committee Working Group on Dental Lasers and is a Past-President of the Academy of Laser Dentistry. He currently serves on the editorial review board for several prestigious dental journals.
Establish Your Niche and Practice with Passion: Attract the Patients You Want to Treat
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 2/26/2024
To tell us how to establish your niche, spread the word and attract the kind of patients you want to treat is our guest, Dr. Lauren Rainey. Dr Rainey owns and operates her own clinical practice and currently teaches direct restorative techniques to dentists in the US & Canada.
The Art of High Case Acceptance
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 2/21/2024
Today we're going to address the age-old question, how do we increase patience acceptance of our treatment plans? Now there is a lot behind this, including quite a bit of psychology of course, so to help us put this all in perspective, is our guest Ella Mullokandova. Ella has over 16 years of experience as a dental hygienist and restorative dental partner. She is the co-founder of Converge Dental, a company that helps dental practices succeed and grow, emphasizing the importance of an organized, systematic approach to improved patient care and profitability.
Busting the Myth that More Production Guarantees Success
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 2/19/2024
So what do we mean by profit over production or even profit first. Doesn't this go against everything we're about as healthcare providers. Well, maybe not. Because working really hard and having little left over at the end of the week is not a sustainable situation nor is it good for your practice, employees or your patients. So lets talk with Dr. Julie Woods. She's a board-certified periodontist and has been practicing since graduating from Baylor College of Dentistry in 2004. Her book, Profit Over Production: Understand Dental Business and Choose Your Practice Destiny, was released in September 2023 and is still an Amazon best-seller.
Where to Begin: The Technology You Need to Begin Your Digital Journey
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 2/14/2024
Transitioning into a digital dental practice and streamlining your digital workflow can be a bit overwhelming. There is certainly a lot to learn and many things to think about before purchasing your new technology. So to help us get a better handle on all this is our guest Dr. Anthony Mennito. He has been involved with digital workflow in the dental practice for almost 20 years. He is in private practice in SC and is an adjunct faculty member at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Mennito also is part of an excellent in-person CE program in Charleston SC. You can find more info on that at imprescourses.com.
How to Keep it Together, Stay Happy and Have a Long Fulfilling Career: A Dentist's Perspective
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 2/8/2024
As a dental healthcare provider, are you feeling overwhelmed or burnt out? Do you have days where you're so exasperated with so many different things in your practice that you wonder how you can keep going to work every day. Well, according to many experts, you are not alone... So the question is what can you do to make things better, feel more fulfilled about your career and be, just plain happier? Well, it may not be as difficult as you may think to turn things around. To help us put this all in perspective and give us some real life recommendations into how to enjoy dentistry again is our guest Dr. Josie Dovidio, a dentist with 22 years experience and a certified wellness consultant.
The “Health-centered” Secret to Loving Your Practice
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 2/1/2024
What exactly is a health-centered practice? What's the advantage of being a health-centered practice? How does it grow your practice and really make you love what you do? To answer these questions is our guest Dr. Stephanie Vondrak. She owns and operates a private practice in Elkhorn, Nebraska. She has pursued over 600 hours of post-doctorate education in TMD, occlusion, orthodontics, and sleep apnea including the Pankey Institute, the Schuster Center, and the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain.
Safeguarding Against the Rise in Throat Cancer
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 1/31/2024
It cannot be overstated how important it is for the dentist to perform regular oral cancer exams on all patients. We've heard it many times, "early detection of cancer is critical for a favorable prognosis." In today's episode we'll be specifically talking about the rise in throat cancer and the dentist's role in safeguarding patients against this insidious and potentially deadly disease. To tell us more about it is our guest, Dr Mohammad Kamal. Dr Kamal completed his Pathology training at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in California, serving as a chief resident. He completed subspecialty fellowship training in Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology at UCLA and he is board certified in Anatomic Pathology. Dr. Kamal served as Medical Director of LabCorp’s Dianon Laboratory and as Chief Medical Officer for PLUS Diagnostics.
Minimally Traumatic Extractions for the GP
CE Credits: 0.5 CEU Release Date: 1/24/2024
One of the common procedures we do as dentists is remove teeth. And for most us, it's a fairly routine procedure. But with more research on the topic of tooth extraction and the extraction site itself, and how it all relates to implants, we're learning that minimizing the trauma to the surgical site is of utmost importance. To tell us more about this is Dr. Isaac Tawil. Dr Tawil received his Diplomate from the International Academy of Dental Implantology. He is a graduate of NYU Dental School and practices in Brooklyn NY.
Finding True North: How to Set and Stay the Course with Digital Dentistry
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 1/17/2024
Today we'll be talking with Cornelia Cone. Cornelia is the office manager, practice advisor and wife of Dr. Miles Cone. She and her husband run a boutique prosthodontic practice in Portland Maine. Cornelia has been instrumental in transitioning their practice from analog to digital and has gained great expertise in keeping their practice on course and successful in the realm of digital dentistry.
Cutting through the Gordian Knot: Where and How to Start your Digital Dentistry Adventure
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 1/10/2024
So how do we start our journey into digital dentistry? To help guide us through all of this is our guest Dr. Miles Cone. In addition to achieving board certification in Prosthodontics, Dr. Cone is also a Certified Dental Technician. He currently has a boutique practice in Portland Maine where he works closely with his wife Cornelia who is the office manager as well as his close advisor regarding many aspects of the practice.
Burn the Ships: Why I Embraced Digital Dentistry and Never Looked Back
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 1/3/2024
Only a year ago, Dr. Miles Cone, a respected prosthodontist and educator, made the big leap from analog to digital dentistry. It could be argued that he's entered the game a little late, but for years he resisted, based on a number of preconceived ideas about the kind of practice that actually needs and should have a digital dental practice. But once he entered into digital dentistry, everything changed. To tell us about his journey, why it happened and how it completely transformed his life is our guest, Dr Miles Cone. In addition to achieving board certification within his specialty of prosthodontics, Dr. Cone is also a Certified Dental Technician. He currently has a boutique practice in Portland Maine where he works closely with his wife Cornelia who is the office manager as well as his close advisor regarding many aspects of the practice.
HIPAA and the YELP War
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 10/16/2023
Did you ever get a bad online review? How did you respond? In this episode, we'll address some land mines to avoid when responding to a bad online review. Our guest is Dr. Karson Carpenter, dentist and CEO of Compliance Training Partners.
Attract, Convert and Deliver Part 1: Marketing Your Practice
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 10/9/2023
This episode is Part 1 of a 3 part series titled: Attract, Convert and Deliver. Part 1 deals specifically with Marketing Your Practice. Our guest is Dr. Todd Snyder, a regular contributor to Viva Learning.com, a cosmetic dentist, international author, lecturer and consultant to a variety of dental companies. He hosts a weekly podcast, Delusional: Winning the Weekly War of Dentistry. You can reach Dr. Snyder at: www.Legion.Dentist.
Photobiomodulation and What it Can Do for Dentistry
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 8/10/2023
In this episode we will discuss photobiomodulation (PBM) and how it plays a role in reducing inflammation and healing in dentistry. Joining us today is an expert in the field of dental lasers, Dr. Scott Benjamin. He is currently in private practice in upstate NY and has faculty appointments at several universities. He is the Chairman of the ADA Standards Committee Working Group on Dental Lasers and a Past-President of the Academy of Laser Dentistry.
Infection Control Protocol and the Disgruntled Employee
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 8/7/2023
Staying compliant with Infection Control protocol is of utmost importance to the health and safety of our patients. And we all know that every office should have stringent IC protocol in place per CDC guidelines. But in addition to the risk to the patient, the practice itself is also at risk by not being fully compliant. Our guest is Dr. Karson Carpenter, dentist and CEO of Compliance Training Partners. He will tell us about a situation where a disgruntled employee reported an office to the state board and how best to avoid and handle this situation.
Victory with Verbal Skills: Hygienist to Patient
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 7/19/2023
This episode discusses setting the stage and mastering verbal skills during the dental hygiene visit. There is a ton of great information in this one! Our guest is Kim Miller, a registered dental hygienist, international speaker, writer, trainer and coach. She is passionate about incorporating the oral systemic link and treating periodontal disease with the 'whole' body in mind.
It's Time to Make a Career Change: Pursuing My Passion To Become a Dentist
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 6/7/2023
Thanks for joining us. I'm Dr. Phil Klein. In the US, in 2022, there were about 11,000 dental school applicants and of those, 6,300 enrolled as a freshman dental student. So essentially, last year, 57% of applicants ended up going to a US dental school. For most of them, their path was pretty predictable... finish college and go straight to dental school. But for some, their decision to apply to dental school happened years later... and only after realizing that their current career, completely different from dentistry, was not what they wanted to do for the rest of their working life. Today we'll be talking to one such dental school applicant hoping to start in 2024. Her name is Adrienne Frachtman, a young lady who already has a career in the health science field and is determined to pursue her dream of becoming a dentist. And I might add that of the more than 450 episodes that we've produced on this show since 2018,, this will be the first time we've talked with a dental school applicant.
Hand Hygiene Recommendations from ICP Expert, Dr. Marie Fluent
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 1/11/2023
Dental podcast: Welcome to DentalTalk. I'm Dr. Phil Klein. One of the simplest action items for the dental team is practicing proper Hand hygiene — yet, it still remains one of the most misunderstood methods to prevent the spread of microbes. Today we'll talk about hand hygiene focusing on product considerations and how to improve dental team compliance. Our guest is Dr. Marie Fluent, who has an extensive dental career spanning 35 years as a dental infection control clinical instructor, educator, speaker, author, and consultant.
Infection Prevention Starts with Clean Hands
CE Credits: 0.25 CEU Release Date: 11/15/2022
Dental podcast: Welcome to DentalTalk. I'm Dr. Phil Klein. Both the CDC and the World Health Organization promote hand hygiene as the most important infection prevention tool. Today we'll be focusing on the need to know info for dental professionals on hand hygiene. Our guest is Mary Govoni, an internationally recognized speaker, author and coach, focusing on Infection Prevention and Control, OSHA and HIPAA Compliance, and Ergonomics. She is a Certified Dental Assistant and Registered Dental Hygienist with 50+ years of experience in the dental profession.
Common Sense Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sanitizing: Are You Doing Things Right in Your Practice?
CE Credits: 0.5 CEU Release Date: 2/7/2022
Dental podcast: Welcome to DentalTalk. I'm Dr. Phil Klein. While many use the words cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing interchangeably – they're not quite the same. For instance, cleaning removes visible dirt, soil, and debris but does not disinfect. Disinfecting eliminates bacteria, fungi, and certain viruses but disinfecting does not clean or remove dirt. And finally, Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level but does not fully eliminate them. Today we'll be discussing these areas and how we use common sense knowledge to make wise decisions to protect ourselves, our team, and our practice. Our guest, Shannon Pace Brinker, is an International Speaker, Author and Dental Assistant for over 32 years.
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