Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert

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How much should you open the vertical dimension of occlusion, and how do you actually build it chairside? In part two, Dr. Dennis Hartlieb breaks down the lab and clinical steps of his CPR for the Worn Dentition workflow: setting VDO by restorative space and aesthetics rather than a formula, coordinating aesthetic crown lengthening with a periodontist, building full-arch direct composite prototypes efficiently, and helping patients decide whether to keep their prototypes or move to porcelain.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The myth that general dentists shouldn't open vertical dimension, and the condylar rotation math behind it
• Why the amount you open VDO depends on the restorative space you need, not how much was lost
• Waxing like setting denture teeth: facially generated treatment planning, lower incisor length and width, and incisal edge position relative to the lower lip
• Crown lengthening guides, reducing the stone model, and his sequence of a laser or electrosurgery gingivectomy before the periodontist's osseous surgery
• Bonding to root surfaces versus orthodontic intrusion, and how to present that trade-off to patients
• His two-day sequence: maxillary arch first, mandibular arch next, usually without anesthesia and with little to no tooth preparation
• Using the new lower anterior bonding as an anterior deprogrammer to seat the condyles before posterior buildups
• Posterior composite cusp buildups in about 15 minutes per quadrant using a bite block and guided closure
• Freehand bonding versus injection molding versus printed restorations, including wear concerns
• The three paths after prototypes: keep them, enhance with porcelain (veneers, crowns, or a sandwich technique), or resurface with layered enhanced bonding

Questions answered in this episode:

Is it safe for a general dentist to open the vertical dimension? In a healthy joint, opening a few millimeters at the incisal edge stays within the rotational path and changes condylar rotation by only about a degree. Understanding the patient's joint anatomy is what matters.

Do patients keep their composite prototypes long term? About half do, often for around seven years, with occasional repairs that are quick because the bite is already established.

Freehand or injection-molded composite? Any method can work. Dr. Hartlieb prefers freehand bonding for control and speed and cautions that printed restorations may wear faster than expected.

About the guest: Dr. Dennis Hartlieb has practiced restorative dentistry for nearly 40 years. His approach blends facially generated treatment planning, joint-based occlusion, airway awareness, and composite artistry learned from mentors including Frank Spear, Pete Dawson, Jim McKee, John Kois, Jeff Rouse, Buddy Mopper, and Corky Willhite.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.

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How do you restore a severely worn dentition without committing a single bur to the tooth? Dr. Dennis Hartlieb walks through CPR for the Worn Dentition (Concept, Prototype, Restoration), a reversible, additive composite bonding workflow that lets patients test drive a new vertical dimension, tooth length, and smile design for months before any definitive dentistry. After nearly 40 years in practice, he explains why prototyping in direct composite is safer for both the patient and the dentist than going straight from a wax-up to porcelain veneers or crowns.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What CPR means for worn teeth: concept, prototype, restoration
• Why direct composite prototypes on unprepared teeth are reversible, faster, and more affordable (single-shade composite, no layering)
• How a three-month prototype phase exposes bruxism, parafunction, failing bonding, loose teeth, and TMJ-related bite changes before you prep
• Why porcelain veneer provisionals can't reliably test anterior guidance and function
• Night guards during the prototype phase, airway considerations, and patients who won't wear an occlusal splint
• The habits that break bonding and porcelain, and how he coaches patients that teeth are not tools
• Why repairable composite beats chipped lithium disilicate or feldspathic porcelain in high-risk patients
• His records workflow: photographs, intraoral scan, facebow, analog wax-up, CBCT when joint or airway issues are suspected, and a centric relation bite with a leaf gauge
• Using a bis-acryl trial smile to test aesthetics and phonetics, including catching a lisp before treatment
• Bonding prototypes over existing crowns, zirconia, lithium disilicate, gold, and amalgam with the right surface treatment

Questions answered in this episode:

Can you open vertical dimension reversibly? Yes. Additive composite on unprepared teeth can be removed with carbide burs and discs if the patient isn't happy, returning them to where they started.

How long should a patient wear composite prototypes? Dr. Hartlieb asks patients to live with them for at least three months to watch for failures, bite changes, and aesthetic concerns.

Why not go straight to veneers or crowns? Once a bur touches the tooth, you are committed. Prototypes let the dentist and patient find common ground on function, aesthetics, and phonetics first.

About the guest: Dr. Dennis Hartlieb is a restorative and cosmetic dentist who has practiced for nearly 40 years and teaches the CPR for the Worn Dentition approach to prototype-driven, minimally invasive rehabilitation.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.

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In part two, oral and maxillofacial radiologist Dr. Chris Matessi shows general dentists how to read a CBCT more like a radiologist: the best views for endodontics, the limits of CBCT for cracks and caries, how to tell benign from malignant lesions, how to measure accurately for implants, and how to interpret common TMJ findings.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The views he uses to evaluate endodontically treated teeth and find missed canals like MB2
• Assessing canal configuration, calcification, dilacerations, and apical anatomy
• Why CBCT is poor at detecting cracked teeth, and its limits for diagnosing caries
• Benign versus malignant lesions: zone of transition, displacement, root resorption, and the floating tooth appearance
• Why you should review the teeth last when reading a scan
• Placing the virtual implant before measuring bone to avoid parallax error
• Is CBCT the standard of care for implants and endodontics, and where to find position papers
• Why ear pain and TMJ pain are so easily confused
• Condylar osteophytes, beaking, and flattening: what they mean and when to act
• Bifid condyles and other anatomic variants
• Why clinicians and radiologists should collaborate more closely

Questions answered in this episode:

Can CBCT detect a cracked tooth? Not reliably. Incomplete cracks limited to the crown are a clinical diagnosis. Imaging helps once there is bone loss or a separated fragment.

Why place the implant in the software before measuring? Measuring along the planned implant axis avoids parallax errors that can overestimate available bone.

Does a condylar osteophyte need treatment? Usually not. It is often an adaptive remodeling response. Treatment is driven by symptoms, but it's worth weighing before major occlusal or orthodontic changes.

About the guest: Dr. Chris Matessi is an oral and maxillofacial radiologist who practiced clinical dentistry for seven years before specializing in radiology. He reads CBCT scans for general dentists and specialists and built a collaborative case-sharing platform for referring clinicians.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.

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SPONSOR: Garrison Dental Solutions. Use code 26PODCAST for 10% off your order at https://www.garrisondental.com/ (valid for one purchase made directly through Garrison, through December 31, 2026).

Oral and maxillofacial radiologist Dr. Chris Matessi answers the cone beam CT questions general dentists ask most. From TMJ imaging and crown-root fractures to airway screening and legal liability, this episode clarifies what CBCT can reliably tell you, where it falls short, and how to choose the right scan for the right question.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Open-mouth versus closed-mouth CBCT scans for TMJ assessment, and why a chin cup beats a bite stick for joint position
• Scan positioning for implant planning and full arch cases
• The limits of CBCT for the TMJ and when to order an MRI for soft tissue, disc position, and inflammation
• The narrow, U-shaped bone loss pattern that points to a crown-root fracture when you can't see the fracture line
• Why a brand-new fracture can look completely normal on a CBCT
• What affects image quality: manufacturer, resolution, field of view, metal and motion artifacts
• The CBCT units he likes for endodontics and general practice, and why
• Airway screening with minimum cross-sectional area, and why CBCT cannot diagnose obstructive sleep apnea
• Your legal responsibility for everything in the scan volume, and the value of a radiology report
• Choosing the smallest appropriate field of view for better resolution and lower radiation dose

Questions answered in this episode:

Can a CBCT diagnose sleep apnea? No. OSA must be diagnosed by a physician with a sleep study. CBCT is a screening and risk stratification tool.

Am I responsible for incidental findings on a full field scan? Yes. You are responsible for everything in the volume, so review it thoroughly or have it read by a radiologist.

When should I order a TMJ MRI instead of relying on CBCT? When conservative TMD therapy hasn't worked and you need to evaluate the disc, joint spaces, or inflammation.

About the guest: Dr. Chris Matessi is an oral and maxillofacial radiologist who practiced clinical dentistry for seven years before specializing in radiology. He reads CBCT scans for dentists and specialists and taught a CBCT course for Elevated GP.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.

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The best marketing a dental practice can get is patients talking about you. In part two, Stephen Taylor, Director of Marketing at Delmain, and Dr. Melissa Seibert dig into social media, reviews, community presence, and patient experience, and why fixing the leaks in your practice often beats spending more on ads.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Using social media for branding and validation rather than as a primary patient acquisition channel
• Aligning your content with your ideal patient and your brand
• Why platforms penalize inconsistent posting
• Facebook groups and becoming a pillar of your community
• How to ask for reviews and referrals without being slimy, and why your team is your biggest asset
• Low-key community marketing ideas that build goodwill
• Recommended reading: Influence by Robert Cialdini and The 1-Page Marketing Plan
• Marketing as a force multiplier: how front desk training turned more phone calls into new patients without more ad spend
• Why understanding patient behavior, like how many still prefer to call, shapes where you invest
• AI answering services at the front desk: the patient experience and HIPAA considerations

Questions answered in this episode:

Is organic social media worth it for a dental practice? It helps with branding and validation, but consistency and alignment with your ideal patient matter. Patient word of mouth usually drives more new patients than your own posts.

How do I get more Google reviews? Train your team to ask, especially the people who spend the most time with patients, and make the ask simple and sincere.

Should I spend more on ads if marketing isn't working? Not first. Fix leaks like unanswered calls and poor phone conversion, then scale what's working.

About the guest: Stephen Taylor is Director of Marketing at Delmain, a dental marketing company that supports practices with websites, SEO, paid ads, and patient acquisition. Learn more at delmain.co.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.

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You can be the best clinician in town, but if new patients can't find you, your schedule stays empty. Stephen Taylor, Director of Marketing at Delmain, explains what actually brings new patients into a dental practice in 2026, from the fundamentals that still work to AI search, SEO, Google and Meta ads, and the measurement that separates real ROI from wasted ad spend.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The marketing fundamentals that still work in 2026: a website and a phone that gets answered
• How one practice dramatically increased new patients from Meta ads by running them only during business hours
• How patients are using AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude to choose a healthcare provider, and how to show up
• Whether Google Ads are still worth it when so many people search with AI
• Why SEO still matters and overlaps heavily with AI visibility
• How a practice in a competitive New Jersey market grew patient opportunities with SEO alone
• The biggest way dentists waste marketing dollars, and why you must connect marketing data to your practice management system
• Realistic new patient benchmarks and how to build a plan around your goals
• A startup marketing plan: website, Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, reviews, ad timing, and ongoing content
• Organic social media, micro-influence, and why your patients are better influencers than you

Questions answered in this episode:

Do dental practices still need a website in the age of AI search? Yes. The website is essential for visibility, AI citations, and meeting patient expectations.

Is SEO still worth paying for? Yes. The work that helps you rank in traditional search also helps you appear in AI overviews and AI assistants.

How do I know if my marketing is working? Track beyond clicks to booked appointments, kept appointments, and collections by connecting marketing data to your practice management software.

About the guest: Stephen Taylor is Director of Marketing at Delmain, a dental marketing company that partners with more than 200 practices on websites, SEO, paid ads, and patient acquisition.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.

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Should you perform a pulpotomy, a direct pulp cap, or a full root canal on a mature tooth with deep caries? Endodontist Dr. Judy McIntyre gives general dentists a candid, practical guide to vital pulp therapy, when a preoperative CBCT is essential, what separates a well-done root canal from a compromised one, and how to know your limits and build a real partnership with your endodontist.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What vital pulp therapy is and isn't, from open-apex teeth to mature adult teeth
• Why preoperative symptoms matter when choosing between vital pulp therapy and root canal therapy
• Her pulpotomy technique: diamond bur, hemostasis, sodium hypochlorite, and a bioceramic or MTA cap
• Why you lose cold testing after vital pulp therapy, and the follow-up system to catch failures early
• Annual radiographs on endo-treated teeth and pulp testing before crowns
• When a preoperative CBCT is a must: molars, retreatments, apicoectomies, premolars with fast breaks, and two-canal canines
• Endo-resolution CBCT versus large field of view scans, and why she dislikes image filters
• Minimally invasive and ninja access cavities: when conservation stops serving the patient
• Avoiding the cowboy mentality and building a reciprocal relationship with your endodontist
• The elements of a well-done root canal: anesthesia, rubber dam, full armamentarium, irrigation, obturation, and a sealed restoration
• Single-cone technique versus lateral and hybrid obturation, and why bioceramic sealer should not replace gutta-percha

Questions answered in this episode:

Pulpotomy, pulp cap, or root canal on a mature tooth with deep caries? It depends on symptoms, your true abilities, and whether the patient will return for follow-up. Frank expectations and a recall system are essential.

Which endo cases need a preoperative CBCT? Dr. McIntyre recommends it for all molars, retreatments, and apicoectomies, and for premolars or anteriors when 2D imaging shows fast breaks, curvature, or resorption.

Is the single-cone technique acceptable? Yes, when the cone intimately fits the prepared canal. Sealer is a vehicle, not the filling, and gutta-percha keeps the canal retreatable.

About the guest: Dr. Judy McIntyre is an endodontist and educator who teaches general dentists about CBCT, vital pulp therapy, and endodontic setup, and is known for encouraging GPs to love their endodontists.

Hosted by Dr. Melissa Seibert, DMD, MS, FAGD, ABGD. The Dental Digest Podcast is a top 1% podcast for general dentists focused on clinical dentistry: restorative dentistry, occlusion, endodontics, implants, imaging, and practice growth. For CE, case discussions, and a community of GPs who love clinical dentistry, join Elevated GP at theelevatedgp.com.

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Jim McKee is in private practice in Downers Grove, Illinois. Jim has a restoratively based practice with an emphasis on occlusion and temporomandibular joint disorders. In addition to private practice, Jim is a published author who has lectured national and internationally for over 25 years. Jim provides a new perspective on occlusion and TM joints that helps increase the predictability of occlusal, orthodontic, restorative, orthognathic and airway treatment options for both the patient and the dentist. He is the founder of the Chicago Study Club program and has extensive experience in directing study clubs in the United States and Canada. He is a ResidentFaculty member at Spear Education in Scottsdale, Arizona. Jim is a past president of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Equilibration Society.

Episode Overview In part two of this two-part series on Dental Digest, host Dr. Melissa Seibert and dual-boarded periodontist/prosthodontist Dr. Ashley Hoders challenge the conventional assumption that implants are always the gold standard in the anterior aesthetic zone . They explore why maxillary laterals and mandibular incisors are biologically hazardous sites for implants, how to choose mechanical over biologic failure, and how root submergence preserves vital bundle bone and papilla architecture .

Guest Information

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Guest: Dr. Ashley Hoders, DDS, MS

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Credentials & Affiliations: Dual board-certified diplomate and fellow of the American Board of Periodontology and the American Board of Prosthodontics; MS from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio . Clinical researcher with the McGuire Institute, co-creator of Spear Hygiene, visiting faculty at the University of Washington Graduate Periodontics Department, and active member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry .

Key Clinical Takeaways

1. The Fallacy of the Anterior Implant "Gold Standard"

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Maxillary lateral incisors and mandibular incisors represent non-strategic implant locations due to narrow space, thin facial bone, and continuous lifetime craniofacial changes .

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Natural adjacent teeth and jaws continue to move, erupt, and remodel across a patient's lifespan, whereas ankylosed/osseointegrated implants remain static, causing mismatched incisal edges and uneven gingival zeniths over time .

2. Mechanical Complications vs. Biologic Disasters

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Conservative cantilevered or single-retainer resin-bonded bridges achieve a $\approx 98\%$ success rate over 10+ years in properly managed occlusal schemes .

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Fixed tooth-supported alternatives fail through mechanical inconvenience (e.g., wing debonding or connector fracture), which is easily repaired .

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Implants carry biologic risk: at least 50% of implants exhibit inflammation or peri-implant disease, introducing chronic inflammatory challenges into an avascular environment where treatment is unpredictable .

3. Two-Layer Diagnostic & Treatment Planning

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Dual perio-prosthodontic diagnostics require planning not just for the immediate edentulous site, but predicting what happens when adjacent teeth compromise (e.g., adjacent traumatized central incisors) .

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3D planning dictates restorative pathways before surgery, verifying whether crestal morphology necessitates cement-retained versus screw-retained solutions .

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Placing an anterior implant too shallow or too facial is the ultimate "kiss of death" for long-term peri-implant tissue stability .

4. Biologic Tension and Muscular Equilibrium

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Bone stability relies on eliminating tension from the surrounding musculature (lips, cheeks, and tongue) and establishing a robust collar of keratinized mucosa .

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Genetic cell turnover rates and masticatory function continuously challenge crestal bone margins .

5. Root Submergence & Partial Extraction Therapy

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Anterior facial bone is frequently $ thick; removing the tooth and its periodontal ligament (PDL) causes rapid resorption of the bundle bone, resulting in horizontal and vertical ridge collapse .

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Root submergence retains the submerged root structure inside the alveolus, tricking the body into maintaining the PDL, preserving bundle bone volume, and sustaining interproximal papilla height for adjacent restorations .

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"Pro-tooth" dentistry prioritizes buying time with natural root structures (via posts, ferrule optimization, or partial extraction therapies) over premature implant placement .

Notable Mentions & Literature

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Bill Robbins, DDS: Commentary in the International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry (IJPRD) on avoiding lateral incisor implants; single-retainer RBFDP designs utilizing the mesial of the canine .

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Matthias Kern, Dr. med. dent.: Long-term evidence supporting single-wing cantilever resin-bonded bridges (using the distal of the central incisor) .

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Frank Spear, DDS, MSD: Clinical philosophy on valuing natural tooth retention: "I'm not anti-implant, I'm pro-tooth."

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Mike Gunson, DDS, MD: Research surrounding facial aging, craniofacial growth, and implant positioning discrepancies .

Detailed Show Notes

Episode Overview In part one of this two-part series on Dental Digest, host Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with dual-boarded periodontist and prosthodontist Dr. Ashley Hoders to examine the latest consensus literature on peri-implant soft tissue deficiencies, biologic bone preservation, and the biomechanics of skeletal expansion . They unpack why soft tissue recession is fundamentally a bone problem, how thin tissue starved of blood supply triggers crestal loss, and why treating skeletal arch deficiencies with dental compensation compromises cortical bone .

Guest Information

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Guest: Dr. Ashley Hoders, DDS, MS

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Credentials & Affiliations: Dual board-certified diplomat and fellow of the American Board of Periodontology and the American Board of Prosthodontics; MS from UT Health Science Center at San Antonio . Clinical researcher with the McGuire Institute, co-creator of Spear Hygiene, visiting faculty at the University of Washington Graduate Periodontics Department, and active member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry (AARD) .

Key Clinical Takeaways

1. The Reality of Peri-Implant Soft Tissue Deficiencies

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Recent joint consensus papers (AO/AAP) reveal that non-diseased peri-implant soft tissue deficiencies have an overall prevalence of 46.2% .

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These deficiencies worsen over time: 33% at 1 year and 64.5% at 5 years .

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Clinicians should exercise caution when planning implants in the aesthetic zone and consider alternative modalities (such as resin-bonded bridges) when appropriate .

2. Mid-Facial Margins vs. Interproximal Papilla

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Interproximal papilla height is dictated primarily by the bone levels on adjacent natural teeth .

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Mid-facial mucosal margin stability is driven by facial bone thickness (which is frequently $), 3D implant positioning, and placement timing (immediate vs. delayed protocols) .

3. Soft Tissue Recession is an Underlying Bone Problem

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Soft tissue recession or peri-implant deficiency cannot occur without an underlying bone dehiscence or bone loss .

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Bone requires two primary conditions to remain stable :

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Vascular Nutrition: Thin tissue has inadequate blood supply, starving the underlying crestal bone and causing progressive remodeling .

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Absence of Tension: Muscle attachments, vestibular pull, and lack of keratinized tissue exert tensile forces that destabilize bone .

4. Proactive Grafting as a Bone Stabilizer

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Because bone cannot be predictably regenerated over an avascular implant surface or root dehiscence, soft tissue grafting serves as a proactive biologic shield .

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Converting thin phenotypes to thick biotypes and widening keratinized mucosa delivers blood supply and buffers muscle tension, safeguarding crestal bone before recession occurs .

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5. Skeletal Solutions for Skeletal Discrepancies

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Post-industrial human development (diet changes, decreased breastfeeding) has led to smaller maxillas and contracted arches .

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Treating skeletal constriction with purely dental expansion tips teeth outside the cortical plate, causing bone dehiscences, severe recession, and mobility .

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Skeletal discrepancies require orthopedic/skeletal solutions (e.g., MARPE) rather than dental camouflage to preserve the periodontal foundation .

6. Patient Communication & Treatment Planning

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Utilize 2D/3D radiographs alongside high-quality clinical photographs at baseline .

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Drawing directly on printed photos helps patients visualize bone anatomy, soft tissue margins, and long-term aesthetic trade-offs before consenting to anterior implant therapy .

Notable Mentions & Literature

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Consensus Literature: Academy of Osseointegration (AO) and American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) consensus papers on peri-implant disease and soft tissue deficiencies .

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Influences & Citations: Kevin Murphy (AARD literature review), Joseph Kan (interproximal bone dynamics), Mariana Evans (airway, cranial growth, and post-industrial skeletal changes), Jeff Rouse, and Bill Robbins (interdisciplinary diagnosis)

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Dr. Vince Kokich Jr. is a highly esteemed orthodontist, educator, and thought leader in the field of orthodontics and interdisciplinary dentistry. Following in the footsteps of his father, Dr. Vince Kokich Sr., a globally recognized pioneer in orthodontics, Dr. Kokich Jr. has built his own legacy by advancing innovative approaches to patient care, education, and the integration of specialties within dentistry.

Educational Background

Dr. Kokich Jr. earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree with high honors from the University of Washington School of Dentistry, a program known for its rigorous clinical training and commitment to evidence-based care. He went on to complete his orthodontic residency at the same institution, where he honed his skills in diagnosing and treating complex malocclusions, facial growth discrepancies, and interdisciplinary cases.

Throughout his education, Dr. Kokich was recognized for his academic excellence and dedication to improving patient outcomes. His passion for teaching began early in his career and has remained a cornerstone of his professional life.

Professional Career

Dr. Kokich Jr. has practiced orthodontics for over two decades, specializing in comprehensive treatment plans that address both functional and esthetic concerns. He is particularly renowned for his expertise in:

• Interdisciplinary Treatment: Collaborating with restorative dentists, periodontists, and oral surgeons to achieve optimal outcomes for complex cases.
• Aesthetic Orthodontics: Enhancing smiles through precision orthodontic treatment tailored to each patient's unique facial structure and goals.
• Education and Mentorship: Sharing his knowledge and clinical experience with the next generation of orthodontists.

As an orthodontist, Dr. Kokich is committed to providing patient-centered care. His approach focuses on creating harmonious outcomes that not only align teeth but also improve facial aesthetics and long-term dental health.

Educator and Speaker

Dr. Kokich Jr. is a sought-after speaker at national and international dental conferences, where he shares his expertise on topics such as:

• Advanced interdisciplinary treatment planning.
• Managing complex dental esthetic cases.
• Incorporating emerging technologies into orthodontic practice.

He has been invited to lecture for prestigious organizations and institutions, including the American Association of Orthodontists, the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, and various study clubs and universities worldwide. His dynamic and engaging teaching style makes him a favorite among both clinicians and students.

Innovator and Founder

Dr. Kokich Jr. is the creator of Kokich Education, an educational platform dedicated to elevating the knowledge and skills of dental professionals. Kokich Education offers a range of resources, from webinars and case studies to in-depth courses, empowering clinicians to tackle even the most challenging cases with confidence. The platform reflects Dr. Kokich's philosophy of interdisciplinary collaboration and lifelong learning.

To learn more about Kokich Education, visit https://kokicheducation.com/.

Publications and Research

Dr. Kokich Jr. has contributed to several peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters that focus on the integration of orthodontics with other dental specialties. His work has been instrumental in advancing the understanding of how orthodontics can complement restorative and prosthetic dentistry to achieve superior outcomes.

Professional Affiliations

Dr. Kokich Jr. is an active member of several professional organizations, including:

• The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO).
• The American Dental Association (ADA).
• The Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (PCSO).

Legacy and Vision

Dr. Vince Kokich Jr. continues to honor the legacy of his father while forging his own path in orthodontics. His dedication to innovation, education, and patient care has made him a leader in the field. Through his practice, lectures, and Kokich Education, Dr. Kokich inspires clinicians worldwide to achieve excellence in their work and deliver transformative care to their patients.

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🎙️ Episode Show Notes: The Dental Digest Podcast

Host: Dr. Melissa Seibert

Guest: Dr. Christian Coachman (Founder of Digital Smile Design, DSD Residency Director, Adjunct Professor at Penn)

📌 Episode Overview

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Dr. Melissa Seibert and Dr. Christian Coachman tackle the business, ethics, and systemic future of dentistry . They address the harsh reality of dentistry's underlying business model—which historically profits on illness rather than prevention—and lay out a roadmap for "Dentistry 3.0" .

Discover how to transform your new patient exam into a "Super First Appointment," build an active referral network with primary care physicians and ENTs, and position yourself as an Oral Physician who thrives by keeping patients healthy for decades .

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways 1. The Shift to "Dentistry 3.0" & The Oral Physician

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Closing the Systemic Gap: Research increasingly links oral pathology to systemic health, making the dentist's office the potential gateway to modern medicine .

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The Relationship Advantage: Unlike standard physicians whom patients rarely see annually, dentists maintain regular, long-term relationships with patients . This uniquely positions dentists to lead holistic healthcare .

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Embracing the Role: If dentists do not claim the "Oral Physician" domain, medical doctors will eventually step in and overtake it as medicine shifts toward integrative health .

2. Disrupting the "Profit on Illness" Business Model

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The Problem: The current healthcare, dental, and pharmaceutical systems are financially incentivized by illness and quick fixes . High-margin procedures often rely on an unhealthy population .

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The Solution: Transition toward preventive care, longevity models, and advanced hygiene/membership systems .

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Communicating Value: Frame your care around long-term healthspan . Smart patients are increasingly willing to pay for concierge-style preventive care that saves them time, hospital visits, and invasive procedures over 20–50 years .

3. Designing the "Super First Appointment"

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Beyond the Obvious: The first appointment shouldn't just be checking for decay or missing teeth . It requires gathering systemic data, evaluating airway dynamics, and understanding patient history .

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Expanding Your Clinical Network: A modern dental practice must actively collaborate with:

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Primary Care Physicians

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ENTs (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists)

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Sleep Medicine Specialists

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Endocrinologists (e.g., managing the bi-directional relationship with diabetes)

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Physicians as Referral Sources: Dentists who practice integrative, body-mouth dentistry often find that local physicians become their single biggest source of patient referrals .

4. Overcoming Unconscious Diagnostic Bias

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The Trap: Dentists often look into a patient's mouth and unconsciously search for the specific procedures they enjoy or know how to perform .

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The Fix: Implement standardized protocols, structured questionnaires, and objective diagnostic technology during the intake process to evaluate the entire stomatognathic system objectively .

5. Positioning & Authentic Branding

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Avoid Gimmicks: Stop relying on $49 exam specials or free whitening trays that attract price-sensitive patients looking for quick fixes .

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Master Your Uniqueness: Be clear about who you are . Practice your core messaging so you can articulate why a patient should choose your practice and how your health-focused approach protects their long-term well-being .

💬 Notable Quotes

"Fixing problems generates desperation, and desperation makes people spend whatever money they have. Health generates no desperation—it generates less need to spend money. We need to reinvent the business model in dentistry so we are rewarded for keeping people healthy." — Dr. Christian Coachman

"Modern dentistry will undergo its revolution at the first appointment. The way you collect data, the questions you ask, and the network of physicians you collaborate with on day one changes everything." — Dr. Christian Coachman

📋 Practical Action Steps for Clinicians

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[ ] Audit Your First Appointment: Redesign your new-patient intake questionnaire to include questions on sleep quality, breathing, energy levels, and systemic conditions .

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[ ] Build Your Physician Network: Reach out to 3 local ENTs and primary care physicians this month to establish a formal referral and co-treatment protocol .

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[ ] Refine Your Unique Pitch: Clearly define and practice your response to the question: "Why should a patient choose your practice over the office down the street?"

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[ ] Implement Checklist Protocols: Create structured diagnostic checklists to eliminate personal bias when evaluating new patient cases .

👉 Join Elevated GP Virtual Study Club Here

🎙️ Episode Show Notes: Dental Digest Podcast

Host: Dr. Melissa Seibert

Guest: Dr. Christian Coachman (Founder of Digital Smile Design, Dental Technician, Dentist, Adjunct Professor at Penn)

📌 Episode Overview

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with Dr. Christian Coachman to challenge fundamental assumptions in modern dental practice . They draw a hard line between treatment planning and procedure planning, break down why dentistry excels at improving quality but struggles at controlling it, and discuss how borrowing mistake-prevention systems from aviation and manufacturing can transform clinical outcomes . Finally, Dr. Coachman dives into the traps of "camouflage dentistry" and outlines the vital shift every clinician must make to evolve from a cosmetic technician into an Oral Physician .

Key Topics & Takeaways 1. Procedure Planning vs. Treatment Planning

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Procedure Planning: Planning how to execute a specific task after the procedure is already decided (e.g., using ClinCheck for aligners, using software for guided implant placement, or marking prep finish lines in Exocad) .

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Treatment Planning: An interdisciplinary, comprehensive exploration of all diagnostic possibilities before deciding on specific procedures . It defines the overall blueprint and clinical sequence .

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The Misconception: Most digital dental software marketed today is actually procedure planning software improvising backwards . True treatment planning requires interdisciplinary diagnosis prior to software execution .

2. Quality Improvement vs. Quality Control

•

Dentistry focuses heavily on improving quality (e.g., taking CE, getting better with hand skills) but fails at controlling quality (ensuring consistent, repeatable results without errors) .

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Chairside fixes or lab remakes should not be viewed as wins just because the patient left happy; they represent a system failure that allowed the mistake to happen in the first place .

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The Aviation/Manufacturing Mindset: Dentists must act like production line managers . When an error occurs, stop to analyze why it happened and build a system to guarantee it never happens again .

"Fixing a problem is successful, but the fact that the problem was there in the first place was not a success. Every time a problem occurs, stop and ask: why did that happen, and what system can I implement to avoid it next time?" — Dr. Christian Coachman

3. Stop Performing "Camouflage Dentistry"

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The Trap: Placing thick veneers on premolars and molars to create a wider, prettier smile without treating the underdeveloped arch underneath .

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The Underlying Etiology: A narrow arch directly impacts tongue space, airway volume, and nasal structure . "Camouflaging" it with ceramic leaves the structural, functional, and airway issues untouched .

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Severe Tooth Wear: Placing veneers on a 30-something patient with severe wear without investigating the underlying cause (airway, occlusion, erosion) misses the opportunity to preserve health for the long term .

4. Cosmetic Technician vs. Oral Physician

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Cosmetic Dentists: Prioritize short-term aesthetic fixes (immediate satisfaction) .

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Oral Physicians: Evaluate systemic connections, airway, long-term longevity, and comprehensive function .

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Aesthetics as a Consequence: When you treat the underlying cause and optimize health, function, and arch dimensions, aesthetics becomes the beautiful consequence of doing the right treatment .

💡 Quick Summary Checklist

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[ ] Separate your diagnostic treatment planning phase from your digital software procedure planning .

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[ ] Treat every clinical issue or lab remake as a system failure to investigate .

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[ ] Diagnose underlying etiology (wear, airway, arch width) before presenting cosmetic solutions .

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[ ] Communicate long-term health benefits to patients rather than defaulting to quick aesthetic shortcuts .

Episode Title: Demystifying Molar Endo: Metallurgy, Apex Locators, and Safe Canal Negotiation

•

Host: Dr. Melissa Seibert (Dental Digest Podcast)

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Guest: Dr. Matt Chesler, DDS, MS (Board-Trained Endodontist & Resident Faculty at Spear Education)

Episode Summary

For many general practitioners, molar endodontics presents high anxiety before ever reaching a canal . Staring into an access preparation, searching for the pulp chamber, and worrying about over-drilling or ledging can cause significant stress . In this episode, Dr. Matt Chesler breaks down these fears by sharing practical, evidence-based approaches to modern instrumentation, glide path creation, working length determination, and retreatment decision-making .

Dr. Chesler discusses why hand files are often the true culprit behind ledges, how modern reciprocating files offer a safer envelope of motion, why apex locators far outperform 2D radiographs, and why coronal sealing and high-quality restorations dictate long-term success .

Key Discussion Topics & Timestamps

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— Introduction & Elevated GP Study Club

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Overview of Dr. Matt Chesler's background and the Elevated GP virtual study club .

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— File Metallurgy & The Hand File Myth

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Debunking misconceptions around rotary file ledging .

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How active-tip C-files create apical zips, ledges, and transportation .

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— Glide Path Formation & Reciprocating Files

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Transitioning away from hand files as early as possible (#8 or #10 hand file) .

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Using reciprocating glide path files (e.g., WaveGlider) and dynamic movement protocols .

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— Orifice Openers & Hunting for MB2

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How orifice openers (e.g., Dentsply Gold Sx) straighten 45-degree entry angles .

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Techniques for brushing outward toward line angles and locating tight MB2 canals .

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— Working Length: Apex Locators vs. Radiographs

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Why the anatomic apex and radiographic apex fail to coincide in 88% of cases .

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Modern Electronic Apex Locator (EAL) accuracy (100% within $\pm 1\text{ mm}$) vs. 2D radiographs (65%–84%) .

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Why obturation outcomes are 15% higher when kept short or flush rather than long .

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— Chemical Negotiation & EDTA Usage

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Using liquid EDTA early in calcified canals to deliver files without damaging root dentin .

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Viewing endodontics simply as "a really deep Class 1 filling" .

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— Orifice Barriers & The 45-Day Re-Contamination Rule

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Material choices for coronal seals (Fuji Triage / dual-cure Glass Ionomer) .

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Managing exposed gutta-percha and why 45 days is Dr. Chesler's go/no-go threshold for retreatment .

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— Selective Retreatment & Restorative Priority

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When to perform selective retreatment (treating the MB root alone for missed MB2s) .

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Why good restorations with suboptimal endo out-perform good endo with bad restorations .

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— Systemic Health Impacts & Closing Remarks

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Research from King's College showing endodontic treatment lowers systemic biomarkers (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol) .

Key Takeaways

1. Hand Files Are Often the Cause of Ledging, Not Rotaries

Ledges and apical transportation frequently result from improper hand file use (e.g., using active-tip C-files without pre-curving) rather than modern rotary or reciprocating files . Moving to mechanized instrumentation early creates a safer and more forgiving outcome .

2. Trust Your Apex Locator Over 2D Radiographs

Radiographs fail to show the true anatomic apex in roughly 88% of cases . Modern electronic apex locators offer near 100% accuracy within $\pm 1\text{ mm}$ . Keeping obturation short or flush is 15% better for outcomes than overextending past the apex .

3. Orifice Openers Save Time and Dentin

An orifice opener combines multiple Gates Glidden sizes into one file . Brushing outward toward line angles straightens canal entry and facilitates MB2 location without excessive tooth structure removal .

4. The Coronal Seal Drives Success

A well-restored tooth with average endo has a higher long-term success rate than perfect endo with a leaking restoration . Exposed gutta-percha re-contaminates quickly; if open to oral fluids past 45 days, retreatment should be strongly considered .

5. Systemic Health Benefits

Resolving endodontic infections directly improves systemic biomarkers, including measurable reductions in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels .

Resources & Materials Mentioned

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Guest Community: The Elevated GP (Virtual Study Club)

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Instruments & Files: Dentsply Gold Sx Orifice Opener, WaveGlider Reciprocating Glide Path File

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Materials: Fuji Triage (Glass Ionomer Orifice Barrier), Liquid EDTA

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Research / Organizations: American Association of Endodontists (AAE) & King's College Systemic Biomarker Study

Host: Dr. Melissa Seibert

Guest: Dr. Matt Chesler, Board-Trained Endodontist & Resident Faculty at Spear Education

Episode Summary

In this episode of Dental Digest, host Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with endodontist Dr. Matt Chesler to break down the most intimidating aspects of molar endodontics . From overcoming access anxiety in deeply calcified teeth to navigating complex MB2 anatomy and proper hand-file selection, Dr. Chesler shares practical, evidence-based strategies to improve clinical confidence and prevent misadventures .

Guest Bio

Dr. Matt Chesler is a board-trained endodontist with over 20 years in the specialty and serves as resident faculty at Spear Education . He earned his DDS from the University of Southern California (USC), completed his endodontics residency at the Naval Postgraduate Dental School in Bethesda, and holds a Master of Science from George Washington University . He has been teaching clinical endodontics to dentists for over a decade .

Key Takeaways & Clinical Pearls 1. Molar Access vs. Anterior/Premolar Access

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Greater Forgiveness: Molars offer significantly more space and room for minor access errors compared to anterior teeth or premolars, where the margins for error are much tighter .

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Magnification & Illumination: High magnification and proper illumination are mandatory for identifying heavily calcified canals .

2. Access Strategy for Calcified Canals

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Trajectory: Canals enter the pulp chamber at an angle rather than straight vertically .

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Search Laterally First: Before taking down the pulpal floor, expand the access preparation laterally . Look for color changes and the historical outline of the pulp chamber .

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Orifice Location: Orifices are typically located at the floor-wall junction .

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Ultrasonics Over High-Speeds: Put away high-speed handpieces early to avoid damage . Use end-cutting ultrasonic tips (such as the Buck II tip) to drop the pulpal floor safely .

3. Critical Depth Benchmarks

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Research Data (Dr. Alan Deutsch Studies):

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Average distance from occlusal surface to chamber roof: 6.25 mm .

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Average pulp chamber height: 1.5 mm to 2 mm .

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Safety Rule: You generally have roughly 6.5 mm of safe drilling depth from the occlusal surface before reaching the chamber .

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Radiographic Checkpoint: If you reach 6.5 mm to 7 mm in depth and have not entered the chamber, stop and take a radiograph to verify alignment and prevent perforation .

4. Workflow & Tactile Training

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Initial Access: Start with a small bur (e.g., #330 or #1931) to identify the safe zone while preserving tooth structure .

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Unroofing: Once inside the chamber, switch exclusively to non-end-cutting burs (e.g., Pulp Shaper or Endo-Z bur) to unroof without damaging the floor .

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Tactile Practice: Practice access preps on extracted teeth with your eyes closed to develop a refined tactile feel for dropping into the chamber and running burs along walls .

5. Radiographs & CBCT

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3D vs. 2D Imaging: CBCT serves as an "open book test" . It helps determine whether a canal is truly occluded versus calcified, eliminating unnecessary structure removal .

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Follow Natural Pathways: Never try to create a new canal; always follow natural anatomy .

6. MB2 Anatomy & Canals

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Prevalence: Expect to locate an MB2 canal in approximately 75% of maxillary molars .

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Type 2 vs. Type 3 Systems:

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Type 2 System: Two separate orifices join into a single endpoint (V, Y, or lowercase h shape) .

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Type 3 System: Two completely independent canals from orifice to apex ("11" shape) .

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Instrumentation Tip: On Type 2 systems, your file may hit a wall where MB2 joins MB1 . When backfilling MB1 with warm gutta-percha, you will often see MB2 fill simultaneously via the confluence .

7. Hand File Selection & Pre-Curving

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Start Small: Use a #6 hand file rather than a #10 file to negotiate tight or calcified canals . A #6 file often glides through where a #10 file buckles .

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C-Files vs. K-Files:

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C-Files: Feature a stiffer shaft and active tip, making them ideal for finding and opening orifice tops .

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K-Files: Switch to K-files once the orifice is located to prevent ledging .

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Single-Use Files: Discard distorted hand files immediately to avoid file separation .

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Understanding Calcification: Canals calcify top-down, not bottom-up . Hitting a hard stop mid-canal (e.g., at 15 mm in a 20 mm canal) usually indicates a curve rather than calcification .

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Pre-Curving Technique: Place a smooth 30° to 55° bend on the last few millimeters of the file (acting like a mini explorer) using your fingers or an explorer handle to bypass curves . Avoid sharp kinks .

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Dr. Gustavo Avila-Ortiz obtained a DDS degree and completed a PhD training program at the University of Granada (Spain), before moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA) where he graduated with an MS degree and a Certificate in Periodontics from the University of Michigan. He is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. Dr. Avila-Ortiz has over 10 years of experience as an educator and has worked to advance the profession in numerous institutional committees and scientific organizations. He is a former faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, where he was the Phillip A. Lainson Professor and Chair of the Department of Periodontics until 2022. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of The International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry. He has authored more than 100 articles published in peer-reviewed journals and numerous book chapters. He is the co-author of the book TISSUES: Critical Issue in Periodontics and Implant-Related Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Quintessence Publishing 2022), which has been critically acclaimed within the profession. Dr. Avila-Ortiz is currently a Visiting Professor in the Division of Periodontics at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and a member of Atelier Dental Madrid (Spain), a center for dental excellence where he maintains a private practice limited to Periodontics and Implant Dentistry and is regularly engaged in scholarly and continuing-education activities.

Join Elevated GP: https://theelevatedgp.com Dental Digest Podcast | Episode 189: Mastering Dental Light Curing and Polymerization

Host: Dr. Melissa Seibert

Guest: Dr. Richard Price (Dentist, PhD, clinical scientist, and professor at Dalhousie University)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with leading authority Dr. Richard Price to clear up the most common mistakes dental professionals make when light curing . From the truth about warming composites to the physics of energy delivery and the emerging realities of laser curing tech, this episode is a deep dive into evidence-based protocols that directly impact the longevity of your daily restorations .

Key Discussion Points 1. Avoid the #1 Light Curing Mistake

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Follow the Minimums: The most common mistake in clinical practice is not curing for the manufacturer's recommended time .

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Read the Instructions: Always check instructions for both your specific bonding agent and the composite resin you are using .

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Minimum vs. Maximum: Remember that the manufacturer-recommended times are the absolute minimum requirements, not the maximums .

2. The Truth About Warming Composite

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Adaptation, Not Curing: Dr. Price is a major advocate for warming composite because it significantly improves material adaptation, leading to fewer voids and gaps .

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No Mechanical Upgrades: Warming composite does not actually drive the polymerization reaction further or improve final mechanical properties .

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Rapid Heat Loss: Because composite is a poor thermal conductor, it loses its heat incredibly fast . By the time a dentist squirts, inserts, and sculpts the material, it has already cooled down to mouth temperature, neutralizing any curing benefits .

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Pulpal Safety: Studies show that while warming composite itself does not cause pulpal damage, using curing lights that deliver heavy red and infrared light can produce the greatest temperature rises in the pulp . A temperature increase of 5°C to 6°C can lead to pulp necrosis .

3. Managing Deep 6mm Restorations

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The Bulk Fill Strategy: For a deep gingival floor (e.g., 6mm deep), Dr. Price recommends placing a 4mm layer of bulk fill composite as the first increment .

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Translucency Trade-offs: Bulk fill materials allow more light to pass through due to higher translucency, though this can sometimes make the restoration look gray in the mouth .

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The Hybrid Layering Technique: To achieve both an assured deep cure and optimal aesthetics, place a 4mm bulk fill base followed by a 2mm layer of conventional aesthetic composite on top .

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Shade Variations: Be aware that dentin or darker shades (like A6B) often require twice the curing time (e.g., 20 seconds vs. 10 seconds) and must be placed in thinner increments (e.g., 1.5mm vs. 2mm) compared to enamel and body shades .

4. The Math of Curing: Total Energy Formula

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Energy Calculation: Total energy is calculated by multiplying the curing light's irradiance by the exposure time ($\text{Energy} = \text{Irradiance} \times \text{Time}$) .

•

Joules Matter: If a manufacturer requires 10 Joules per centimeter squared ($\text{J/cm}^2$), a standard curing light emitting $1,000 \text{ mW/cm}^2$ requires a 10-second cure .

•

High-Intensity Traps: To deliver that same energy in a abbreviated 3-second cure, a light must output at least $3,333 \text{ mW/cm}^2$ . Most conventional curing lights max out around $3,000 \text{ mW/cm}^2$ .

Advanced Technology & Safety Concerns Laser Curing Lights

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Distance Resistant: Laser curing lights are highly effective over long distances and are relatively unaffected by the physical gap between the tip and the tooth .

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Pinpoint Limitations: The main downside to current laser technology is the narrow, pinpoint beam profile; it offers high irradiance at the dead center but fails to provide a broad, uniform cure across the edges of a restoration .

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Extreme Optical Hazard: If a laser light accidentally flashes into an operator's, assistant's, or patient's eyes, it can cause immediate, permanent blindness . Strict eye protection is mandatory .

The Blue Light Hazard

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Photo Retinitis: While it is unproven if dental LED lights directly cause macular degeneration, they are highly documented to cause photo retinitis, which presents as lingering "after-images" or spots in your vision .

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Sleep Disruption: Exposure to intense blue light is proven to severely disrupt human circadian rhythms and sleep patterns .

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Protection Necessary: Dentists must actively protect their eyes by using orange shields or specialized protective glasses rather than looking away blindly .

Dr. Price's Step-by-Step Clinical Curing Protocol

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Initial Hover: Start the curing cycle 2 to 3 mm away from the tooth for the first 1 to 2 seconds . This quickly hardens the top layer and protects your sculpted anatomy from being disturbed .

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Close Contact: Bring the curing light tip in as close as possible, making direct contact with the surface .

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Finger Stabilization: Use a two-handed technique, utilizing your fingers over the restoration to physically stabilize the curing tip so it cannot drift if the patient moves .

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Thermal Breaks: High-power lights generate intense heat . If using a powerful light for a mandatory 20-second cure, break it up (e.g., 10 seconds on, a brief pause, then 10 seconds on) to protect the tissue .

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Cooling Air: Blow a stream of air across the tooth between curing increments to actively mitigate heat buildup . Never use water, as unpolymerized composite is highly hydrophobic .

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Multi-Angle Curing: Once the matrix band is removed on a Class II restoration, always cure again from both the buccal and lingual aspects to eliminate shadows cast by prep walls or remaining matrices .

•

Overlapping Exposures: Standard light tips should be at least 10mm in diameter . If a restoration is wider than your light tip, perform multiple overlapping exposures to ensure the peripheral margins are fully cured .

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In this highly practical episode of Dental Digest, host Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with Dr. Jeff Rouse to dive deep into the clinical realities of airway dentistry . Moving past high-level philosophies, Dr. Rouse explains how to identify specific airway patient phenotypes, the hidden biological costs of traditional sleep appliances, and the structural treatment adjuncts changing dentistry in 2026 .

🎙️ About the Guest: Dr. Jeff Rouse

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Background: A widely regarded leading voice in airway dentistry and a practicing prosthodontist based in San Antonio, Texas .

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Education & Faculty: He spent 12 years in family dentistry before specializing in prosthodontics, and currently serves as a resident faculty member at Spear Education .

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Leadership & Publications: Dr. Rouse is a past president of the Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry . He is widely published, including contributions to the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry's annual literature review, and co-authored the textbook Global Diagnosis alongside Dr. Bill Robbins .

📋 Key Topics & Clinical Takeaways 1. The Three Primary Airway Patient Types

Dr. Rouse simplifies airway classification by breaking patients down into three distinct groups that clinicians encounter daily :

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The Classic Apnea Patient: Typically categorized as the "fat old man" profile, presenting with traditional obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and severe systemic complications .

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The Fit Young Woman: This patient profile often shows no classic signs of apnea on paper but suffers from extensive functional symptoms, including chronic fatigue, migraines, fibromyalgia, and anxiety . Dr. Rouse notes that post-menopausal women often transition to look exactly like classic apnea patients due to hormonal shifts .

•

Children: Argued by Dr. Rouse as the most critical group of all . Symptoms like ADHD in children should immediately trigger a comprehensive breathing and sleep evaluation .

2. The Realities of Mandibular Advancement Appliances (MADs)

While widely prescribed, Dr. Rouse cautions that MADs are often used as a superficial fix rather than a true cure :

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Symptom Masking vs. Anatomy: MADs do not improve or fix the underlying airway anatomy; they merely alter sleep breathing temporarily while worn at night . Once removed in the morning, the deficient structural anatomy remains, leaving patients fundamentally sick during the day .

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Bite Alteration: Traditional sleep appliances function as orthodontic and orthopedic devices, meaning they will change the patient's bite 100% of the time, varying from minor shifts to major occlusal changes .

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The Compliance Illusion: Though dental professionals historically marketed MADs to sleep surgeons as having double the compliance of CPAP therapy, recent data reveals lowered compliance standards that merely mimic CPAP (defined as 4 hours a night for 70% of the time) . However, literature indicates that patients actually need to wear MADs much longer to capture genuine health benefits .

•

Root Resorption Risks: To combat bite changes, patients are often given a morning jig to bite into . This creates an "orthodontic jiggling effect" (on-and-off forces) that data shows causes root resorption in an average of 1.8 teeth per long-term MAD patient .

3. The Seattle Protocol: A Phased Diagnostic Approach

Instead of starting with a aggressive traditional sleep appliance, Dr. Rouse utilizes The Seattle Protocol—a systematic, 5-appliance sequence combined with mouth taping to find the least invasive solution :

•

Mouth Taping: Approximately 40% of airway patients do not actually need an appliance; they simply require their lips to remain closed to facilitate nasal breathing throughout the night .

•

Stabilizing Appliance: A flat, lower orthotic that opens the vertical dimension, allowing the jaw to relax and creating oral volume so the tongue can naturally clear the back of the airway .

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Mandibular Advancement Appliance: A flat lower appliance featuring a conservative 3 mm of advancement .

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Double Thick Appliance: Designed to open the vertical dimension further, providing necessary oral volume for patients with larger tongues or crowded, narrow arches .

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Traditional Sleep Appliance: Utilized only as a final resort if all prior steps fail to resolve the issue .

"Making a sleep appliance—the classic sleep appliance that comes with all the problems associated with it—it's not where I want to start, it's where I want to end. Prove to me you need that." — Dr. Jeff Rouse

4. Veneer Failures and "Pathway Wear"

Dr. Rouse warns against using cosmetic dentistry to hide underlying structural deficits :

•

The Veneer Trap: Placing cosmetic veneers to mask a structural ortho/airway problem leaves patients stuck, as correcting their actual anatomy later requires cutting off the restorations .

•

Daytime Clenching: Airway-compromised patients frequently clench during the day and thrust their jaws forward to open their airways, often getting caught on a tooth edge and fracturing restorations .

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Constricted Envelopes: Patients with tight "pathway wear" patterns experience severe functional conflicts because chewing and respiration are neurologically linked through nasal breathing . When eating dense foods (like a tuna salad sandwich), a patient who cannot breathe nasally loses chewing coordination and violently bangs into their anterior teeth . Skeletal expansion resolves this by allowing them to breathe normally while eating .

5. Advanced Treatment Adjuncts

When a patient presents with a narrow maxilla or deficient transverse plane, several cutting-edge structural adjuncts can be utilized :

•

Minimally Invasive Orthognathic Surgery: Emerging techniques (such as those pioneered in Brazil) utilize tiny incisions and a single-piece maxilla approach to dramatically reduce downtime, pain, and swelling compared to traditional down-fracture surgeries .

•

Custom MARPE (Micro-implant Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion): Modern protocols favor custom-designed MARPE over old-school, stock MSE (Maxillary Skeletal Expanders) . Custom units allow clinicians to expand the palate more slowly, minimizing or completely preventing the massive midline diastemas common in past procedures .

•

SFOT (Surgically Facilitated Orthodontic Therapy): Also widely known as Wilcodonics, this underutilized interdisciplinary approach adds cortical bone graft and soft tissue to alter the patient's phenotype, providing a thicker, safer foundation for substantial orthodontic movement .

•

Early Childhood Intervention: Airway deficiency is fundamentally a newborn and childhood problem . Research shows infants born with high-vaulted palates or low myofunctional tone develop sleep-disordered breathing rapidly by 6 months of age . Introducing myofunctional exercises, prolonged breastfeeding, harder foods early on, and bone-borne pediatric expanders prevents permanent skeletal issues . Dr. Rouse warns that traditional dental-borne Rapid Maxillary Expanders (RMEs) result in 30% to 50% pure tooth-tipping, which quickly relapses once the teeth are leveled .

💡 Closing Thought

Dr. Rouse challenges the dental profession to look past tooth-by-tooth dentistry and break free from old concepts . Because physicians are not trained to spot these structural oral deficiencies, dentists are the primary line of defense in diagnosing the anatomical deviations that make patients chronically ill .

Episode Summary

Do you ever feel like you're practicing on an island, unsure of who to trust for quality CE or where to turn when you hit a wall with a complex case ? In this episode of Dental Digest, host Dr. Melissa Seibert introduces a masterclass in shifting your perspective from single-tooth dentistry to systemic health . Joining the show is Dr. Jeff Rouse, a preeminent authority on airway dentistry, prosthodontist, and Spear Education resident faculty member .

Dr. Rouse completely reframes the airway conversation, arguing that most practitioners are getting it wrong by trying to force patients into prefabricated appliance boxes or focusing solely on end-stage sleep apnea . Instead, he explains why airway is fundamentally an anatomical problem . By pushing Frank Spear's facially-generated treatment planning into three dimensions—vertical, transverse, and sagittal—Dr. Rouse demonstrates how a compromised smile design is often a cry for help from an unhealthy upper airway . If you have ever bulked up veneers to camouflage a structural issue that actually required skeletal correction, this conversation will completely change how you treatment plan .

Key Takeaways From This Episode

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Airway vs. Sleep: Why Dr. Rouse deliberately abandoned the word "sleep" in favor of "airway" back in 2008 to focus on early anatomical intervention before long-term neurological damage occurs .

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The Pitfalls of One-Size-Fits-All Appliances: A critical look at corporately and financially-driven prefabricated appliances in pediatric dentistry that prioritize practice profit over scientific, individualized diagnosis .

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The 3 Dimensions of Airway Anatomy: How the vertical, transverse, and sagittal boundaries of a traditional denture wax rim mirror the exact dimensions required for healthy nasal breathing .

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The Numbers Behind the Health: A look at clinical benchmarks, including Eric Doolan's research showing that a bone-to-bone palatal measurement under 30 millimeters guarantees illness, while 34 millimeters or greater promotes health .

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Recognizing the "Sick" Patient Typologies:

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The Apnea Patient: Often characterized by snoring, daytime sleepiness, high blood pressure, AFib, and a lack of deep sleep required to clear brain toxins, which is closely linked to dementia and Alzheimer's .

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Young, Fit Patients: Toned individuals (particularly pre-menopausal women protected by progesterone) who do not exhibit apnea but suffer heavily from functional somatic syndromes like chronic fatigue, IBS, fibromyalgia, migraines, and TMJ disorders .

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Pediatric Patients: Growing children whose airway deficiencies directly correlate with ADHD and ADD diagnoses, yet are routinely given medications rather than a proper breathing and sleep evaluation .

•

Anatomy Wins the Day: Why normalizing skeletal and dentoalveolar housing should always be the priority, ensuring patients finish treatment not only healthier but with beautiful faces, perfect bites, and stunning smiles .

Featured Guest

Dr. Jeff Rouse is a prosthodontist in private practice in San Antonio, Texas, and a member of the resident faculty at Spear Education . He previously practiced alongside dental icons Dr. Greg Kinzer and Dr. Frank Spear in Seattle . Dr. Rouse is the co-author of the textbook Global Diagnosis: A New Vision of Dental Diagnosis and Treatment Planning alongside Dr. Bill Robbins, and he lectures internationally on dental aesthetics and airway prosthodontics .

Resources & Links Mentioned

•

Elevated GP: Elevate your dental practice by joining Dr. Melissa Seibert's virtual study club. Get twice-monthly CE, access a comprehensive on-demand course library, and connect daily with an elite community of general dentists pushing each other to the next level . Sign up at https://theelevatedgp.com/ .

•

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In Part 2 of his conversation with Dr. Melissa Seibert, periodontist Dr. David Wong unpacks why patients actually decline treatment — and it's rarely the money or the dentistry. It's the connection you failed to build. He walks through the soft-skill work that's defined his career: reading where a patient sits on the decision-making scale, designing a separate consultation room so he can sit beside patients instead of across from them, and disarming fight-or-flight by finding common ground fast. He also shares one of the most underrated networking moves in dentistry — joining your local Chamber of Commerce — and how it helped him launch a practice from scratch.

The second half pivots to the clinical: ridge preservation as a high-ROI skill for general dentists, how to think about bone graft material selection without getting overwhelmed by terminology, membrane selection for beginners through advanced users, and the specific brands David reaches for day to day.

About the Guest

Dr. David Wong is a board-certified periodontist and Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists — the only periodontist in Oklahoma to hold that distinction. He completed his periodontal training at the University of Missouri-Kansas City as chief resident, earned advanced implant and oral plastic surgery credentials from Temple University and the Misch International Implant Institute, and has published in the field of oral plastic surgery. Beyond his clinical work, he has spent his career studying the art of case presentation and patient communication.

Chapter Markers Time Section 00:00 Pre-roll: Elevated GP 00:49 Welcome and episode preview 02:14 Why patients decline treatment — the connection problem 04:24 The mistake of trying to build trust in one appointment 05:06 Recommended books and resources on soft skills 06:44 Why David joins mastermind groups outside dentistry 08:35 The Chamber of Commerce — an untapped networking resource 10:41 How the Chamber helped David launch his practice from scratch 11:20 Ridge preservation as a high-ROI skill for GPs 12:30 Honest take on dental photography ROI 13:27 Bone graft material selection — keeping it simple 14:38 Allografts vs. xenografts and the global supply reality 15:18 Membrane selection: beginner, intermediate, advanced 16:19 The handling reality of amnion-chorion membranes 17:19 When primary closure matters 17:53 Non-resorbable / PTFE membranes — when they help, when they hurt 19:04 Subscribe CTA 19:20 The specific brands David uses day to day 20:35 The one thing David has invested most in: case presentation 21:09 Inside David's consultation room setup 23:04 Three resources for learning case presentation Key Takeaways

On why treatment plans get declined. When patients say "I'll go home and think about it," dentists default to "they don't value the dentistry" or "they can't afford it." David's argument: the most common reason is that you didn't build trust or form a connection. People will spend $20,000 on a European vacation but not on asymptomatic dental work — that's a comparison about trust and felt need, not budget.

Connection is a long game, not a five-minute pitch. New dentists try to close trust in a single appointment. David's reframe: you'll see this patient over years. Foster the relationship as long as it takes, and they will do the treatment — maybe not all at once, but eventually.

The "I'm the doctor, you're the patient" model breaks in fee-for-service. Patients in a fee-for-service practice are decision-makers, not compliant subjects. You have to meet them as one.

Design the room around the conversation. For any case over roughly $1,500, David moves the patient to a dedicated consultation room and sits side-by-side at a table — not across the operatory chair. He pays attention to where he's seated relative to the patient and the door. He has even recorded his own case presentations on camera and had them coached.

The Chamber of Commerce is one of the most underused networking moves in dentistry. Every city has one. Dues are minimal or free. You get a room full of local entrepreneurs — publishers, contractors, surgeons, service providers — solving the same problems you are, just in different industries. When David launched his practice from scratch, the Chamber funded part of his open house, ran his ribbon-cutting, and brought a crowd.

Get your CE ROI right. Start with skills that pay dividends immediately — molar endo, ridge preservation/socket grafting. They have low downside (a missed socket graft is no worse than not grafting at all), short learning curves, and you'll actually use them weekly. "Sexy" CE without immediate clinical application sits unused.

Keep ridge preservation simple. Don't get lost in the 70/30 vs. 50/50 mineralized/demineralized debate. David teaches just two categories: mineralized cortical bone, or mineralized cortical-cancellous bone. That's it. For membranes, beginners should default to a long-lasting resorbable collagen membrane. The fancier options (cross-linked, titanium-reinforced, amnion-chorion, PTFE) are handling-skill problems before they're outcome problems.

Case presentation isn't about "salesy words." It's about reading non-verbal cues, responding appropriately, and conducting the conversation — not delivering the right script.

Notable Quotes

"It's not necessarily just because they don't want it. It's not necessarily just because of financial constraints. It's because we didn't build the trust. We didn't form that connection."

"You're going to see this patient more than one time. Hopefully ten years from now they're still your patient — so you have to foster that relationship as long as it takes."

"We'll spend $20,000 on a European vacation. We won't spend $20,000 on dentistry when we're asymptomatic and have no known issues."

"You spend all that money [on a photography setup] and you still use your intraoral camera to sell single-tooth dentistry. Good job."

"Two, three years later, I am the guy where they're just like, 'Dr. Wong, just take my money and do it.'"

"A lot of times dentists think that case presentation is using the right words — salesy words. That's not it at all."

Resources Mentioned

Books on influence, communication, and mindset

• Influence — Robert Cialdini
• Pre-Suasion — Robert Cialdini (the "second one" referenced in the conversation)
• Vanessa Van Edwards' work (and her courses on the Masterclass app)
• How to Win Friends and Influence People — Dale Carnegie
• How We Decide — Jonah Lehrer
• Books by Jonah Berger
• The E-Myth Revisited — Michael Gerber
• As a Man Thinketh — James Allen (~50 pages, mindset)

Organizations and programs

• Your local Chamber of Commerce
• Local Toastmasters (for speaking)
• Spear Study Club masters program
• The Elevated GP (Dr. Seibert's virtual study club)
• Paul Homoly's case presentation program

Clinical products David uses day to day

• Membrane: Mem-Lok resorbable collagen (BioHorizons) — current default
• Membrane (when available): OsseoGuard / Ossix Plus (Dentsply Sirona) — currently on hold
• Bone graft: MinerOss mineralized cortical or cortical-cancellous (BioHorizons)
• Bone graft (alternate supplier): Symbios mineralized cortical (Dentsply Sirona)