Smile design has traditionally focused on tooth proportions, symmetry and alignment. While these fundamentals remain important, I’ve learned over the years that the impact of a smile extends far beyond aesthetics. A smile shapes how patients see themselves, how they interact socially, and how confidently they move through the world.

It's a common but frustrating situation—patients, whether new or returning, arrive for their appointment without their new or updated insurance details. The most straightforward approach is to have the patient prepay for the visit, assuring them that the claim will be submitted to their insurance and that they’ll be reimbursed for any overpayment once coverage is confirmed. However, not every patient is willing or able to prepay, which puts the practice in a difficult positio

At 19, Elan had only two permanent teeth and had lived his whole life with a partial denture. This wasn’t about replacing teeth—it was about creating an entirely new functional reality. Discover how our team approached this complex, full-arch reconstruction for a patient with ectodermal dysplasia—and the lessons every dentist can take from a case where there’s no “normal” baseline.

Dr. Chad Kasperowski is reframing dentistry as a driver of whole‑body wellness and human performance. What started as a traditional path took a sharp turn during his residency at the VA in San Antonio, where exposure to complex cases, IV sedation, surgery, and implants revealed a deeper truth: oral health and systemic health are inseparable.

Running a dental practice is about more than just clinical skill—it’s about building a business that thrives financially. A major pain point for many practice owners is not fully understanding their financial data and feeling disconnected from their financial reality.

I’m excited to share this case because it highlights a thoughtful approach to complex maxillary cant challenges, showing how they can be managed in a predictable and esthetic way. One of the key lessons is that success is not always about perfectly leveling the cant, but about camouflaging it to create a natural, balanced smile.

Dr. Vi Ho is bringing a fresh perspective to modern endodontics, one that blends science, curiosity, and whole‑body awareness. As a certified biological endodontist, she looks beyond traditional techniques to create a more thoughtful, patient‑centered experience. In this episode of the Dental Slang Podcast, she shares how her clinical philosophy has evolved, the tools and technologies that support her approach, and the personal journey that shaped the way she practices today.

Behavioral economics shows us that gut instinct isn’t always right. While our brains evolved to enable our survival, the very instincts we possess in order to save and protect ourselves may be thwarting our efforts to financially prosper. But if we can recognize these biases in ourselves and our patients, we can make clearer decisions, deliver better care and build healthier practices. Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to double down on the ticket you’ve already bought—it’s

In this episode, Dr. JP Bastien shares how he grew his practice from early-stage ownership into a thriving multi-doctor model by leading with empathy, recruiting intentionally and embracing technology without losing sight of core values. He reflects on the realities of hiring, leadership development, operational efficiency and the role of AI in modern dentistry, offering practical insights for dentists navigating growth while protecting culture and quality of care.

Before I can talk about building a community, you need to know a little about me, because my history is what made it possible. I’m Dr. Ashley Joves, a first-generation Filipino-American and an only child, born just outside Columbus, Ohio. Growing up, I often felt out of place, there weren’t many people who looked like me, and being an only child, I created my own worlds, telling stories and imagining siblings just to keep myself company.

This question has circulated around offices for decades: Do we submit crowns and other multi-visit procedures upon starting or at completion? The answer is not a simple yes or no. As with most things in life, it’s not that easy, and anyone giving you a straight answer is missing part of the story. So, let’s review the facts and the complete situation so you can decide what to do within your own office:

Get an inside look at how Dr. Pete McClellan built a thriving multi-location practice without losing sight of relationships, communication and clinical clarity. In this episode, he shares the systems, lessons and leadership principles that helped him scale sustainably, support mid-career dentists, and create practices where doctors can thrive without burning out.

In recent years, “AI in healthcare” has referred to tools that support radiographic diagnosis. Years earlier it referred to scripted chatbots pretending to hold a conversation. None of it fixed the communication gap that actually matters. But now we’re seeing something new: Agentic AI. This refers to systems that understand language and use it to autonomously perform actions.

Dr. John Bruce joins host Dr. Reza Ardalan to discuss innovative approaches to dental care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the importance of mentorship in professional growth. From expanding clinical tools to personal stories that reveal his unique journey, this episode offers both practical insights and engaging anecdotes for dental professionals.

When my 25-year-old niece told me salary wasn’t her top concern in a job search, I realized just how much the workforce has evolved. Purpose now matters as much as pay — and in dentistry, that’s changing everything.

From a life-changing accident to building one of the top peri-implant practices, Dr. Marq Sams shares the lessons in resilience and leadership every dentist can apply.

Every now and then, a case comes along that reminds us why adherence to clinical protocol and sound judgment are indispensable in endodontics. This case, one of the most fascinating I’ve encountered, follows a patient 13 years after treatment and demonstrates how proper diagnosis and retreatment can turn a compromised situation into a long-term success story.

Join Dr. William Nudera for a live webinar where he expands on the concepts from his Systematic Endodontics online course. This interactive session will go beyond the fundamentals, offering a closer look at key techniques and practical strategies that make endodontic treatment more predictable

When we talk about the restorative periodontal interface, what we’re really discussing is the harmony between the pink and the white, the tissue and the teeth. Achieving the ideal smile isn’t just about perfectly shaped teeth; it’s about how those teeth interact with the surrounding gingiva to create a natural, balanced and esthetically pleasing result.

After five years of developing surgical treatment plans for patients with facial deformities, Dr. David Sarver reached out to his trusted mentor with one message: clinicians had been treatment planning wrong for 100 years. Instead of brushing him off, that mentor, Dr. Bill Proffit, encouraged Dr. Sarver to plead his case. The problem was clear: when he followed the standard methodology—focused solely on the teeth—the results fell short. Patients who had already undergone unsu