Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert

JOIN ELEVATED GP: theelevatedgp.com 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.

JOIN ELEVATED GP: theelevatedgp.com 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.

JOIN ELEVATED GP: theelevatedgp.com 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.

JOIN ELEVATED GP: theelevatedgp.com   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 Guest: Dr. Ashley Hoders, DDS, MS 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" Maxillary lateral incisors and mandibular incisors represent non-strategic implant locations due to narrow space, thin facial bone, and continuous lifetime craniofacial changes . 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 Conservative cantilevered or single-retainer resin-bonded bridges achieve a $\approx 98\%$ success rate over 10+ years in properly managed occlusal schemes . Fixed tooth-supported alternatives fail through mechanical inconvenience (e.g., wing debonding or connector fracture), which is easily repaired . 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 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) . 3D planning dictates restorative pathways before surgery, verifying whether crestal morphology necessitates cement-retained versus screw-retained solutions . 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 Bone stability relies on eliminating tension from the surrounding musculature (lips, cheeks, and tongue) and establishing a robust collar of keratinized mucosa . Genetic cell turnover rates and masticatory function continuously challenge crestal bone margins . 5. Root Submergence & Partial Extraction Therapy Anterior facial bone is frequently $<0.8\text{ mm}$ thick; removing the tooth and its periodontal ligament (PDL) causes rapid resorption of the bundle bone, resulting in horizontal and vertical ridge collapse . 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 . "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 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 . Matthias Kern, Dr. med. dent.: Long-term evidence supporting single-wing cantilever resin-bonded bridges (using the distal of the central incisor) . Frank Spear, DDS, MSD: Clinical philosophy on valuing natural tooth retention: "I'm not anti-implant, I'm pro-tooth." Mike Gunson, DDS, MD: Research surrounding facial aging, craniofacial growth, and implant positioning discrepancies .