It today's episode, Alan has a conversation with Dr. Wade Pilling. Wade is a "big case" guy and a renowned expert in full arch dentistry. Dr. Pilling shares his insights on the importance of mentorship, the changing landscape of dentistry, and the ethical considerations surrounding full arch implant treatment. He also discusses his own journey in dentistry and offers advice to new dentists navigating the complexities of today's dental world. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about the future of dentistry and the importance of prioritizing patient care above all else.

Some links from the show:

• Wade's education website
• Implant Pathway

Key Takeaways

• The Importance of Mentorship: Dr. Pilling emphasizes the crucial role of mentorship in achieving clinical excellence in dentistry, especially for complex procedures like full arch implants. He believes that mentorship fosters a commitment to quality and patient care over financial incentives.
• The Changing Landscape of Dentistry: Dr. Pilling discusses the challenges faced by new dentists due to high student debt and the increasing prevalence of DSOs. He expresses concern that the focus on money can lead to overtreatment and poor patient outcomes.
• The Full Arch Challenge: Dr. Pilling cautions against new dentists jumping into full arch implant cases too early in their careers. He stresses the importance of proper diagnosis, treatment planning, and informed consent, especially when it comes to procedures that involve irreversible bone loss.
• The Value of Experience and Continuing Education: Dr. Pilling shares his own journey of cobbling together training from various sources to become proficient in full arch dentistry. He highlights the need for ongoing learning and collaboration with experienced clinicians.
• The Future of Dental Education: Dr. Pilling suggests a shift towards a more apprenticeship-based model for dental education, where students gain more clinical experience under the guidance of mentors.
• Ethical Considerations: Dr. Pilling raises concerns about the marketing practices of some DSOs and the lack of accountability for patient outcomes. He advocates for a patient-centric approach to dentistry, where clinical excellence and informed consent are prioritized.

Join the Very Dental Facebook group using the password "Timmerman," Hornbrook" or "McWethy," "Papa Randy" or "Lipscomb!"

The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you’d like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!

--

Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you’ll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code “VERYDENTAL10” you’ll get another 10% off your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time!

--

The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist!

--

Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products!

--

CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you’ll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!