"I'm excited for this disruption. I'm excited for the 'price of dabbling' to come down... I'm okay with high-quality products that are less expensive that are disrupting the status quo. I'm actually here for it."

Alan recounts a whirlwind trip to the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting, but not before detailing a "hellish" day in the clinic that nearly derailed his travel plans. From grueling extractions to elusive mesial canals, Alan shares the raw reality of a high-stress day in the operatory. Once in Chicago, the conversation shifts to the "price of dabbling" in dental technology. Alan discusses his hands-on experience with the new Shining 3D Elf scanner, the seamless logistics of the Midwinter meeting, and how high-quality, lower-cost innovations are disrupting the status quo for scanners, microscopes and frankly all of dental technology. It's a candid look at clinical struggles, the joy of in-person podcasting, and the evolving landscape of dental technology.

Some links from the show:

• Shining 3D Elf scanner from CAD-Ray
• Woodpecker DTE 600 ultrasonic from Goldendent
• Enova Illumination
• Patriot Dental Lab
• Precision Dental Lab (I share a building with this one!)