Do you have a “hopeless” retained root you’re ready to extract?

Think implants, dentures, or bridges are the only way forward?

What if there’s a way to save that tooth — predictably and biologically?

In this episode, Dr. Vala Seif shares his experience with the Surgical Extrusion Technique — a game-changing approach that lets you reposition the root coronally to regain ferrule and restore teeth once thought impossible to save.

Jaz and Dr. Seif dive into case selection, atraumatic technique, stabilization, and timing, all guided by Dr. Seif’s own SAFE/SEIF Protocol, developed from over 200 successful cases.

https://youtu.be/2TyodqgAP9w

Watch PDP249 on YouTube

Protrusive Dental Pearl: When checking a ferrule, consider height, thickness, and location of functional load. Upper teeth: prioritize palatal ferrule. Lower teeth: prioritize buccal. Tip: do a partial surgical extrusion, rotate the tooth 180°, then stabilize.

Key Takeaways

Surgical extrusion is a technique-sensitive procedure that requires careful planning.

Case selection is crucial for the success of surgical extrusion.

A crown-root ratio of 1:1 is ideal for surgical extrusion.

Patients are often more cooperative when they see surgical extrusion as their last chance to save a tooth.

Surgical extrusion can be more efficient than orthodontic extrusion in certain cases.

The importance of ferrule in dental restorations cannot be overstated.

Proper case selection is crucial for successful outcomes.

Atraumatic techniques are essential for preserving tooth structure.

The 'Safe Protocol' offers a structured approach to surgical extrusion.

Patient communication is key to managing expectations.

Flowable composite is preferred for tooth fixation post-extraction.

Understanding root morphology is important for successful extractions.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 Surgical Extrusion Podcast Teaser

01:07 Introduction

02:38 Protrusive Dental Pearl

05:53 Interview with Dr. Vala Seif

08:57 Definition and Philosophy of Surgical Extrusion

15:30 Indications, Case Selection, and Root Morphology

21:37 Comparing Surgical and Orthodontic Extrusion

25:54 Crown Lengthening Drawbacks

28:39 Occlusal Considerations

33:53 Midroll

37:16 Definition and Importance of the Ferrule

43:07 Clinical Protocols and Fixation Methods

01:00:01 Post-Extrusion Care and Final Restoration

01:05:04 Learning More and Final Thoughts

01:09:29 Outro

Further Learning:

Instagram: @extrusionmaster — case examples, papers, and protocol updates.

Online and in-person courses in development (Europe + global access).

Loved this episode? Don’t miss “How to Save ‘Hopeless’ Teeth with the Surgical Extrusion Technique” – PDP061

#PDPMainEpisodes #OralSurgeryandOralMedicine #OrthoRestorative

This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcomes C.

AGD Subject Code: 310 ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Aim: To understand the biological and clinical principles of surgical extrusion as a conservative alternative to orthodontic extrusion or crown lengthening for managing structurally compromised teeth.

Dentists will be able to -

Identify suitable clinical cases for surgical extrusion, including correct root morphology and crown–root ratios.

Describe the step-by-step SAFE Protocol for atraumatic surgical extrusion, fixation, and timing of endodontic treatment.

Evaluate the advantages, limitations, and biomechanical considerations of surgical extrusion compared with orthodontic extrusion and crown lengthening.

Are you confident in replacing a single missing central incisor?

When is a denture the right option — and when should you consider a bridge or implant instead?

Why is the single central incisor one of the hardest teeth to replace to a patient’s satisfaction?

In this Back to Basics episode, Jaz and Protrusive Student Emma Hutchison explore the unique challenges of replacing a single central incisor. They break down when each option — denture, resin-bonded bridge, conventional bridge, or implant — is appropriate, and the biological and aesthetic factors that influence that decision.

They also share key communication strategies to help you manage expectations, guide patients through realistic treatment choices, and avoid disappointment when dealing with this most visible and demanding tooth.

https://youtu.be/czjPQxKpwPw

Watch PS018 on YouTube

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Key Takeaways: 

Replacing a single central incisor isn’t just about technical skill — it’s about communication and case selection. 

Success comes from helping patients understand that a restoration replaces a tooth’s function and appearance, not nature itself. 

Clear conversations about expectations, limitations, and maintenance are what turn a difficult aesthetic case into a satisfying long-term result.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 Teaser

00:28 Intro

01:56 From Dental Nurse to Final-Year Student

07:38 Challenges and Considerations in Replacing Central Incisors

12:51 Patient Communication and Treatment Planning

18:33 Discussing Treatment Options and Enamel Considerations

21:16 Communicating Options and Guiding Patient Decisions

25:51 Choosing Between Fixed and Removable Options

27:10 Midroll

30:31 Choosing Between Fixed and Removable Options

31:05 Handling Old Crowns and Patient Communication

34:17 Conventional vs. Resin-Bonded Bridges

37:57 Occlusal Load, Function, and Implant Considerations

43:40 Digital Workflow in Dentistry

45:54 Managing Aesthetic Expectations

48:34 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

52:59 Outro

🎧 Want to feel confident with prosthodontics?

Explore these essential follow-ups to this episode:

Dentures vs Bridges with Michael Frazis

Crowns vs Onlays with Alan Burgin

Dentures with Finlay Sutton

RBB Masterclass on the Protrusive Guidance App

Quick, practical lessons to sharpen your planning, communication, and anterior aesthetics — all in your pocket.

#ProsthoPerio #OcclusionTMDandSplints #Communication #BreadandButterDentistry

This episode is eligible for 0.75 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcomes C.

AGD Subject Code: 610 – Fixed Prosthodontics

Aim: To provide a clear, clinical overview of replacing a single missing incisor — focusing on when to choose a denture, bridge, or implant, and how to communicate realistic expectations.

Dentists will be able to -

Identify the key biological, functional, and aesthetic challenges in replacing a central incisor.

Compare the indications, advantages, and limitations of dentures, resin-bonded bridges, conventional bridges, and implants.

Communicate realistic outcomes, limitations, and maintenance expectations effectively to patients.

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: Have you heard of something called central dominance?

Teaser:No.

So in the face, the central incisors should be the star of the show, should be in the middle, and the centrals should be like twins. When we lose a central incisor, we have to discuss how was that central incisor lost, and most common cause is trauma. The most important predictor success of a resin bonded bridge is the same as it is for veneers. If you're not sure what the treatment plan should be, you probably haven't asked a patient enough questions.

Jaz's Introduction:Welcome to this Back to Basics episode on replacing the single central incisor, why the single central incisor is the most important tooth, obviously, but so that we can just go a little bit deeper into this topic rather than talking about replacement options in general, which you've already done on the podcast.

There are certain features which are very special when you're replacing the central incisor and why it is regarded as the most difficult treatment to deliver in terms of patient satisfaction expectations. We're joined by the Protrusive student, Emma Hutchison, where we're gonna go into the basic overview of decision making.

When is a denture appropriate? Is it ever appropriate for an incisor? How about bridges and what type, and what are the implant considerations, and actually choosing between these options? I think one of the biggest takeaways you might get from this is communication. There's a specific way I communicate to patients about this, and that's what I think you'll probably take away the most from this episode.

Hello Protruserati. I'm Jaz Gulati and welcome back to the student edition of your favorite dental podcast. I know we call it Protrusive Students, but young practitioners or those returning back to work often find these episodes very valuable. Of course, we've got so much more where this came from.

We've got all sorts of genres and topics covered in Protrusive Podcast and recently on YouTube. We've done the playlist so you can actually pinpoint the different themes of the podcast. On our app, Protrusive Guidance, head over to protrusive.app if you're interested in that. It's the community of the nicest and geekiest dentists in the world. We put some extra videos, not on YouTube, on there as well. Let's now join Emma, and I'll catch you in the outro.

Main Episode:Emma Hutchison, the Protrusive Student, welcome back. How are you doing? How is clinics going? Final year, you've done your exams, but it's the actual more clinical exposure. How's everything going?

[Emma] Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's going good. So as I was saying last time, it's just more, lots more experience this year, which is good. So I'm up in Falkirk in Scotland every second week, just Monday till Friday, nine till five, seeing about four or five patients a day. And then the other second week I'm in Glasgow doing more specialized stuff, watching some consultants in restorative and things. So it's good. It's good. Just plodding along quite nicely, which is good.

[Jaz] Good. And you obviously have been a dental nurse. So once you're seeing four to five patients a day, you have this extra level of insight that maybe your colleagues don't have. Like, in the real world it's 30, 40 patients sometimes, sometimes 12, sometimes one. Like, it's such a variation.

'Cause obviously you've been an implant nurse as well. So what advice do you want to give to your colleagues who are maybe listening to this and they're seeing these four to five patients, and you want to prepare them for the real world? What would you say with your very unique perspective?

[Emma] Yeah, I think when I was working as an implant nurse, I remember speaking to the dentist I was working with and he was saying why he moved to private dentistry initially is just because the real life just isn't like the gold standards that you're taught at dental school. In the NHS especially, you're time restricted.

So I think I do have that in the back of my head. I know that I won't have the luxury of such long appointments when I graduate. So yeah, I'm just getting myself prepared for the real world. 'Cause I am gonna do VT or DFT so that I can work in the NHS to start off with and then see where I go from there.

But I do know that in the back of my mind it's gonna get a lot busier as soon as I start VT practice. So yeah, just that you're not gonna have the best materials that you do in dental school. I know in Glasgow anyway, we tend to have really quite good materials. Good rubber dam. I know I've spoke to you about things like that before, and just that it might not be like that in the real world when I graduate and get out there and start working.

So just to prepare myself for that. I'm aware of it, it's fine. And I'm just trying to relish the opportunities that I have at the moment and the staff around me that I have as well. I think that's one thing.

[Jaz] You've gotta be like a leech, Emma. You've gotta be like a leech, like a sponge.

[Emma] And just ask all the questions whilst you have all these specialists and consultants around you and just take note of everything that they're saying. Especially the way that people communicate with their patients and pick up little things that they're saying to their patients and make it your own. So I'm trying not to wish away my last year, so that's good.

[Jaz] No, enjoy it. Enjoy the comfort and the bubble and the protection you get in school before you enter the big, bad world. Do you think your experience as a nurse and seeing over the shoulder, you're suctioning, you're seeing things close up? Having said that though, I always find that maybe the nurses, we think they've got a great view, but they often don't, especially when you are trying to juggle a million things.

'Cause recently I've been using my clinical loupe camera more and more, and so now the nurses who've been working for 20, 25 years, they're like, "Oh, now I got to see what you are seeing." So maybe it hasn't been that much of an advantage that you come from a nursing background. What do you think about that? Just be honest.

[Emma] I think initially, when I got into dental school, first and second year, it helped obviously. Premolars, molars, all the very basic stuff. And then maybe second, third year when I started to see patients, I was pretty much at the same level as everyone else.

Apart from communication. I've found the big thing is that patient communication has came quite naturally to me,

What if one bad decision completely changed the course of your career?

In this exclusive, members-only episode, Jaz sits down with a fellow dentist from our community who shares his raw, honest story about a moment of misjudgment — committing fraud — and the painful lessons that followed.

This isn’t about blame. It’s about insight, accountability, and redemption.

From the shock of investigation and court hearings, to the struggle of rebuilding trust and identity, this conversation shines a light on what really happens behind closed doors when things go wrong.

The aim of this podcast was to hopefully deter colleagues from temptation which can affect anyone at any time.

https://youtu.be/QF-UNrlYjcw

Watch PDP248 on YouTube

How to Watch the Full Episode

This is a members-only podcast episode due to its sensitive nature.

You can access it by creating a free Community account at: https://www.protrusive.app

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 Teaser

00:49 Introduction

05:49 End Screen

Love this episode? Don't miss Divorce, Alcohol and Rough Patches - Overcoming Adversities (IC040)

#PDPMainEpisodes #BeyondDentistry

This episode is eligible for 0.5 CE credits via the Quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcomes A and D

AGD Subject Code: 555 Ethics in Dentistry

Aim: To reflect on the ethical, professional, and emotional lessons learned from a real-life case of dental fraud, highlighting accountability, insight, and rehabilitation while identifying practical steps to prevent similar incidents.

Dentists will be able to -

Recognise how workplace pressures, lack of mentorship, and poor oversight can lead to ethical lapses.

Understand the legal, professional, and emotional consequences of dishonesty and poor record keeping.

Identify support systems, coping strategies, and self-reflective tools to prevent burnout and maintain integrity.

Ever had a patient swear their bite feels “off” - even though the articulating paper marks look perfect and you’ve adjusted everything twice over? Or maybe you’ve placed a beautiful quadrant of onlays, only to have them return saying, “these three teeth still feel proud.” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

In this episode, I’m joined (in my car, no less!) by Dr. Robert Kerstein, who was back in the UK to teach about digital occlusion and the power of the T-Scan and ‘disclusion time reduction therapy’. We dig into why a patient’s bite can still feel “off” even when everything looks right, how timing is just as important as force, and why splints and Botox don’t always solve TMD.

Robert explains why micro-occlusion is the real game-changer, how scanners could mislead you, and why dentistry still clings to articulating paper.

So if you’ve ever wondered why “perfect” cases still come back with bite complaints, or whether timing data can actually prevent fractures and headaches, this episode will give you plenty to chew on - pun intended.

https://youtu.be/0lCAsjFhsXI

Watch PDP247 on YouTube

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Key Takeaways:

Micro-occlusion, not just “dots and lines,” is the real driver of patient comfort and long-term tooth health.

T-Scan measures both force and timing, which scanners and articulating paper cannot capture.

Many patients show signs of occlusal damage without symptoms.

Disclusion Time Reduction (DTR) treats TMD neurologically without splints, Botox, or TENS.

Relying on occlusograms alone for guiding reduction is risky.

Dentists can reduce post-treatment complaints by balancing micro-occlusion with T-Scan.

Adopting T-Scan requires proper training.

CR can be a convenient reference point, but MIP works well in most cases if micro-occlusion is managed.

Objective, repeatable data builds patient trust and provides medico-legal reassurance.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 Teaser

01:13 Intro

4:41 Protrusive Dental Pearl -  Removing a Temporarily Cemented Crown

06:39 Introduction

08:48 Global Training Footprint

09:32 What Robert Teaches (DTR & T-Scan)

09:55 Occlusion as Neurologic

10:33 Macro vs Micro-Occlusion

11:33 Neural Pathway

15:00 MIP vs CR Framing

16:48 Signs Without Symptoms

19:16 Silent Majority

20:08 Why Treat Asymptomatic Signs

20:50 Disclusion and MIP

22:28 Occlusogram Caveats

24:53 Midroll

28:14 Occlusogram Caveats

28:29 Why Occlusograms Mislead

29:21 Don’t Adjust From Color Alone

31:47 What Pressure/Timing Enable Clinically

33:02 Prosthetic Reality Check

34:46 Patient-Perceived Comfort

35:29 Why Isn’t T-Scan Everywhere?

36:29 Political Resistance

37:42 CR as Utility

38:18 MIP and Vertical Dimension.

39:48 Macro ≠ Micro

41:00 Material Longevity Benefits

41:57 T-Scan Training

42:58 Three Competencies to Master

44:20 Micro-Occlusion Rules

44:46 Outro

If you want to get more clued up on TMD, tune into this episode for the latest insights and guidelines! PDP213 - TMD New Guidelines -  however be warned that the guidelines are contradictory to what Dr. Kerstein advises….ah the wonderful world of TMD!

 #OcclusionTMDandSplints #OrthoRestorative

This episode is eligible for 0.5 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance.

This episode meets GDC Outcomes A, C.

AGD Subject Code: 250 – Clinical Dentistry (Occlusion/Restorative)

Aim: to explore the role of micro-occlusion and timing in TMD and restorative success, highlighting how tools like T-Scan provide data that other tools cannot. This episode seeks to give dentists practical insights into diagnosing, preventing, and treating occlusal problems with greater accuracy.

Dentists will be able to:

Describe the role of micro-occlusion and disclusion time in TMD symptoms and tooth wear.

Recognising the limitations of traditional methods of occlusion adjustment.

Understand how objective occlusion data supports comfort, longevity of restorations, and preventive care.

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: Pressure is a force over surface area. And when it gives us the red, the blue, yellow, it's not measuring the force, so it cannot tell us the pressure. So tell us about what the nuances of being careful with the occlusogram and where it fails in the face of something more sophisticated, like the T-scan.

The essence of a scanning technology is that all the teeth are scanned with the patient's teeth apart. No one's biting. There's no forces captured. There's no contacts. There's no gathering of teeth banging together or rubbing around. So it completely is falsely representing. These colour coded occlusograms have no force information in them at all.

Anyone who's used articulating paper, which most of us do, and the T-scan, you still mark the teeth with paper, but you choose the contacts to treat based on the data, not based on where the paper marks look. And very often, the most pressure points of contacts are small, scratchy little marks that dentistry says are light force, which you're completely wrong because again, the load is applied over area. So if you have a very small area, you have the potential for very high pressure.

Jaz's Introduction:Protruserati, the occlusogram is lying to us. Does that sound familiar? Well, we welcome back again, Dr. Robert Kerstein. If you remember way back in episode 109, we made an episode called, "Articulating Paper Is Lying to Us," and you guys absolutely loved it because Arctic paper is lying to us.

You should totally listen to that episode if you haven't already. And if you haven't, essentially the arctic paper marks you see on teeth are flawed in the sense that you can't look at a mark and accurately say that, oh yeah, that's more force, or that's less force, or that's hitting first. You don't get that data.

And not only that, but you also get false positives when it comes to articulating paper. Now, similarly, I've got Robert Kerstein back again talking about the occlusogram. Now the occlusogram is that heat map you see when you do a scan, when you do an intraoral scan of a patient, upper arch, lower arch, and then you do the occlusion.

Most modern scanners will give you some sort of a heat map of the occlusion and we call that an occlusogram. And we may all at the beginning make this mistake, this very simple error, that when you see red on the occlusogram that means high force. Well, we will absolutely and emphatically bust that myth today.

You see the heat map or the occlusogram is just a measure of proximity. How close in space is that cusp to that fossa? And if it's very close, it's gonna be red. And if it's maybe a few microns away, it'll be a colder colour. Absolutely does not tell you how much force or timing or pressure, none of that stuff. Just contact proximity. So we must be careful in how we interpret that data. It would be misinformation to tell a patient that a certain tooth is having more load because of the colour.

Hello Protruserati. I'm Jaz Gulati and welcome back to your favourite dental podcast. Today's guest is none other than Dr. Robert Kerstein. Rob Kerstein is like the godfather of digital occlusion. When I was in New Mexico a few months ago with Dr. Bobby Supple, he described Dr. Kerstein as the Einstein of occlusion, and it's an absolute pleasure to chat with him again.

It's a different format of the podcast. We're driving, well, I'm driving, he's my passenger. And so one of the team members, when they were listening to this, they said, it's like carpool karaoke vibes. And don't worry, we will not start doing a little singing and dance in the middle of this episode, but something a bit different, a bit fresh. Me and Dr. Kerstein were on the way to some DTR training in the UK.

DTR is Disclusion Time Reduction, essentially, if you listen to that episode that we did with Nick Yiannios. We talked about frictional dental hypersensitivity, and essentially lots of friction between the back teeth could cause your teeth to become sensitive. So this posterior dental friction is also implicated in TMD, thus resurfacing that old debate: is occlusion a causative factor of TMD?

Now, we all know some CAMs and some reviews that suggest that occlusion has no relationship to TMD. Whereas my guest, Dr. Robert Kerstein, says that TMD is a neurological condition and has everything to do with occlusion, and particularly that muscular TMD group would greatly benefit from an occlusal adjustment or something to change about their occlusion, to reduce that sensory input and their noxious muscular spasms.

And I saw all this freehand. I can't wait to share my experience of what I witnessed when Dr. Robert Kerstein came to my practice and I treated three patients. So I'll leave you on that teaser if you like, 'cause we have another episode coming with Dr. Jeremy Bliss talking all about occlusion, TMD and Disclusion Time Reduction, aka DTR.

Dental PearlBut for now, let's enjoy this episode of occlusogram. And just before we join the main interview, I need to give you your Protrusive Dental Pearl. Every PDP episode, I'll give you a top tip that you can use right away. And today's one, like many pearls are, are from Dr. Mohammed Mozafari. Mohammed's one of the most selfless and caring and giving people on our Protrusive app community, always helping our colleagues.

And today it was our good colleague Yazan. And just yesterday on the group, Yazan had a query. He's got these crowns, definitive crowns, temporarily cemented with TempBond.

Now we all know of that scenario that it could have happened to you or a colleague, whereby you put these crowns in temporarily. Even some colleagues, they try in a crown, let's say a PFM crown without any cement, and they put the crown on and they just cannot take it off,

Is social media killing professionalism in dentistry?

Are young dentists really “clowns” online—or is lightheartedness perfectly fine?

Is social media a disease? Where’s the line between humor, banter, and outright disrespect?

In this episode, Jaz is joined by Joseph Lucido from the States to tackle these tough questions head-on. Sparked by a fiery Facebook rant, they dive into whether social media is harming our profession, how dentists should present themselves online, and if there’s still room for fun without crossing the line.

Whether you love or hate dental content on social media, this conversation will make you rethink how we represent our profession to the world.

Shout-out to two US doctors creating excellent, entertaining content on social media

Dr Brady Smith

Dr. Nicholas J Ciardiello

Check out the 3-Step Modern Dental Marketing Plan from Clear to Launch Dental — designed to help you simplify your marketing and grow your practice without the overwhelm.

https://youtu.be/W7Uh-ML9dZg

Watch IC063 on YouTube

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Takeaways

Social media etiquette is crucial for healthcare professionals.

Avoid controversial topics to maintain professionalism.

A social media presence is essential for modern dental practices.

Patients often check social media to verify a practice's credibility.

Content should reflect the personality of the dentist and practice.

Highlight satisfied patients to build social proof.

Consistency in posting is key to maintaining engagement.

Separate personal and professional social media accounts.

Batch content creation to save time and effort.

Engaging content can lead to more patient inquiries.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 Teaser

00:31 Intro

01:47 Introducing Joseph Lucido: Social Media Expert

03:21 Social Media Etiquette for Dentists

06:14 The Importance of Social Media Presence

12:04 Balancing Professionalism and Humor Online

17:39 Authenticity in Social Media

19:51 Balancing Personal and Professional Content

21:51 Effective Social Media Strategies

25:27 Time Management for Social Media

27:26 Do's and Don'ts of Social Media

29:43 The Power of Social Proof

30:49 Conclusion and Resources

32:47 Outro

Love this episode? Don’t miss Best Practices in Social Media for Dentists – How to Stay Out of Trouble Yet Be Impactful (IC035)

#InterferenceCast #Communication #BreadandButterDentistry

This episode is not eligible for CPD/CE points, but never fear, there are hundreds of hours of CPD waiting for you on the Ultimate Education Plan, including Premium clinical walkthroughs and Masterclasses.

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: What is the correct etiquette in 2025 and beyond for social media for dentists?

Teaser:The biggest shortcut a lot of social media questions get would be, we tell a lot of docs, this is social media, it's social in nature, so your job is not to directly sell 24/7. The most extreme version of yourself is gonna get the most attention. So you might get, oh, look, I'm getting a lot of views. But going back to what I said earlier, it's, well, what are people thinking when they see this?

Jaz's Introduction: I saw a rant on Facebook. Obviously it was on Facebook. Where else do rants belong, right? It was saying, what has happened to our profession? What has happened to our beloved dentistry? The kind of crap we're seeing on social media.

This dentist, who's basically vexing about the way that he thinks young dentists are portraying themselves on social media, this anonymous poster of course, was saying we're being clowns, we are disrespecting patients, we're doing all sorts of unsavory things to get views and likes.

So Protruserati, is this the death of professionalism in dentistry? Is social media a disease? Is there a proper way to conduct yourself on social media, or is a bit of humor and banter and a bit of lightheartedness acceptable?

I'm a bit of an idiot on social media sometimes, but I know someone who does know. Today we've got our guest, Joseph Lucido from the States, and I asked him all these tough questions. He knows a thing or two about social media. So in this episode, you'll find out what is the proper way to conduct yourself and whether Joseph thinks there is a space for idiots like me.

Hello, Protruserati. I'm Jaz Gulati and welcome back to your favorite dental podcast. This is an interference cast. This is a nonclinical arm of the podcast. Hope you enjoy the main interview and I'll catch you in the outro.

Main Episode:Joseph Lucido, welcome to the Protrusive Dental Podcast. For those who are listening right now, Joseph has sat in this wonderful, you've got this wonderful background, that common look of the books behind you, so it makes you look like you've got so much authority. And he totally looks badass. But I had to ask him, is this real or is it fake? And actually he reached out, man, this is a very beautiful library behind you. Joseph, welcome to the show, my friend. How are you doing?

[Joseph] I'm doing great. Happy to be here.

[Jaz] Tell us about yourself. You're not a dentist, but tell me how you are connected to dentistry. What makes you an authority? Talk about social media for dentists today, which I'm really excited to get into.

[Joseph] Sure. Probably starting around eight years old, I wanted to be a dentist. Just being in the dental office, I always loved getting my teeth cleaned. I had a few uncles that were dentists. It was just exciting for me.

And then just through my education, formally marketing degree, and then half of the books behind you are on marketing or psychology. And then it comes down to just different reps over and over and over on different platforms with docs, seeing what works, seeing what doesn't work. I guess that gives me, I don't know about the authority, but it gives me a pretty sharp edge on what works and what doesn't.

[Jaz] Well, I think that does give you authority. The fact that they have skin in the game, the fact that you work with people on this, so you totally have the authority.

Interesting title we've opted for, right? Social media clown or healthcare professional. I really like this. When I first read it, I thought, oh crap, he's onto me. He's seen my videos. Because sometimes I'm a bit of a clown, and sometimes I'm very professional. I'm really looking for what your thoughts are on this.

So I guess the first place to start is, what is the correct etiquette in 2025 and beyond for social media for dentists? It's a big topic and we can break it down and go anywhere you like.

[Joseph] Yeah, there's gonna be a bunch of nuance to it, but the biggest shortcut a lot of social media questions get would be, what is the potential patient, the person viewing this, the followers, what are they gonna think after seeing whatever I post?

That should just be your starting point for everything social media related. Before you post, you want to be intentional in thinking. Now it becomes intuitive after a while to do it the right way, second nature. But from an etiquette standpoint, we wanna be thinking, I don't wanna post anything that's too controversial or too polarizing.

Now I'm talking specifically through the lens of a healthcare professional. If you're trying to get attention some other way, that's fine. But if we're talking about being a professional in healthcare, we don't want to talk about politics or religion. Avoiding these topics can alienate 50% or more of your audience, and it also kind of speaks to your self-awareness. You probably shouldn't be posting this from a business perspective.

Arguing online, never a good look. Taking a combative stance, anyone who sees that, even if you're defending yourself, even if you're 100% in the right, that's not what you wanna do from an etiquette standpoint.

We tell a lot of docs, this is social media, it's social in nature, so your job is not to directly sell 24/7. Everyone's seen the doc that posts and all they're doing is selling, and you're not gonna follow them.

[Jaz] So what you mean by that is, "Come in for our new patient Invisalign offer," and just banging on about it every single day, and that's it, it's like repeat.

[Joseph] Even the other post is too much. And what we'd even argue is, the way that we operate it is we have the docs say, you do nothing from an office level organically. You should be fun, entertaining, posting like that, and then we'll take care of the direct selling, because that's what our team has experience in.

You don't have experience in, how do I sell something, specifically the language that needs to be used, the call to actions, where the buttons go. That is so outside of your purview. But what's inside of you, you're an expert on you and your office. That's what you should be posting about.

[Jaz] I think one thing that perhaps I should have asked, and I will now, is taking a step back. I think I went too deep too soon. I'm trying to understand what you are trying to say and what we can learn.

Like I said, building on that correct etiquette and top mistakes we make. Now we are at a stage where virtually every dental practice has a website, I would imagine. But not all dentists have a social media presence. But those that do, a significant majority of those would probably post on 4th of July and then post on Halloween and then completely abandon it.

So let's tackle that for a second. Do we need a social media presence in this day and age to be a thriving clinic? Because in the past it was, word of mouth is the best and patients refer other patients of the similar kind of caliber and likeness, which works well for clinics. What do you think about that question of the need of social media for every practice?

[Joseph] So I think practices still, word of mouth,

Cracked teeth — the diagnosis we all hate as Dentists!

How do you decide when to monitor and when to intervene?

What is the recommended intervention at different scenarios of cracks?

Should we be chasing cracks and reinforcing with fibers; is there actually enough long-term data to support that approach?

Over the years, we’ve had some epic episodes on this topic — from Kreena Patel’s “I Hate Cracked Teeth” (PDP028) to Dr. Lane Ochi’s Masterclass on Diagnosis and Management (PDP175).

But in this brand-new episode, Jaz is joined by Dr. Masoud Hassanzadeh to bring it all together — not just the diagnosis of cracks, but their management. They explore when to intervene, the role of fibers in preventing propagation, and even the fascinating possibility that cracks in teeth may have some ability to heal, just like bone!

This one’s a deep dive that will change how you talk to patients — and how you approach cracked teeth in your own practice.

https://youtu.be/VHYRBnfJS3I

Watch PDP246 on YouTube

 Protrusive Dental Pearl

Your patient’s history predicts the future!

Ask if past extractions were difficult → clues you into anatomical challenges.

Ask how they lost other teeth → if cracks, be proactive with today’s cracks.

History isn’t just background—it’s a clinical tool.

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Key Takeaways

Cracks in teeth can be diagnosed using magnification and high-quality imaging.

Patient factors such as age and muscle strength play a significant role in crack prognosis.

Symptomatic cracks should be treated to prevent further propagation.

Understanding the anatomy of the tooth is crucial for effective treatment.

The healing mechanism of cracks in teeth is possible but varies between enamel and dentin.

Fibers can be used to strengthen restorations and manage cracks effectively.

Long-term studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of current crack management protocols.

The use of fluorescence filters can help identify bacteria in cracks.

Chasing cracks should be done cautiously to avoid pulp exposure.

A comprehensive understanding of crack mechanics can improve treatment outcomes.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 Teaser

00:47 Intro

03:08 Protrusive Dental Pearl - The Importance of Dental History

07:18 Interview with Masoud Hassanzadeh

08:22 Diagnosing and Managing Cracks

21:13 When to Intervene on Cracks

25:50 Restoration Techniques and Materials

28:30 Chasing Cracks: Guidelines and Techniques

36:50 Mechanisms of Crack Healing in Teeth

45:11 Exploring the Use of Fibers in Dentistry

52:43 Introducing the Book on Cracked Teeth

54:57 Percussion-Based Diagnostics (QPD)

56:44 Key Takeaways

57:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

01:00:07 Outro

As promised, here are the studies mentioned during the discussion:

Why cracks do not propagate as quickly in root dentin: Study 1a & 1b Root dentin has significantly higher fracture toughness compared to coronal dentin—nearly twice as tough, as demonstrated in multiple studies. The key difference lies in their structure and toughness. Root dentin’s unique collagen orientation adds strength, while its fewer lumens and thinner peritubular cuffs make it less brittle. In contrast, coronal dentin has thicker cuffs, which increase brittleness. Unlike coronal dentin, which fractures uniformly, radicular dentin is anisotropic—its fracture behavior varies depending on direction. These structural features give root dentin greater resistance to cracking, making it more durable under stress.

Studies on decreasing crack length due to crack repair in enamel. Study 2

The importance of the modulus of elasticity of the final restoration in arresting crack propagation. Study 3

The role of fiber in restoring cracked teeth and how it can increase fracture strength—even surpassing that of natural teeth. Study 4

Decision Making for Retention of Endodontically Treated Posterior Cracked Teeth - A 5-year Follow-up Study

The Cracked Tooth: Histopathologic and Histobacteriologic Aspects

Historical Studies on Enamel Crack Healing– 1949 (Sognnaes): The Organic Elements of the Enamel: III. The Pattern of the Organic Framework in the Region of the Neonatal and other Incremental Lines of the Enamel

– 1994 (Hayashi): High Resolution Electron Microscopy of a Small Crack at the Superficial Layer of Enamel

– 2009 (S. Myoung): Morphology and fracture of enamel

Don’t miss out — get instant access to all the research papers discussed here at protrusive.co.uk/cracks!

Dr. Masoud Hassanzadeh has written two essential books every dentist should own:

📘 Glossary of Biomimetic Restorative Dentistry🔑 Your quick-reference guide to the language and principles of biomimetics — explained in a way you can actually use chairside.

📕 The Cracked Tooth: A Comprehensive Guide to Cracked Teeth🦷 Everything you need to know about diagnosis, management, and the science behind one of dentistry’s biggest headaches.

🌴✨ Dubai 2026: Occlusion + Family Fun ✨🌴

This Easter, join Dr. Jaz Gulati and Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim for something truly special — a tax-efficient holiday that mixes world-class occlusion training with plenty of family time in Dubai.

🦷 What’s included? ⏰ 20 hours of hands-on occlusion (mornings only: 9 am–1 pm) 🏖️ Afternoons & evenings free to enjoy Dubai with your family 📚 Pre-learning + online content to deepen your understanding 🥂 A not-for-profit event — just dentists, families, and fun!

👉 Learn more & get your quote at: globaldentalevents.co.uk

💡 Make memories with your loved ones while making your CPD hours tax-deductible

Want to level up your knowledge on cracked teeth? 🎧 Don’t miss PDP098: Cracked Teeth Management with the Direct Composite Splint Technique

#PDPMainEpisodes #EndoRestorative #BreadandButterDentistry

This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcomes A and C.

AGD Subject Code: 070 ENDODONTICS

Aim: To provide clinicians with practical, evidence-based guidance for diagnosing, monitoring, and restoring cracked teeth, with emphasis on prognosis, risk factors, and restorative decision-making.

Dentists will be able to -

Differentiate between enamel and dentine cracks, and recognize when prognosis is hopeless.

Apply appropriate diagnostic tools and clinical criteria to decide when to monitor versus intervene.

Select suitable restorative strategies and materials to manage cracked teeth effectively.

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: After 48 hours, they started to see that the crack is just decreasing, like it's just healing. Is it really possible? But it is possible. Like how there is a crack healing mechanism in the bone, there is also crack healing mechanism in the tooth. When I started to learn about cracks, actually the studies were not from dentists.

Teaser: They were fracture mechanic engineering that they just studied about the crack, and nowadays there is a new system, it is called quantitative percussion diagnostic, QPD. There is a stress concentration in that point where the crack is started, so we have to distribute the stress in that place, in that plane. That is the important one. If we are just going to remove the crack and put the restoration on it, I'm afraid it's just going to happen again.

Jaz's Introduction: Over the years, we've had some awesome episodes on cracked teeth. If you go all the way back to PDP028 with Krina Patel, the episode was titled, I Hate Cracked Teeth, and you know what? I still hate cracked teeth. They're a damn nuisance. They're everywhere, and it creates major consent and if the tooth goes non-vital, that kind of conversation, which no one likes.

Now, years later, we did this epic episode with Dr. Lane Ochi, PDP175. You need to check these two episodes out if you want to geek out on cracks. But you know what? This episode really does a wonderful summary of cracks. Not just the diagnosis, but the actual management. Should we be chasing cracks? Are fibers actually indicated? Is there enough long-term clinical data to support the use of fibers in crack propagation? And the question of, okay, when should you actually intervene?

And you know what? The most important one I haven't even mentioned yet. So, Dr. Masoud, the way I got acquainted with him is on social media. I posted this image of a crack, a really nasty crack, and he said something absolutely ridiculous. He said that cracks have an ability to heal a bit like cracks heal in bone.

Now, you said that because in this image I posted on social media, it was all about how I communicate cracks to my patients. I say to them, look, when you have a crack in a bone, the bone can heal, it can regenerate, but a crack in a tooth can never heal. Patients seem to resonate and they understand that. But he was suggesting that actually cracks can heal naturally a bit like bone. And so if you listen to the end of the podcast, you will see how that is actually possible.

Hello, Protruserati. I'm Jaz Gulati and welcome back to your favorite dental podcast. I've had a month in August which was pretty crazy. I didn't do much recording of new podcasts. We were working on some of the older recordings I had done. We've got a huge backlog as a team, which is a wonderful position to be. We are having so much fun creating these episodes. Thank you to everyone who returns to our podcast, and of course all the new people that find us.

If you're not already, you need to join 5,000 of the nicest and geekiest dentists in the world on the Protrusive Guidance app. Go on protrusive.app, make an account. Your only requirement is you must be nice and you must be geeky. If you are those two things, you should come and join us to geek out, discuss, share challenges, share wins.

With the final places remaining for our Occlusion Getaway, we present the official FAQ Podcast!

Dreaming of combining occlusion learning with a luxury getaway?

Want to earn 56 hours of CPD while soaking up the Dubai sunshine?

Looking for a course where you can master PRACTICAL occlusion in Restorative Dentristry and make it a family-friendly, tax-deductible trip?

Easter 2026 is set to be unforgettable. Join Dr. Jaz Gulati and Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim for an extraordinary Occlusion Excursion in Dubai — a blend of serious CPD and sunshine that redefines what “continuing education” can be.

We’ve always believed in mixing work and pleasure, and this time, we’re taking it to the next level. Think luxury, learning, and laughter — all under the warm Dubai sun.

Watch IC062 on Youtube

🦷 What Makes This Course Different?

56 hours of CPD/CE credits, including 20 hours hands-on in Dubai

Full online occlusion curriculum and live webinars before you travel

Morning workshops (9 AM–1 PM) and free afternoons to explore Dubai

Bring your family (Easter school holidays!) or come solo — many dentists are already flying in from around the world.

REQUEST A QUOTE - Limited Places Remaining as of November 1st 2025!: https://globaldentalevents.co.uk/ 

Spaces are limited and flights are rising, so secure your place early.👉 Easter 2026 – Occlusion, sunshine, and CPD in Dubai.

📅 28 March – 4 April 2026

📍 Dubai, UAE

👨‍⚕️ Dr. Jaz Gulati & Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim, Organised by Global Dental Events

Highlights:

04:06 Meet the Organizers

05:59 Why Dubai?

10:40 Delegate Experiences and Expectations

13:21 Course Pricing and Tax Benefits

19:05 Course Itinerary and Logistics

24:49 Final Thoughts and How to Join

Do all whitening gels work the same, or is the brand actually important?

Are lights and in-office “power whitening” just marketing hype?

And what’s the deal with the infamous white diet - do your patients really need to give up coffee and red wine?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Wyman Chan, the man who literally hung up his drills in 2002 to dedicate his career to whitening alone. With over 20,000 cases under his belt (and a PhD in the science behind it), Wyman shares his three golden rules for whitening success: trays, communication, and conscious bleaching.

We’re also joined by Dr. Niki Shah, who brings his own insights into whitening and patient care, making this a conversation packed with both science and clinical experience.

Wyman introduces his latest invention—Magic 3, a fizzing gel that reveals and removes plaque while calming gums. Plus, Wyman busts some of the biggest whitening myths (sorry, “white diet”) and explains why he no longer bothers with internal bleaching.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make whitening safer, more predictable, and less stressful for you and your patients—this is the episode you’ll want to tune in for.

Protrusive Dental Pearl

Innovation in Hygiene with Magic 3 - What is Magic 3?

A colorless plaque indicator gel developed by Wyman Chan.

Fizzes on contact with plaque.

Cleans teeth, removes superficial stains, and softens soft calculus.

Clinical Application

Alternative to scaling/polishing for routine patients.

Nervous patients who dislike ultrasonic scalers.

Children (6+) – safe as a Class I medical device.

Orthodontic patients – helps prevent white spot lesions.

Learn more at https://protrusive.co.uk/magic3

https://youtu.be/ImpHJP3Wxec

Watch PDP245 on YouTube

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Key Takeaways:

Teeth whitening success depends on tray design, formulation, technique, and compliance.

Conscious bleaching helps minimise sensitivity.

Sensitivity is due to peroxide reaching the pulp.

Patients should adjust wear time gradually, starting short and increasing if comfortable.

Communication and treatment planning are crucial to match whitening regimes with lifestyles.

The “white diet” is not scientifically necessary - normal eating and drinking can resume within minutes.

External bleaching alone can be effective, even for single dark teeth.

Tetracycline-stained teeth can respond to whitening with the right protocols.

The brand is less important than protocol consistency and clinician experience.

In-office light-assisted whitening adds risk, cost, and chairside time without proven benefit.

Allergic reactions are more likely caused by gel additives, not peroxide itself.

Emerging products, such as peroxide-based gels for plaque disruption and gingival health, may complement whitening in the future.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 TEASER

1:00 INTRO

3:13 PROTRUSIVE DENTAL PEARL

07:05 Dr. Wyman Chan Introduction

13:32 Niki's Journey in Dentistry

17:03 Whitening Products and Techniques

23:09 Three Keys to Whitening Success

30:03 Addressing Sensitivity in Teeth Whitening

37:43 MIDROLL

41:04 Addressing Sensitivity in Teeth Whitening

46:15 Whitening as Treatment Planning

49:10 Myths and Misconceptions

01:00:27 Lights and In-Office Whitening

01:03:13 Introducing Magic3: A Revolutionary Dental Product

01:16:10 OUTRO

Discover Magic3 and Dr. Wyman Chan’s inventions

If this episode piqued your interest, continue the whitening theme by listening to PDP199 “How To Eliminate Sensitivity During Teeth Whitening”. And don’t miss the upcoming visual follow-up to this episode!

#PDPMainEpisodes #BreadandButterDentistry

This episode is eligible for 1 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance.

This episode meets GDC Outcomes A, C, and D.

AGD Subject Code: 780 – Esthetics/Cosmetic Dentistry

Aim: To deepen dentists’ understanding of teeth whitening by exploring evidence-based protocols, tray design, and methods to reduce patient sensitivity. It also aims to challenge common myths and introduce innovations that can improve both patient comfort and clinical outcomes.

Dentists will be able to:

Evaluate the importance of tray design, communication, and conscious bleaching as critical factors for safe and effective whitening outcomes

Identify the common causes of whitening sensitivity and apply strategies to minimise or prevent pulpal irritation during treatment

Assess the evidence behind common whitening myths, including the “white diet” and the use of heat/light for activation.

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: What is the three most important features in getting a good whitening result? Number one, because- is it true that patients should try a white diet when having treatment?

Teaser:I heard of that when I was started bleaching 30 years ago- because I don't have the drill anymore. They say I can't do internal bleaching. It's just because I give myself restriction. I have no drills at my clinic. If you've got a good protocol, it works- like I can show you some cases just two weeks. It's amazing result. Get from a C4 to B1, just two weeks.

Two weeks for Tetracycline staining.

This is a colorless plaque indicator. Remove plaque at the same time. Also reduces gingival inflammation. They say we have nothing like that.

Is this solution a substitute for mechanical plaque?

It's substitute for mechanical cleaning. To me, there's no need to do polishing.

Jaz's Introduction:Protruserati. We have got THE Wyman Chan and how I pull this off, this is the guy who I've been watching the whitening space for so many years, and actually he kind of disappeared. Where did Wyman Chan go? Was on the lips of every UK dentist for so many years. But guess what? He is back. Alright, lemme tell you about Wyman Chan.

This guy hangs up his drills in 2002 to solely focus on teeth whitening. That's it. Imagine that. Right at a time where teeth whitening wasn't even like a proper thing. So since then he's been like whitening the teeth of celebrities and all the famous people will go to a central London clinic, get their teeth whitened by him using his formulas, his patented technology and his knowledge.

Like he's a PhD and he's so passionate about teeth whitening. The guy's done over 20,000 whitening cases. I was actually thinking. I don't even think I've seen 20,000 patients in general in my career so far. So that just tells you the volume of teeth whitening he's done and he's like a mega geek. Like what he doesn't know about whitening is not worth knowing.

So we take advantage of that. I literally ask him all of your questions that you submitted on Protrusive Guidance, the usual stuff like is the light thing, is it a fad or is there some science behind it? Do you need to adopt a white diet two hours after whitening to make sure that you get a good effect from teeth whitening?

Like that's all standard. We actually talked about it before, but we revisit it in this episode. But of course, every episode we have a game changers and there's a few game changers. About three, well, there's more than three, but the three that are top of my mind right now while recording this introduction.

One is that for non vital bleaching, imagine you get that black central incisor. Usually the way I would treat it is make sure that the root canal treatment is good, and then re-access the access cavity of course, and place my gel inside and whiten from inside and also outside. Now, what Wyman Chan discusses is a protocol of not doing the internal part of non vital bleaching, doing it externally only, which is very fascinating.

The other cool thing he teaches in this episode is this concept of conscious bleaching, which I'd never come across before, but it makes so much sense. It is the number one thing that reduces and eliminates sensitivity. And I'm a little bit upset that no one told me before. It just makes so much sense. I can't wait for you to listen to this episode and learn about what is conscious bleaching.

Dental Pearl:And the final game changer is today's Protrusive Pearl. Hello, Protruserati. I'm Jaz Gulati. And every PDP episode we give you a Protrusive Dental Pearl, something to reflect on, something to digest, something to apply to your patients right away. We have all sorts on here. And today's pearl is about innovation.

Wyman Chan is just like this awesome guy in whitening and he has got so many patents I didn't even know about this. And one new invention he's come up with is called Magic three. So remember I said that Wyman Chan went missing? What I meant is he went to China, okay? He went to to Asia, developed a whole bunch of things and protocols, and does loads of teaching there.

And he is launched some products there as well as in Dubai. And now he's bringing Magic three to the UK. And so in a nutshell, 'cause I don't wanna take up too much time here, I really want you to listen to this episode, but essentially Magic three is this like colorless gel. It's this clear gel that you put on the teeth, and then if there's plaque anywhere, it'll start fizzing.

So they call it a colorless plaque indicator, which sounded really crazy to me. I still calling that my head around it and the way I understood it and seeing the product myself, it just fizzes when there's plaque. So it is indeed a a plaque indicator in that way you're looking for fizzing. What it does is it cleans the teeth.

It replaces your polishing stage. For many patients it replaces your scaling stage. So if these are regular patients that you're seeing every six months in hygiene and you haven't got like mountains of this hard calculus, then this gel actually replaces your hygiene work.

Why should Dentists be talking about screen time with parents?

Are smartphones even safe for children?

What is the right age to give a child their first phone?

Laura Spells and Arabella Skinner join Jaz in this thought-provoking episode to tackle one of today’s biggest parenting challenges: smartphones and social media in young hands. Together they explore the impact of early phone use on children’s health, development, and mental wellbeing—and why healthcare professionals should be paying close attention.

https://youtu.be/7RUJZqtEr18

Watch IC061 on YouTube

 Protrusive Dental Pearl: Live by your values—not your profession, spouse, or children. Don’t sacrifice for them; choose what aligns with you, so love never turns into resentment.

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Key Takeaways

Screen time is a significant public health concern. Mental health issues are rising due to social media exposure.

Early childhood screen time has long-term effects. Parents need clear guidance on screen time limits.

Community support is essential for children's well-being.

Health professionals must ask about screen time in assessments.

Regulatory changes are needed for safer screen use.

The impact of social media on self-esteem is profound. Misinformation about health trends can lead to dangerous practices among youth.

Dentists play a crucial role in educating patients about safe health practices.

Parents should engage in conversations about social media with their children.

Creating a family digital plan can help manage screen time effectively.

Collaboration among health professionals needs to raise awareness about the dangers of unregulated products.

Empowering parents with knowledge is essential for effective parenting in the digital age.

Role modeling healthy behaviors is important for parents.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00  TEASER

01:18  INTRO

03:13 PROTRUSIVE DENTAL PEARL

04:54 Introducing Our Guests: Arabella and Laura Spells

09:24 Statistics and Scale of the Problem

18:09 Early Years and Screen Time

22:27 Safer Alternatives and Regulation

27:08 MIDROLL

30:29 Safer Alternatives and Regulation

30:53 Ideal Guidelines for Screen Usage

34:01 The Role of Dentists in Addressing Social Media Issues

44:59 Parental Guidance and Digital Plans

53:53 Final Thoughts and Resources

56:06 OUTRO

✅ Action Steps

🔹Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey for habits that support balanced parenting and leadership.🔹 Kindred Squared School Readiness Survey on how early screen use impacts child development. 🔹 Follow Health Professionals for Safer Screens for practical tips to share with families, and on their Instagram for bite-sized advice🔹 Support the Smartphone-Free Childhood Campaign to delay smartphone use in children.

If this episode gave you new insights, you’ll definitely benefit from Parenthood and Dentistry (Even if You’re Not a Parent!) – IC025

#InterferenceCast #BeyondDentistry #Communication

This episode is eligible for 0.75 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcomes A and B.

AGD Subject Code: 550 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND HUMAN RELATIONS

Aim: To provide dental professionals with an understanding of the health risks of early smartphone and social media use in children, and how dentists can play a role in safeguarding and guiding families toward safer digital habits.

Dentists will be able to -

Recognize the health and developmental impacts of early and excessive screen use.

Identify how social media contributes to anxiety, body image concerns, and misinformation (including dental-related fads).

Discuss practical strategies that families can use to create healthier digital habits.

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: We have to address the issue in early years because if you've had your child sitting on a screen from day one, by the time they get to eight or nine and they want a smartphone, which is the ubiquity in their pocket, it's really hard to explain to them why they can't have it.

Teaser:What is the right age for a smartphone?

Yeah. We would say that smartphones with full internet connectivity and everything involved and social media, it's-

This smartphone usage has become almost the norm for every teenager across the country. And of course what a smartphone does is allow people 24 hours to access to the internet, to social media, to all the unfettered things that we need to, they can see. If you think about whole child health, and that's how we should be approaching health for our children.

Obesity's gone up. There's huge linkages between the seditary behavior of being on screens, but not just the seditary behavior. Because actually if you are sitting on social media or you're sitting on gaming, you are targeted by fast food manufacturers in a way, way more than you would be on TV. You could have a big argument about the quality of what children are doing on screens when they're 15, 16.

Or they learning to make music. Are they revising and doing things, but for a two, three, 4-year-old, there are no benefits of being exposed. 

Jaz's Introduction:What a time to be alive as a parent. Back when I was a kid, I would go and play football for hours. My parents, they kind of knew where I was, but there was no way to reach me. And the other thing I remember is that when I was a kid, I wanna go to cinema. And then so you agree with your friends that, look, I'm gonna see you at 11:00 AM, at the cinema on Saturday. And there was none of this like texting and WhatsApp and Snapchat and that kind of stuff, and you would just show up at 11:00 AM on Saturday, and that's a simple life that we lived.

But now with smart phones and social media, I really worry for our children, which is why I brought some experts on to discuss phone use in children and best practices for screen time and smartphones. And so you are thinking Jaz, what has this got to do with dentistry? Well, we have an active role to play as healthcare professionals.

Early smartphone usage and social media is absolutely detrimental to the health of our children. And as healthcare professionals, we have a duty to know about this and to spread the good word. And many of you, like me, are parents, and we need to hear this stuff. We need training.

We need guidance, and that's exactly what we bring you today. You're gonna love our guest, Arabella and Laura. But I wanna say thank you to Protrusive community member, Lydia, Dr. Lydia Roulston. It's been so nice to chat to you on the app, give each other book recommendations, and you are part of this very organization that's helping schools and communities to realize the dangers of having smartphones in young hands.

Dental Pearl:I'm so grateful that you're part of our nice and geeky community. Now, this is an Interference Cast, which is like the nonclinical arm of the podcast, and I usually reserve my Protrusive Pearls for the actual PDP episodes. And as many of you know, I actually struggle when it comes time. I freeze up when it comes time to give a pearl, 'cause I've given like 300 in the past.

I'm kind of running out of nuggets. Like obviously there's an endless amount of dental nuggets and gems out there, but to suddenly pull one out can be a bit tricky. But you know what? I've got one from the heart. So even though it's an icy, I still want to give a pearl. And it's like from the heart as a parent. In the book, I think it was Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

It talks about being value centered and not being like a profession centered, like your entire world shouldn't be about being a dentist. Your number plate shouldn't be dentist. You shouldn't introduce yourself to, hey, I'm Jaz, I'm a dentist. Like, your identity should not be your profession. The world also shouldn't revolve around your spouse, nor should your world revolve around your children.

Your world should revolve around your values. And how I'm linking it even more to this theme of parenthood is that, I have a 6-year-old and we go through all the tantrums and behavior issues that all parents do. It's very normal. And I love talking about being a parent to my patients. I learn a lot from my patients.

I do have an elderly patient base, and so I do get to benefit from their wisdom. And one thing I've come to conclude over time is that if you want to do something for your children, don't do it for them. For example, if you're making career sacrifices, make sure you are clear that you're not doing it for them.

Or if you are not going to the gym because you can't fit in because everything you're doing, you're prioritizing your children and you're doing it for them, then I'm gonna suggest you're doing it for the wrong reasons. Don't do it for them, do it for yourself. Whatever you want to do for your children, do it because you want to do it.

Because when the messy times come in, any family dynamic and they start answering back and you have an argument and it gets be heated, you don't wanna be like, oh, that little s*** can't believe how much I sacrifice for my son or daughter, and that kind of stuff. You don't wanna feel like that. They don't owe you anything.

Any sacrifice you do, anything you do, do it because you wanted to do it. Not for them. I hope that made sense. It just came from the heart, was totally unscripted, spontaneous, and for those on Protrusive Guidance particularly, I wanna know what you felt about that. Anyway, hope you enjoy the main interview. I catch you in the outro.

Main Episode:Laura and Arabella, welcome to the Protrusive Dental Podcast. I'm so, as a father of two boys, i'm so excited. I read books like Anxious Generation and I follow so much, and I wanna thank Lydia for connecting us. There's so much I wanna speak to you about,

How can you tell if a root canal treatment is truly successful?

Do you always need cuspal coverage after a root canal?

Are hand files still relevant, or has rotary completely taken over?

And does GP pumping really improve the effectiveness of irrigants like hypochlorite?

Emma returns for another Protrusive Student Series episode as she heads into her final year of dental school. Together, we explore the fundamentals of endodontics - covering restoration choices, success criteria, instrumentation, and irrigation protocols.

This episode breaks down the basics every student and young dentist should understand, while also tackling the common debates and real-world challenges of endo.

https://youtu.be/DK1ZAEPE_E4

Watch PS017 on YouTube

Need to Read it? Check out the Full Episode Transcript below!

Key Takeaways

Understanding the 'why' behind dental procedures is crucial for effective practice.

Both hand files and rotary files have their place in endodontics, especially for beginners.

Good irrigation techniques are essential for effective endodontic treatment.

Rubber dam isolation is critical for safe and effective endodontic procedures.

Learning to determine the master apical file size is a key skill in endodontics.

The use of EDTA helps in removing the smear layer during root canal treatment.

Endodontic specialists often use advanced techniques and tools for more efficient treatments.

Success in endodontics is not just about radiographs, it is sometimes defined by patient comfort and healing.

Cuspal coverage is often necessary after root canal treatment.

Patient communication is key to managing expectations.

Consent forms should be tailored to individual cases.

Understanding proprioception is important for tooth preservation.

Highlights of this episode:

00:00 Teaser

00:51 Intro

02:50 Emma's Final Year Reflections

04:34 Exploring Specialties

07:02 Endodontics: A Student's Perspective

08:15 Rotary vs Hand Files

11:45 Step-by-Step Notes for Students

14:24 Patency and Recapitulation

14:55 Determining Master Apical File Size

16:58 Irrigation Protocols and Techniques

21:22 Typical Irrigation Protocol

23:51 Rubber Dam Importance

27:25 Rubber Dam Importance

28:21 Role of 17% EDTA

28:59 Success Factors in Endodontics

29:46 Success Factors in Endodontics

30:46 Real-World Endodontic Practices

and Challenges

32:11 Understanding Success and Survival in Root Canal

34:26 Successful Outcomes

36:24 Success vs Survival

38:12 The Debate on Cuspal Coverage and Timing

40:48 Proprioception

41:54 Pre-Endodontic Build-Up

42:29 Direct Cuspal Coverage

44:03 Consent and Communication in Endodontic

47:25 Conclusion and Future Topics

49:02 Outro

Resources mentioned:

Outcome of primary root canal treatment: systematic review of the literature – Part 1 

Outcome of primary root canal treatment: systematic review of the literature – Part 2. Influence of clinical factors 

Radiographic Assessment of the Quality of Root Canal Fillings

Check out Simple Re-RCT Cases – ‘How To’ Guide – PDP233 for more Endodontic insights

#BreadandButterDentistry #EndoRestorative

This episode is eligible for 0.75 CE credit via the quiz on Protrusive Guidance. 

This episode meets GDC Outcome C.

AGD Subject Code: 070 – Endodontics (Endodontic infections, microbiology, and treatment)

Aim: To provide dental students and early-career dentists with a structured understanding of endodontic fundamentals, including instrumentation, irrigation protocols, success factors, and restorative considerations.

Dentists will be able to:

Differentiate between hand and rotary file systems and identify their advantages and risks.

Evaluate the factors influencing the success and survival of root canal treatment.

Recognize when cuspal coverage or pre-endodontic build-ups are required.

Click below for full episode transcript:

Teaser: You go to dental school, you're going to be using hand files. You're gonna get taught with hand files, everything's gonna be hand files, and that's how you're taught in dental school.

Teaser:As long as you understand when you're doing, you're trying to like determine tug back and you're trying to determine the master apical file size, for example, right? Those skills you do with hand files and they're universal.

The most important thing is more important than the final system - Root canal without rubber dam is like doing heart surgery in the toilet. The thrill of the fill. Okay. You put your GP in and it looks as though it is to length and it doesn't have any voids in it.

And we think, wow, this is success. Right? But the thing is, when you see a radiograph, the radiograph cannot tell you. Whether rubber dam was used, whether hypochlorite was used, whether the coronal seal was really that good, and what protocols were used in terms of this disinfection.

Jaz's Introduction:Basics of Endodontics. Welcome back to another Protrusive Student Series. This arm of the podcast is for students, young practitioners, those returning back to practice, or you just love listening to the podcast and you want validation. Welcome new listeners and welcome back to the returning Protruserati. We were joined with our Protrusive Student, Emma.

As she transitions into her final year of dental school, she asked all the right questions. Do you always need cuspal coverage after root canal? What kind of cuspal coverage should we go for? What determines if your root canal has actually been successful? Like we've all seen root canal treatments that been there for 30 years and they look questionable on the radiograph.

But there's no pathology. Does that still count as a success? How about hand files versus rotary? Are hand files obsolete? And lastly, how significant is GP pumping to agitate your arrogance such as hypochlorite? All these questions are much more discussed in this episode.

And as of a few episodes ago, these episodes are also eligible for CPD. So if you want some easy CPD for those who are paying subscribers on the Protrusive Guidance app, don't forget to answer the quiz. You would've done all the hard work of listening. You might as well get the CPD saying so by time December comes, you're absolutely laughing. Let's join the main interview and I'll catch you in the outro.

Main Episode:Emma, welcome back to the podcast, a Protrusive Student. How is your summer going? You know, I mean, I remember specifically this transition from fourth year to fifth year. And it's really strange because like for you, it is different in a way 'cause you've finished your finals, right? You've passed.

So congratulations, congratulations once again. But it's like you're about to enter the final chapter. It's a bit emotional the next round when you finish finals and then you have like, you enter the rat race. That's an even bigger, weirder scenario. But tell us about where your headspace is at the moment.

[Emma]I think for my final year, now that I have my exams over, I'm actually kind of excited. I think a lot of people are finding the same. I find a lot of people at Glasgow say that final year is their favorite year, because you don't have that stress of exams. You're more just working as a wee dentist and getting put into different outreach placements and you're just clinical all day, every day, pretty much. So it's just purely building on your clinical skills and getting more knowledge. So no more lectures. So I'm actually kind of excited for it. 

[Jaz]I think that's so cool. I'm very envious of you actually, because in most dental schools, the final year is like this crushing one. I mean, I can remember, the sheer emotions that you experienced during fourth year, but then it all culminates and I think it's great that you managed to get out the way in fourth year, and I could really just focus. Your focus shift towards how can I get myself prepared for the real world, right? 

[Emma]Yeah, for sure. But definitely this time last year, very nervous. But this year I'm feeling good. I'm feeling excited for it. 

[Jaz]Good. I'm really happy, I think this is the best way because now that your focus is, how can you prepare yourself for the real world of practice? You learn differently. 'Cause I find like with anything, most of the learning happens right towards the very end. There's a very valuable amount of learning in any cycle that happens towards the end.

And when you have a traditional model of schooling in dental school, whereby your finals exams are in the final year, you are kind of learning to pass an exam, not learning to serve your patients better, improve your clinical skills to as much as you want to. Yes, that's always, there is a constant theme in the background, but it's never at the forefront. But now I think you and you guys at Glasgow get to experience this, which is wonderful.

So, amazing. And today we're talking about Endo, right? So students' perspective. Emma had asked me, Jaz, do you want the questions as I know, let's go with the flow, right? Because I'm no endo specialist. I'm no endo expert. In fact, I do less endo now, like over the years I do less and less and less endo.

Actually, funny story about that, Emma. One stage I wanted to specialize and I couldn't decide where. So when I initially entered dental school and I was like 19, I was like, I wanna do ortho, right? 'Cause I had like braces and I had teeth align. I was like, wow, how do I bottle this up and give this to people?

So, I'm gonna do ortho. And then in dental school, ortho clinics were like the most confusing things ever. Like, what the hell's going on? No one knew what was going on, it was madness. And I decided very quickly that, okay, ortho is probably not for me. And then my focus shifted towards endo. And I was enjoying my endo.