The Dr. Phil Klein Dental Podcast

How can digital workflows completely transform the predictability and accuracy of your complex restorative and implant cases? What AI tools are genuinely making a difference in clinical practice beyond the hype?
Dr. Faraj Edher is a Specialist in Prosthodontics who earned his specialization and Masters in Craniofacial Sciences from the University of British Columbia following his dental training at the University of Sharjah. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada and maintains active membership in the American College of Prosthodontists, Association of Prosthodontists of Canada, and the Canadian Association of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics. Dr. Edher serves as Director of the Digital Dentistry Institute, a global educational organization conducting comprehensive training in digital dentistry and implant dentistry. As a Clinical Assistant Professor and guest lecturer at the University of British Columbia with numerous publications in dental implants and digital dentistry, he regularly presents internationally on digital workflows, implant dentistry, treatment planning, and aesthetic rehabilitation.
This episode reveals how digital dentistry creates unprecedented predictability in complex restorative and implant procedures. Dr. Edher explains how modern workflows minimize the variables that traditionally affected clinical outcomes, offering consistent excellence regardless of daily fluctuations in performance. The conversation explores practical implementation strategies for incorporating digital tools into routine practice while maintaining efficiency and profitability.
Episode Highlights:
Intraoral scanners enable real-time occlusal clearance assessment during crown preparations, eliminating callbacks from laboratories requesting additional reduction. This instant feedback allows clinicians to modify preparations in 10-20 seconds rather than scheduling additional appointments, fundamentally changing the treatment workflow.
Digital implant planning combining cone beam CT with intraoral scans creates a virtual practice run before surgery, solving problems in the planning phase rather than during the procedure. This approach represents the gold standard for implant dentistry, even when surgery is performed freehand rather than with guided protocols.
Immediate dentin sealing protocols maximize bond strength by treating freshly cut dentin before temporization. This technique involves selective etching, proper adhesive application, and often includes a flowable base layer to preserve tooth structure by managing undercuts additively rather than through over-preparation.
Virtual jaw tracking technology with artificial intelligence eliminates guesswork in full mouth reconstructions by providing accurate condylar settings and functional movements. This advancement reduces occlusal adjustments to nearly zero during prosthetic delivery, particularly beneficial for complex cases involving vertical dimension changes.
Modern veneer fabrication utilizes pressed lithium disilicate for restorations under 0.5mm thickness to achieve superior internal and marginal adaptation compared to milled alternatives. This evidence-based approach, combined with systematic bonding protocols, creates predictable aesthetic outcomes in challenging cases.
Perfect for: Prosthodontists, general dentists implementing digital workflows, clinicians performing complex restorative cases, and practitioners interested in evidence-based approaches to aesthetic dentistry and implant rehabilitation.
Discover how digital integration can eliminate the unpredictable variables in your most challenging cases while improving patient communication and treatment acceptance.

Are you spending marketing dollars without knowing if they're actually bringing patients through your door? Many dental practices struggle to measure their advertising ROI and wonder if their efforts are just disappearing into a marketing black hole.
Brandon Bosch, president and founder of Dr. Marketing, is a certified marketing expert in Google and Meta advertising who has dedicated his career to working specifically with dental practices. Since 2008, he has led the development of websites and marketing campaigns for dental offices across Canada, the USA, and Central America. Brandon's innovative approach to advertising has set trends within the dental industry, and he regularly shares his expertise as a guest speaker at conferences, associations, universities, and study clubs through seminars and workshops.
This episode breaks down the essential marketing fundamentals every dental practice should understand. Brandon explains how many new patients you should realistically expect each month without advertising, what percentage of revenue to allocate toward marketing efforts, and how to determine whether short-term or long-term advertising strategies are right for your practice. The conversation also covers the critical differences between various advertising platforms and why budget size determines which methods will actually work.
Episode Highlights:
The average dental practice generates 10-15 new patients monthly without any marketing efforts, while losing 3-7 patients due to attrition, resulting in net growth of 6-8 patients per month. Practices with aggressive growth goals can achieve 200-900 new patients annually through strategic advertising campaigns.
Dental practices should allocate 1-4% of gross revenue toward advertising, with lower percentages for established practices booked months in advance and higher percentages for new practices or those seeking rapid growth. A practice generating $1 million annually should budget $10,000-$40,000 yearly for marketing efforts.
Short-term advertising strategies like Google Ads require minimum budgets of $1,500 monthly in competitive markets to be effective, as the average cost per patient acquisition ranges from $150-$400. Smaller budgets are better allocated to long-term strategies like SEO or content marketing.
Reception staff accountability is critical for marketing success, as many practices lose 50-80% of generated leads due to inadequate follow-up procedures. Tracking software can identify conversion rates by individual staff members and ensure no web inquiries are overlooked or deleted without proper communication.
Google considers approximately 200 ranking factors for search optimization, with top priorities including video content, blog content, social media reviews, website loading speed, accessibility features, and user engagement metrics like time spent on site and conversion actions.
Perfect for: General dentists, practice owners, and dental team members responsible for marketing decisions who want to optimize their advertising spend and improve patient acquisition systems.
Stop guessing about your marketing effectiveness and start implementing strategies that actually generate measurable results.

How much are contamination issues costing you in failed restorations and remakes? When saliva or blood inevitably contacts your bonding surface, do you know the exact protocol to salvage the case?
Join us as we welcome Dr. Nathaniel Lawson, DMD, PhD, Director of the Division of Biomaterials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. With over 15 years of clinical practice and research experience, Dr. Lawson serves as program director of the Biomaterials residency program and interim director of the Advanced Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry residency program. He has published over 200 articles, abstracts, and book chapters on dental materials, earned the Stanford New Investigator Award and 3M Innovative Research Fellowship from the American Dental Association, and lectures internationally on dental materials science.
This episode breaks down the critical relationship between isolation quality and bond longevity in modern adhesive dentistry. Dr. Lawson explains why meticulous moisture control has become non-negotiable as we've shifted from mechanical retention to adhesive-based restorations. The conversation covers practical isolation strategies, contamination rescue protocols, and evidence-based approaches that can dramatically improve your clinical outcomes.
Episode Highlights:
Selective etch technique using phosphoric acid on enamel followed by universal adhesive provides optimal bond strength while reducing technique sensitivity compared to total etch approaches. This method avoids hyper-demineralization of dentin while maximizing enamel bond strength through micromechanical retention.
Rubber dam placement for restorative procedures should take approximately one to two minutes with proper armamentarium organization and technique. Using wingless clamps prevents interference with matrix bands and wedges in interproximal areas during Class II restorations.
Contamination rescue protocols vary by timing: if uncured adhesive contacts saliva, rinse completely, dry, and reapply fresh adhesive before light curing. If cured adhesive becomes contaminated before composite placement, simply rinse, dry, and place composite directly without additional adhesive layers.
Integrated isolation systems like ISOVAC offer advantages over rubber dam in subgingival cases by providing suction, tissue retraction, and bite block support while allowing easier matrix band placement. The disposable mouthpiece costs only 30-40% more than rubber dam with comparable isolation effectiveness.
Glass ionomer materials demonstrate superior performance in contaminated fields, showing unaffected bond strength even when placed in pools of saliva according to recent research. This makes them ideal alternatives for high-caries patients or difficult isolation cases where composite bonding may be compromised.
Perfect for: General dentists, restorative specialists, and dental residents looking to improve their adhesive dentistry outcomes through better isolation techniques and contamination management protocols.
Don't let preventable contamination issues compromise your restorative success—master these evidence-based isolation strategies today.

How do successful fee-for-service practices thrive without insurance participation while building genuine patient relationships and maintaining profitability?
Dr. Graziano D. Giglio brings over 30 years of prosthodontic expertise to this comprehensive discussion on practice optimization. A board-certified prosthodontist and Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists, American College of Dentists, Greater New York Academy of Dentistry, Northeastern Gnathological Society, and New York Academy of Dentistry, Dr. Giglio earned his D.D.S. and postgraduate training in prosthodontics from New York University College of Dentistry. He serves as Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at NYU College of Dentistry and received the Prosthodontist Private Practice Award from the American College of Prosthodontists in 2013. He operates an interdisciplinary practice in New York City with his wife, Dr. Ana Giglio, a periodontist.
This episode breaks down Dr. Giglio's proven ACDC framework: Attract, Convert, Deliver, and Collect. The conversation explores how high-end practices can differentiate themselves in competitive markets, build systems that serve demanding clientele, and maintain profitability while delivering exceptional patient experiences. Dr. Giglio shares specific strategies for managing time-sensitive business professionals, converting consultations into committed patients, and implementing collection systems that support both practice sustainability and patient relationships.
Episode Highlights:
Time-sensitive patient management involves parallel processing with multiple assistants, allowing procedures like provisional fabrication and cord placement to occur simultaneously while maintaining continuous patient engagement. Business professionals are seated immediately upon arrival and checkout occurs chairside to eliminate waiting room delays.
Effective case acceptance requires comprehensive before-and-after documentation organized by procedure type in accessible digital files. Patients convert when shown specific examples of similar cases rather than generic internet images, with presentation occurring through staff-operated systems during consultation visits.
Pre-treatment financial commitments significantly reduce appointment cancellations and improve practice flow. New patients provide one-third down payment for major procedures, with full payment required before laboratory work begins, creating accountability while ensuring treatment completion.
Fee-for-service practices differentiate through user-friendly websites, immediate phone response by trained customer service staff, and comprehensive patient amenities including food service, internal restrooms, and home-like décor that contrasts with clinical sterility.
Collection systems succeed when integrated into practice culture from initial consultation through treatment completion. Staff understanding of practice financial needs translates to patient education about payment expectations, with established patients receiving more flexible arrangements than newcomers.
Perfect for: General dentists transitioning to fee-for-service models, prosthodontists and cosmetic dentists seeking to optimize patient experience, and practice owners looking to implement systematic approaches to practice growth and profitability.
Discover how systematic patient management and clear financial frameworks can transform your practice into a thriving, patient-centered operation.

Are you truly maximizing your bonding protocols or just following the same routine regardless of the clinical scenario? Understanding what substrate you're bonding to—enamel, dentin, or sclerotic dentin—should fundamentally change your approach, yet many clinicians default to the same technique every time.
Dr. Nicholas Marongiu brings exceptional credentials to this discussion. He earned his DDS from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, completed a General Practice Residency at West Los Angeles VA Hospital, and received postgraduate training at UCLA School of Dentistry. Dr. Marongiu is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, placing him among fewer than 500 dentists worldwide to achieve this certification. He maintains hospital privileges at Scripps Memorial Hospital, serves as adjunct faculty at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and holds licensure for both oral and IV conscious sedation. He practices full-time at Scripps Center for Dental Care, a comprehensive multi-specialty practice in La Jolla, California.
This episode examines the fundamental differences between mechanical retention and adhesive bonding, exploring how modern adhesive dentistry enables conservative, minimally invasive procedures that preserve natural tooth structure. Dr. Marongiu explains why understanding substrate chemistry is critical for long-term success and demonstrates how different tissues—from healthy enamel to sclerotic dentin—require distinct approaches for predictable outcomes.
Episode Highlights:
Selective etch technique with universal adhesives provides optimal results by treating enamel with phosphoric acid for complete demineralization while allowing the acidic component of the adhesive to partially demineralize dentin, preserving the hybrid layer and preventing hypersensitivity. This approach eliminates post-operative sensitivity while maintaining predictable bond strength.
Universal adhesives require meticulous technique despite being packaged in one bottle, including 30 seconds of active scrubbing to allow solvent evaporation, proper air thinning until surface ripples stop, and complete light curing before proceeding. The chemistry depends entirely on following manufacturer protocols precisely.
Substrate analysis determines bonding strategy, with healthy enamel providing the most predictable micromechanical retention through demineralization and resin infiltration, while sclerotic dentin presents reduced reliability requiring modified protocols or additional mechanical retention in the preparation design.
Bonding failure diagnosis involves examining where resin remains after debonding—resin on the restoration indicates substrate interface failure suggesting contamination or improper technique, while resin on the tooth indicates restoration surface preparation issues requiring re-treatment of the indirect restoration surface.
Material system compatibility eliminates variables by ensuring adhesives, composites, and cements are chemically engineered to work together, while daily curing light output verification and full polymerization protocols prevent the most common cause of restoration failure—undercured materials.
Perfect for: General dentists, cosmetic dentists, and dental residents seeking to master adhesive protocols and understand the science behind substrate-specific bonding techniques.
Master the chemistry and technique that transforms bonding from routine to predictable long-term success.