The Dr. Phil Klein Dental Podcast Show

It’s not uncommon for those of us who are looking to hire a new office manager to have some questions. For instance, how do you find this person? What should you pay them? And once you hire someone, what is the typical training you should be giving them and, of course, what is the best way to ensure that your new office manager stays with you and isn’t tempted to look around for another opportunity, potentially at a dental office right down the road? This episode addresses these questions and more so stay tuned! Thanks to our episode sponsors: Solventum - https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/oral-care/ BISCO - https://www.bisco.com/

Even though we can’t see what’s happening inside those tiny tubes, what’s lurking there can have a big impact on the health of our patients and our practices. Joining us is someone who knows this subject inside and out—Tija Hunter. With over 40 years of experience in clinical dentistry, Tija is the Immediate Past President of the Illinois Dental Assistants Association and has also served as Vice President. She’s here to share best practices for waterline testing and maintenance, along with simple daily steps to ensure our water stays clean and safe. Plus, she’ll let us in on her go-to waterline system and a host of practical tips you can start using right away.

To guide us through the topic of Ulcerative Conditions of the Oral Cavity is our guest Dr. Ashley Clark. She brings a wealth of knowledge about the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and management strategies for oral ulcerations. In this episode, she'll share insights into what dentists should look for during routine exams, when to be concerned, and how to approach treatment or referral. To reach out to Dr. Clark, please email aclark@camplaboratory.com. Thanks to our episode sponsors: VOCO America - https://www.voco.dental/us/ Shining 3D- https://www.shining3ddental.com/

As infection control regulations become more rigorous and patients grow more aware of clinical standards, it’s essential for dental teams to stay ahead—and that’s where technology and automation are making a real difference. We’re joined by Amanda Hill, a nationally recognized expert in infection control, who shares the latest advancements in sterilization and compliance tools. From preventing waterline contamination to ensuring every sterilization cycle is accurately documented, Amanda explains how the right technology can help your team maintain high standards, avoid costly errors, and deliver safer care across the board.

Are typical mouthwash products effective and are they worth recommending to our patients? Are there any products out there that can actually make a significant difference in our fight against perio disease? Our guest, Dr. Steven Milman, will address these questions and more. Dr. Milman received his dental degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. He completed his Periodontal residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He was a researcher in periodontal microbiology and was a full time periodontist in his private practice in Round Rock and Austin, Texas for 36 years. Thanks to our episode sponsors: BISCO - https://www.bisco.com/ Solventum - https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/oral-care/

In today’s episode, we’re exploring the transformative role technology plays in elevating the patient experience—helping create more meaningful interactions, better outcomes, and stronger trust in the care being delivered. When dental hygienists actively engage with cutting-edge technology and the clinical tools that come with it, they not only improve patient education, case acceptance, and compliance, but also help streamline insurance claim approvals and enhance overall clinical efficiency. In doing so, many hygienists gain a renewed perspective on their profession—often leading to greater career fulfillment and satisfaction. Our guest is Alicia Murria, RDH, with a masters in dental hygiene. She can be reached at aliciamurria.com.

Melissa Turner has been a practicing dental hygiene for 20 years and she is of the mindset that nothing is out of reach when it comes to opportunities for dentists and dental hygienists. She attributes many of these opportunities to the rapid advancements in technology as well as our inner desire to expand our own horizons beyond clinical dentistry. Join us for an informal discussion with Melissa addressing fractional executives in dentistry, the growth of multi-location group practices and how the role of dental hygienists will revolutionize the dental practice. Thanks to our episode sponsors: NSK America - https://www.nskdental.com/ GC America - https://www.gc.dental/ GUM - https://www.sunstargum.com/us-en/

According to our guest, Dr. Mauricio Watanabe, a world-respected speaker and clinician, by using a highly filled nano-composite to fabricate the crown, the same material we use for our deep margin elevation and filling in our undercuts, a semi-direct full coverage restoration will provide long-term predictable success. And Dr. Watanabe has years of cases and research to support his opinion. The whole procedure can be done in 30 minutes when pouring your impression with a fast setting silicone material. So if you're looking to practice conservative dentistry and preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible and still deliver a full coverage crown, you might find the semi-direct restoration an excellent option for many of your large caries cases. Dr. Lauren Rainey, a well-respected clinician and KOL will also be joining us.

As a dentist you are a medical specialist. That means it is totally appropriate and acceptable to tap into a patient's medical insurance for procedures that fall within the realm of medical necessity. And there are plenty of procedures performed in our operatories that do fall within the range of medical necessity. So why would we want to start billing to medical insurance companies and how difficult is this to do? To answer these questions and more is our guest, Kandra Sellers. Kandra is a RDH with over 25 years in the dental industry. She is widely considered one of the most passionate and respected dental coaches. She is an educator in the field of oral systemic health, as well as founder and CEO of TIPS Medical Billing. Thanks to our episode sponsors: Shining 3D- https://www.shining3ddental.com/ VOCO America - https://www.voco.dental/us/

In today’s episode, we’re spotlighting the dental hygienist as more than just a provider of cleanings—but as a true prevention specialist. That means shifting from a reactive mindset to a proactive one: taking the time to perform comprehensive risk assessments on almost every patient. Why? Because identifying risk factors early is the key to building targeted, effective treatment plans that can help stop disease before it leads into much more serious and expensive problems. Our guest is Alicia Murria, a RDH with a masters degree in dental hygiene. She is a member of the Hygiene Faculty with Align Technology, Associate Hygiene Productivity Coach with Inspired Hygiene, and alumni at Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene.