Dental Digest Podcast with Dr. Melissa Seibert

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram In this episode of Dental Digest, Dr. Melissa Seibert sits down with Dr. Kim Schlam, prosthodontist and Spear Education faculty member, to explore how thoughtfully integrated digital workflows can transform clinical practice. Dr. Schlam shares her journey from traditional analog techniques to leveraging digital tools like intraoral scanning, photogrammetry, and in-house printing, emphasizing not just efficiency but also precision and predictability. She highlights how these technologies—when paired with intentional delegation and structured team roles—streamline data collection, improve patient onboarding, and reduce chair time, all while maintaining a focus on aesthetics and patient-centered outcomes. A central theme of the conversation is collaboration—both within the dental team and across specialties. Dr. Schlam describes the power of “co-discovery,” using visual tools such as full-face photography and SmileCloud’s AI-driven smile design to engage patients in their own treatment planning. She also details how cloud-based platforms enhance interdisciplinary communication with surgeons, orthodontists, and lab technicians, ensuring alignment from diagnosis through execution. Listeners will come away with practical insights into how digital workflows can elevate dentistry beyond technology for its own sake, serving instead as a catalyst for better communication, stronger teamwork, and superior patient care.  

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram   Dr. Mandelaris attended the University of Michigan from undergraduate through dental school.  He completed a post-graduate residency program at the University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, where he obtained a certificate in the speciality of Periodontology as well as a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Oral Biology.  Dr. Mandelaris is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery and has served as an examiner for Part II (oral examination) of the American Board of Periodontology’s certification process. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Graduate Periodontics at the University of Illinois, College of Dentistry (Chicago, IL) and an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine (Ann Arbor, MI).  Dr. Mandelaris is a Fellow in both the American and International College of Dentists. Dr. Mandelaris serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for the Journal of Periodontology and the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants. In 2021, he was appointed as an Editorial Consultant to the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. He has published over 40 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and has authored eight chapters in seven different textbooks used worldwide on subjects related to computer guided implantology, CT/CBCT diagnostics and surgically facilitated orthodontic therapy (SFOT). Dr Mandelaris is one of the recipients of the 2017 and the 2021 American Academy of Periodontology’s (AAP) Clinical Research Award, an award given to the most outstanding scientific article with direct clinical relevance in Periodontics. A nationally recognized expert, he was appointed by AAP to co-chair the Best Evidence Consensus Workshop on the use of CBCT Imaging in Periodontics as well as co-author the academy’s guidelines. In 2018, he was recognized with American Academy of Periodontology’s Special Citation Award.  Dr. Mandelaris is the 2018 recipient of The Saul Schluger Memorial Award for Clinical Excellence in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning. Dr. Mandelaris currently serves on the American Academy of Periodontology Board of Trustees and has served as a Past President of the Illinois Society of Periodontists. He has served on several committees for the American Academy of Periodontology and is one of the AAPs recommended speakers on topics related to periodontics-orthodontics and imaging/implant surgery. He is a key-opinion leader for several industry leaders and holds memberships in many professional organizations, including the American Academy of Periodontology, Academy of Osseointegration, American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research. Dr. Mandelaris is in private practice at Periodontal Medicine & Surgical Specialists, LLC. He limits his practice to Periodontology, Dental Implant Surgery, Bone Reconstruction and Tissue Engineering Surgery. He can be reached at 630.627.3930 or gmandelaris@periodontalmedicine.org.

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram   Dr. Mandelaris attended the University of Michigan from undergraduate through dental school.  He completed a post-graduate residency program at the University of Louisville, School of Dentistry, where he obtained a certificate in the speciality of Periodontology as well as a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Oral Biology.  Dr. Mandelaris is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and Dental Implant Surgery and has served as an examiner for Part II (oral examination) of the American Board of Periodontology’s certification process. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Graduate Periodontics at the University of Illinois, College of Dentistry (Chicago, IL) and an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine (Ann Arbor, MI).  Dr. Mandelaris is a Fellow in both the American and International College of Dentists. Dr. Mandelaris serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for the Journal of Periodontology and the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants. In 2021, he was appointed as an Editorial Consultant to the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. He has published over 40 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and has authored eight chapters in seven different textbooks used worldwide on subjects related to computer guided implantology, CT/CBCT diagnostics and surgically facilitated orthodontic therapy (SFOT). Dr Mandelaris is one of the recipients of the 2017 and the 2021 American Academy of Periodontology’s (AAP) Clinical Research Award, an award given to the most outstanding scientific article with direct clinical relevance in Periodontics. A nationally recognized expert, he was appointed by AAP to co-chair the Best Evidence Consensus Workshop on the use of CBCT Imaging in Periodontics as well as co-author the academy’s guidelines. In 2018, he was recognized with American Academy of Periodontology’s Special Citation Award.  Dr. Mandelaris is the 2018 recipient of The Saul Schluger Memorial Award for Clinical Excellence in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning. Dr. Mandelaris currently serves on the American Academy of Periodontology Board of Trustees and has served as a Past President of the Illinois Society of Periodontists. He has served on several committees for the American Academy of Periodontology and is one of the AAPs recommended speakers on topics related to periodontics-orthodontics and imaging/implant surgery. He is a key-opinion leader for several industry leaders and holds memberships in many professional organizations, including the American Academy of Periodontology, Academy of Osseointegration, American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research. Dr. Mandelaris is in private practice at Periodontal Medicine & Surgical Specialists, LLC. He limits his practice to Periodontology, Dental Implant Surgery, Bone Reconstruction and Tissue Engineering Surgery. He can be reached at 630.627.3930 or gmandelaris@periodontalmedicine.org.

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram His interdisciplinary approach to dentistry is founded in both empirical research and clinical experience. He attended the University of Washington for both his undergraduate and graduate studies where he received his D.D.S. degree in 1995 and an M.S.D. and certificate in Prosthodontics in 1998. For his entire career, Dr. Kinzer has been committed to furthering the art and science of dental education. His unique ability to impart complex clinical processes in a logical, systematic and clear methodology differentiates him from other Prosthodontists and makes him a highly regarded educator nationally and internationally. He is a full-time teaching faculty at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ. where he is also resides as the Faculty Chairman and Director of Curriculum and Campus Education. Dr. Kinzer is an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Graduate Prosthodontics Department at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and an Adjunct Faculty at Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. Dr. Kinzer is a member of many professional organizations including the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, of which he is currently the sitting President. He serves on the editorial review board for several recognized dental publications and has written numerous articles and chapters for dental publication. He has been honored with the American College of Prosthodontics Achievement Award and in 2018, he received the Saul Schluger Memorial Award for Excellence in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning from the Seattle Study Club. In 2022 he was inducted into the World’s Top 100 Doctors as part of the Interdisciplinary Cohort. In his free time, Gregg cherishes spending time his wife Jill and their 6 children. He enjoys anything that he can do outside: golfing, hiking, running, skiing, and biking, in addition to a nice glass of wine.

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram   J. William Robbins, DDS, MA / Marcela Alvarez, DDS, MS / Bradley Beckel, DDS In the not too distant past, the specialist’s tool box was fairly limited in the adult patient. The orthodontist’s tools included aligning teeth, intruding anterior teeth and orthognathic surgery. The periodontists tools were pocket elimination surgery and gingival grafting. Today orthodontists and periodontists have many procedures and techniques, which have opened a new world of treatment planning for the pre-restorative interdisciplinary patient. These include pre-orthodontic bonding, esthetic crown lengthening, surgically facilitated orthodontic treatment (SFOT), temporary anchorage devices (TADs), skeletal anchorage plates, micro-implant assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE), custom MARPE, and distraction osteogenesis with maxillary expansion (DOME). The purpose of The Mastery is to provide the restorative dentist with an understanding of these tools and a common language with which to enhance communication with the specialists. At the completion of the 4-day continuum, the restorative dentist will be able to actually incorporate the knowledge of these new tools into their everyday practice.

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram    Peter Milgrom, DDS is Emeritus Professor of Oral Health Sciences at the University of Washington. He has been recognized throughout the world as a clinical scholar and innovator in a career spanning nearly 50 years. Among numerous awards, he received the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Bergen, Norway, the Norton Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research by the American Dental Association, the Distinguished Dental Behavioral Scientist and Irwin M. Mandel Distinguished Mentor Awards of the International Association for Dental Research, the Public Service Award from the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, and the Innovator Award from the University of California, San Francisco. Professor Milgrom is best known today for having created the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry (ABCD) program in Washington State and introducing fluoride varnish and silver diamine fluoride in the United States. He is best known clinically for having co-created the Dental Fears Research Clinic at UW. Having published more than 325 research papers and books,. Dr. Milgrom has consulted with government, non-profits, and industry throughout his career.

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram  DR. DREW MCDONALD Dr. Drew McDonald is a board certified orthodontic specialist with a strong focus on airway and temporomandibular joint-focused treatment planning, surgically-facilitated orthodontic treatment, and providing complex interdisciplinary care for patients. He lectures internationally on these topics and has contributed to literature and textbooks in these areas. Dr. McDonald is dedicated to advancing the profession of Orthodontics and Dentistry as a whole. He graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. No stranger to orthodontic treatment, young Drew spent five years in orthodontic treatment correcting his under-bite. It was his time spent in an orthodontic chair that spurred his desire to pursue orthodontics as a career one day. Dr. McDonald attended dental school at the prestigious Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Known for it’s rigorous academic curriculum and intense clinical training, Dr. McDonald received many academic accolades while at Creighton including inductions into Omicron Kappa Upsilon (National Dental Honor Society) and Alpha Sigma Nu (Honor Society of Jesuit Universities).  

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram His interdisciplinary approach to dentistry is founded in both empirical research and clinical experience. He attended the University of Washington for both his undergraduate and graduate studies where he received his D.D.S. degree in 1995 and an M.S.D. and certificate in Prosthodontics in 1998. For his entire career, Dr. Kinzer has been committed to furthering the art and science of dental education. His unique ability to impart complex clinical processes in a logical, systematic and clear methodology differentiates him from other Prosthodontists and makes him a highly regarded educator nationally and internationally. He is a full-time teaching faculty at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ. where he is also resides as the Faculty Chairman and Director of Curriculum and Campus Education. Dr. Kinzer is an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Graduate Prosthodontics Department at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and an Adjunct Faculty at Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. Dr. Kinzer is a member of many professional organizations including the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, of which he is currently the sitting President. He serves on the editorial review board for several recognized dental publications and has written numerous articles and chapters for dental publication. He has been honored with the American College of Prosthodontics Achievement Award and in 2018, he received the Saul Schluger Memorial Award for Excellence in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning from the Seattle Study Club. In 2022 he was inducted into the World’s Top 100 Doctors as part of the Interdisciplinary Cohort. In his free time, Gregg cherishes spending time his wife Jill and their 6 children. He enjoys anything that he can do outside: golfing, hiking, running, skiing, and biking, in addition to a nice glass of wine.

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram Net32: https://www.net32.com/ Founder of Burton Dental Innovations LLC, Matthew Burton, DDS, developed the BurtonBands and VursaWedge matrix system to help dentists achieve more predictable and favorable Class II composite results with improved efficiency and optimal outcomes. Dr. Burton specializes in Class II composite restorations at his private practice in Frankfort, Illinois, and he’s leveraged his insights to develop and market new solutions for dentists who face the same challenges in their own practices.

Join Elevated GP: www.theelevatedgp.com Net32.com  Follow @dental_digest_podcast Instagram Follow @dr.melissa_seibert on Instagram As the founder and director of Spear Education, Dr. Spear continues to be recognized as one of the premier educators in esthetic and restorative dentistry in the world today. Dr. Spear earned his dental degree from the University of Washington in 1979, and an MSD in periodontal prosthodontics in 1982, also from the University of Washington. Dr. Spear has been recognized by numerous associations for his contributions to dentistry. In 1993, he was awarded the Christensen Award for Excellence in Restorative Education from the Chicago Dental Society. In 1995, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry presented him with a special award for having advanced the Art and Science of cosmetic dentistry in the United States. In 1996, he received the Saul Schluger Memorial Award for Excellence in Diagnosis and Treatment Planning from the Seattle Study Club. In 2003 he and colleague Vincent G. Kokich were awarded the first ever Presidents Award for excellence in education from the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. He also earned the 2004 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Pacific Lutheran University his undergraduate Alma Mater. And in 2013 was named Distinguished Alumnus for the University of Washington School of Dentistry. In 2018 he received the first ever Charles Pincus - Ronald Goldstein Lifetime Achievement Award in Esthetic Dentistry from the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. He belongs to multiple dental organizations including the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, and the American College of Prosthodontics.