This special Saturday episode of the Very Dental Podcast is all about the upcoming Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting! Alan Mead sits down with Dr. Phil Schefke, President of the Chicago Dental Society (CDS), to preview the 2026 Midwinter Meeting.

Whether you’re a 30-year veteran of the meeting or a dental student looking for your first experience, this episode dives into why Chicago remains the premier destination for dental innovation, collegiality, and—believe it or not—puppies.

The Guest: Dr. Phil Schefke

Dr. Schefke serves as the President of the Chicago Dental Society, the largest component of the ADA. With a board of 15 members and a dedicated staff, Phil has spent nearly a decade on the leadership ladder to help orchestrate a meeting that hosts attendees from all 50 states and over 60 countries.

What’s New at the Midwinter Meeting?

The CDS team has spent three years redesigning the attendee experience based on direct feedback. Here are the new features and highlights discussed in this episode:

• Streamlined Registration: No more waiting for badges in the mail. Attendees will receive a QR code to print their badges at self-service stations at McCormick Place or at three partner hotels (Hyatt Regency on Wacker, Hyatt McCormick, and Marriott McCormick).

• Enhanced Exhibit Floor Layout: The floor has been redesigned with shorter aisles for easier mobility and "crisscross" navigation.

• Refresh & Recharge Stations: Scattered throughout the floor, these areas offer water and phone charging ports to keep you hydrated and connected.

• Grab-and-Go Dining: New food stations on the exhibit floor designed for quick lunches between CE courses.

• The "Hadley" Puppy Corner: A dedicated space in the back of the exhibit hall to play with puppies and melt away the stress of the day (named after the first CDS president).

• Early Career Dentist Lounge: A comfortable space featuring couches and networking opportunities specifically for the next generation of clinicians.

• CDS "Swag" Booth: For the first time, attendees can purchase official CDS-branded jackets, sweaters, and coffee cups.

• Tech Upgrades: A brand-new, intuitive registration system that prevents double-booking courses and high-quality, reliable Wi-Fi throughout the venue.

• On-Site Mobile Clinic: The Illinois Masonic Hospital will have their mobile dental van on the floor for tours and demonstrations.

• Free Professional Headshots: Available at the CDS footprint for attendees to update their professional profiles.

Special Events & Keynotes

• Thursday: Keynote speaker Chris Chelios, three-time Stanley Cup champion, discussing leadership and championship-level teamwork. (Plus, Garrett’s Popcorn giveaways!)

• Friday: "Sip, Suds, and Sales" (beer and wine on the exhibit floor) followed by the Beats and Bites DJ party.

• Saturday: The traditional President’s Dinner Dance, a black-tie event featuring a live band to celebrate the week’s successes.

The "Fourth Level" of Dentistry

Alan and Phil discuss the "secret sauce" of CDS membership. At just $125 (for ADA members), membership provides free registration to the meeting, offering incredible value compared to standard registration fees. It’s a tradition that spans 161 years, proving that while technology changes, the value of face-to-face collegiality remains priceless.

Some links from the show:

• The 2026 Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting

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Are you a practice owner who feels like the bottleneck in your own business? If you’re tired of being the hardest-working person in your office, I’ve got something you need to hear. Dr. Paul Etchison, is hosting a virtual event that is a total game-changer. Paul is honestly one of the most brilliant minds in dental leadership today, and he’s hosting the 3-Day Freedom Practice Workshop from February 19th through the 21st. He’s going to show you exactly how to break through that two-million-dollar revenue ceiling while actually compressing your clinical week. It’s about building a leadership team that takes ownership so you can finally step into the CEO role you deserve. Head over to DentalPracticeHeroes.com/freedom to grab your spot. And do me a favor—mention the Very Dental podcast when you sign up. It’s 100% guaranteed, so you’ve got nothing to lose but the stress.

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"They always talk about how the independent dentists are providing better care than the groups are, the corporate dentistry. Well, that's not necessarily true. If you really study the tools that they have that the independent dentists have not yet adopted, most of the independent dentists are far behind the invisible DSOs and DSOs from a patient care and a technology adoption."

Chip Fichtner, Large Practice Sales

Alan is joined once again by Chip Fichtner of Large Practice Sales to talk about Invisible DSOs. Some of our topics included:

• How did Chip get in to IDSOs?
• Large Practice Sales only represents doctors!
• Why is dentistry a focus for investors?
• Consolidation in mortuary science, veterinary medicine and medicine and how they differ from dentistry
• The "Walmart-ization" of dentistry
• Technology and AI in IDSOs.
• Chip looks into his crystal ball
• Who will buy an average practice (not a large practice)?
• IDSO = full autonomy for owner dentists
• IDSOs and specialists...an interesting fit
• What does a "bad" experience with an IDSO look like?
• What does a "bad deal structure" in an IDSO transaction look like?
• How was COVID good for us?

Does an invisible DSO sound like something that would be a good fit for you?  Get in touch with Chip at Large Practice Sales!

Today's Very Dental Extra is brought to you ad free by our friends at Ivoclar!

Dr. John Nosti is a practices and teaches comprehensive restorative dentistry to dentists all over the country. In his first guest appearance on the Very Dental Podcast John and Alan have a wide ranging conversation about John's origin story, restorative dentistry and specifically how important a quality curing light is!

• Pork Roll or Taylor Ham?
• The John Nosti origin story! (he started in orofacial pain!)
•  Teaching with the Hornbrook Group--->Clinical Mastery Series
• How did he build a practice in "big case dentistry?"
• The three best photos in an introductory exam
• The new patient interview 
• Big cases come out of hygiene...how do you change the conversation?
• "Your teeth look different to me today."
• Communication and meeting the patient where they are
• The best closing line!
• Why should you avoid the eBay/Amazon curing light?
• 5 second cure vs. 5 second timer
• Who is curing the composite? Dentist or assistant? 
• Rock the Drill!

Some links from the show:

• Clinical Mastery Series
• Ivoclar Easycure Curing Light
• Ivoclar PowerCure Curing Light

Dr. Shashikant "Shashi" Singhal is a biomaterials expert...a dentist and researcher with Ivoclar. After a short discussion about the best way to find interesting food when traveling, Shashi and Alan have a deep conversation about advances in cementation of indirect restorations.

• Ivoclar's goal is to give as many options as possible while making the options simple to use
• Read your instructions!
• Ivoclar is interested in finding the "pain points" of the clinician and solving them!
• Offering a light cured AND dual cured option...flexibility is the key
• Ivoclar has nailed color stability between light cured and dual cured (imagine cementing a veneer next to a full crown)
• What is Ivoclar Academy? (a BUNCH of free continuing education!)

Some links from the show:

• Ivoclar Variolink Esthetic
• Ivoclar Academy
• Ivoclar Adhese Universal

Do you have questions for Dr. Singhal? You can get in touch with him at Shashikant.Singhal@ivoclar.com! 

"You're either going to join an Invisible DSO or you're going to compete with many. I promise."

Chip Fichtner, Large Practice Sales

Alan is joined again by Chip Fichtner of Large Practice Sales to dive a little deeper into Invisible DSOs. Chip starts with a story of a large practice owner who almost "took the first offer" who was leaving money on the table. Some of our topics included:

• Large Practice Sales' "black list"
• IDSO strategies worth looking at
• What are dentists really expert in? How about accountants and lawyers? LPS is expert in making deals with IDSOs
• What is a "platform practice?"
• What are IDSOs looking for? 
• Where do the multiples come in?
• Age is a big issue. So is growth rate
• What are the "hot states?" (flyover states in play!)
• IDSOs and Artificial Intelligence

Does an invisible DSO sound like something that would be a good fit for you?  Get in touch with Chip at Large Practice Sales!

Today's special episode is brought to you by Microcopy Dental, the "single patient use" company!

Alan is joined by Cody Sunderland from Microcopy Dental. Microcopy is one of Alan's favorite companies and he's been using their single patient use burs and polishers for 20+ years!

Some topics we covered:

• How did Microcopy Dental get into the "single patient use" business? (the answer makes perfect sense)
• What makes Microcopy products different and better? (natural diamonds, single piece construction, etc. etc.)
• Microcopy is the sample company and their catalog is like a Christmas wish book!
• Microcopy Z-cutters (for removing zirconia)
• What do new users notice?
• Microcopy polishers!
• Al's single use bur "flex." 
• Why is single use important?
• How do they choose bur shapes and products?
• What are the best selling burs?
• Al's favorites
• Who is the toughest nut to crack? Dentists? Assistants?

Some links from the show:

• Microcopy Dental
• The Catalog
• Inverted Pear 0512C 
• Inverted Pear 0508M
• Crown preps 1214.8C 
• Very fine composite finishing burs

Go get a sample of your favorite bur shape!

Alan is joined again by Kate Reinert, a clinical efficiency consultant with our friends at Zirc Dental Products! We focused on the concept of "Lean Workflow" to achieve efficiency, free up time and increase profitability in dental practices!  Zirc Dental Products is a company that basically helps offices understand how much better things can be in the dental office!

Some topics we covered:

• How does the Color Method work to create a lean workflow
• Gathering data about existing clinical workflow and finding a "champion."
• Change is hard...how Zirc sets offices up for success!
• Digging into materials and instrument for each procedure
• It's not about tubs, trays or cassettes as much as the whole process.
• What is a lean process?
• Lean processes and dental hygiene
• Tub building
• Implementing the plan
• "Make ready" station and instrument processing
• Al's light bulb moment...the colors make it easy to bring instruments and materials together in the operatory so you'll have everything you need!
• Too lean vs. wasteful
• Office renovation vs. new design

Some links from the show:

• Zirc's website
• The Color Method
• Get your free sample of the Crystal HD mirror

Today's episode has been brought to you by our friends at Ivoclar!

Alan is joined by dental superstar Dr. David Rice! Dave and Al recently spent some time together at the Chicago midwinter and discuss David's thoughts on dental meetings and where they're going. 

Then they launched into a discussion about zirconia! Did you know that not all zirconia is the same? David has recently written an article for Dental Economics entitled "The Why's and Y's of Zirconia!" and it's the subject of today's episode!

• What's the difference between the strongest zirconia and the prettiest zirconia?
• 3Y-->5Y zirconia
• Ask your lab what they're using!
• Ivoclar's IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime zirconia 
• Preparing teeth for zirconia restorations
• Cementing vs. bonding zirconia restorations
• David on podcasting!

Some links from the show:

• IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime zirconia
• Dentistry Unmasked podcast
• Dental Economics
• Dentistry IQ
• ZirCAD Prime blocks (podcast coming soon!)

Alan is joined by Kate Reinert who is a dental assistant who now works with Zirc Dental Products as a clinical efficiency consultant. We had a wide ranging conversation where we talked about implementing new procedures (from the standpoint of the team) as well as helping find and fix "pain points" in clinical systems. Zirc Dental Products is a company that basically helps offices understand how much better things can be in the dental office!

Some topics we covered:

• implementing new procedures
• finding pain points
• the history of "processing dental instruments"
• Central Sterilization as the "heart of the dental office"
• "Instrument creep" and how cassettes can fix it
• Say no to cabinets and lean operatories
• Get Zirc involved DURING the design process
• Getting rid of the "hit by the bus" notebook and reducing training time
• The advantages of resin

Some links from the show:

• Zirc's website
• The Color Method
• Get your free sample of the Crystal HD mirror

"One of the key attributes of an invisible DSO is the doctor is still an owner and therefore continues to lead the practice as an owner. He's making all of the crucial decisions...not the DSO."

Chip Fichtner, Large Practice Sales

Alan is joined again by Chip Fichtner of Large Practice Sales to talk about an interesting practice model called "Invisible Dental Support Organization." 

We drill down on the concept and how it differs from a more traditional group/multiple practice as well as a traditional DSO. 

Does an invisible DSO sound like something that would be a good fit for you? Get in touch with Chip at Large Practice Sales!

The old model of practice sales went something like this. A doctor decides he wants to sell his practice. Someone helps him determine a sale price and it usually ends up somewhere between 60-80% of collections depending on your geographic area and the type of practice.

A dentist with a large practice will struggle to sell their practice to another dentist using this model for lots of reasons. But large practices are selling all over the country. What am I missing?

Chip Fichtner of Large Practice Sales joins me to talk about this interesting development. Chip explains the developments in the buying and selling of these practices and how younger dentists have new and interesting options to grow their existing large practices!