AME: Talking Myself Off the Ledge

In this throwback episode of The Alan Mead Experience, Alan dives into the universal struggle every clinician faces: the days (or weeks) when it feels like everything you touch falls apart and imposter syndrome sets in. Drawing from an insightful thread in the Very Dental Facebook community, Alan discusses navigating clinical failure, managing patient expectations, and the vital role of peer support. He also shares a candid story about an emergency root canal case that spiraled into clinical self-doubt—until an unexpected twist revealed the real issue at hand.

Episode Highlights & Takeaways

The Reality of Clinical Funk: Every dentist experiences runs of tough cases—missed canals, separated root tips, or persistent post-op pain. Acknowledging that bad outcomes happen even with perfect technique is key to maintaining mental health.

Insights from the Very Dental Community: Perspectives on clinical perfectionism, managing complications in-person rather than over the phone, and leaning on colleagues rather than suffering in isolation.

Quick Clinical Tip: How Dr. Mead uses Ivoclar's Adhese Universal (VivaPen) as a reliable chairside solution for exposed dentin and post-operative hypersensitivity.

The Root Canal Gone Wrong (Or Did It?): Alan details an emergency endo case on a lower second molar that caused days of anxiety over potential perforation and failure, only to find out the situation was driven by drug-seeking behavior rather than a botched procedure.

The Importance of Case Selection & Boundaries: Learning when to refer, recognizing red flags early, and giving yourself grace when cases don't go as planned.

Some links from the show:

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells Ivoclar Adhese Universal Pen (get it at Crazy Dental using coupon VERYDENTAL10 and save 10%!) The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us!

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