Patterson podcast tees up Dental Month with Dr. Zack Mills

A new episode of Patterson’s All Things Veterinary podcast spotlights how clinics can prepare for National Pet Dental Health Month, with Georgia veterinarian Dr. Zack Mills of Tiger Tails Animal Hospital sharing practical advice on dentistry workflow, pet parent compliance, and evolving standards of care. The episode frames Dental Month less as a one-off promotion and more as a chance for practices to tighten protocols, educate clients, and build year-round oral health habits. Dr. Mills brings more than 40 years of experience, and Tiger Tails has grown into a multi-hospital practice with nearly 60 team members, giving his comments added operational weight. (rss.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, Dental Month remains one of the clearest opportunities to improve preventive care while also supporting practice revenue and workflow planning. AAHA’s dental guidance continues to emphasize that complete dental procedures require anesthesia and that teams should address pet parent concerns about anesthetic risk directly, while the American Veterinary Dental College also warns against anesthesia-free scaling because it doesn’t allow a full subgingival cleaning or diagnostic assessment. In practice, that means successful campaigns depend not just on discounts or reminders, but on case presentation, radiography, home-care coaching, and team readiness before February demand spikes. (aaha.org)

What to watch: Expect more clinics to treat February as a launch point for year-round dentistry programs, with stronger emphasis on anesthesia education, dental radiographs, and pet parent follow-through on home care. (aaha.org)