Explore every episode of the podcast The Dental Head Start Podcast

Everyone's talking about it. Everybody wants a mentor. That's what they're looking for when they graduate. Who's your mentor, and are you putting the effort in? This is the dental mentoring sessions podcast by dental Head Start, real world mentoring every fortnight

The post Dental Mentoring Series #1 – Navigating Your Dental Career Success appeared first on Dental Head Start.

@dr.haydynbathurst Welcome back Dental Head Start listeners! we’re on part two now of our communication series with @drpeterdayman. If you […]

The post Tip #147: Communication: Effective patient interaction for new graduates with Dr Peter Dayman appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Re-run series: Finding your support network on Social Media Picked by @christina_oralhealth This series of re-run episodes is a curated […]

The post Tip #145 [RE-RUN] – Empowering and educating parents on breathing and growth with Dr Shereen Lim appeared first on Dental Head Start.

At Dental Head Start, our goal has always been to keep our conversations real and relevant for students and new grads, and so what better way to do that than to hear directly from you guys! In this episode, we are joined by some fellow students from around Australia, who are completing their final year of dental school, to get their perspectives on what it’s like for the new generation of dentists.

From USYD to UQ to La Trobe, join us to hear about the differences between each university’s curriculum and culture, the different committees and extra-curricular activities Richard, Anushka & Joanne are involved with, and the pearls of wisdom they have for younger students. We dive into what the future looks like for everyone and the topics that as future graduates, we’d love to learn more about.

And if there’s anything you’d like to learn more about, or even if you just want to chat, don’t be a stranger! We’d love to hear from you.

Find us on Instagram or Facebook!
Dental Head Start @dentalheadstart
Erica Hwin @ericahwin.dmd
Cigdem Kipel @dr.cigdemkipel
Graeme Pearson @dr.graemepearson

The post FEATURE #72 – Perspectives of a Dental Student with Joanne Ling, Richard Zhu & Anushka Fernando appeared first on Dental Head Start.

If you’ve ever flipped through a product catalog for prosthetic implant components, you’ll know that there is a LOT there. Literally hundreds of components, connections, abutments, screws, copings, healing caps, analogs, channels and more. And that’s just for one brand.

So when we come to restoring implants, what do we ask our lab for? How do we make decisions around implant prosthetics? What are the common mistakes people make here?

Rob Dulieu is a master ceramist and lab technician with extensive experience in all types of implant restorations - everything from single implant crowns to complex multi-unit cases.

He has guided many young dentists through this steep learning curve and shares with us his top tips for restoring implants and the decision making process around the prosthetic side of implants.

The post TIP #92 – Working Out The Prosthetic Side of Implants with Rob Dulieu appeared first on Dental Head Start.

“If you cannot replicate the pain, don’t take the tooth out.”
The non-tooth-related toothache - the age old conundrum that seems to trouble all dentists. But what is it really in the hands of an oral medicine specialist?
In this episode, Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen breaks down orofacial pain - from its presentation and diagnosis to how it might be managed. We talk about what general dentists should expect when these patients present at their door, and how they should liaise with specialists.
This is a dense and fascinating discussion about the complexities of orofacial pain. And whilst it may be beyond the scope of general dentists to treat alone, I think it is crucial to appreciate what it is to understand where we stand in the holistic management and treatment of these patients.

The post TIP #91 – The Non-Tooth-Related Toothache with Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen appeared first on Dental Head Start.

What do lab technicians really wish for from their dentists? I asked Rob Duleiu, dental technician and master ceramist at RWD dental lab, to give it to us straight. And it’s about criticizing our preps.

In this podcast, Rob and I get into the top do’s and don’ts for dentists, but from the point of view of a ceramist or technician. He reveals some eye opening insights around what we can do as dentists to make life easier for our lab technicians, how to help them do better work for us and achieve a better outcome for our patients.

If you’ve ever blamed your lab for something less than ideal, listen to this episode. We talk preps, impressions, scanning, mode of communication, feedback, photography, videography and more. There’s so much in our control.

The post TIP #90 – What Your Lab Technician is Really Thinking with Rob Dulieu appeared first on Dental Head Start.

We learn a lot of things throughout our extensive education, but the one thing we don’t really cover before we graduate is what to do when we suddenly have a taxable income.

Thankfully, even though I have no idea, we have people like Bhupesh Kaphle - an accountant and tax & business advisory specialist - where this is his area of expertise. In this episode, we cover all the tax basics from the different types of taxes, your assessable income, allowable deductions, choosing a good accountant and the importance of recording your expenses.

For those in a similar boat to me, who also get overwhelmed by this topic, I hope this is a beneficial episode for you to tune into!

The post TIP #89 – Tax, What’s That? with Bhupesh Kaphle appeared first on Dental Head Start.

How many times have you dreaded going in to work knowing you have a certain procedure in your books, or gone home thinking if what you did was the right thing. No doubt most of us have experienced this and would love to keep these days to a minimum.

In this episode, Graeme speaks with James about practising safe and defensive dentistry and what this means in your daily practice. Everyone is happy when you are having fun and doing the dentistry you enjoy doing. Predictability while you’re practising reduces your headaches so you can go to work more relaxed and go home without having to worry about the day's work.

The post TIP #88 – Practising Safe and Defensive Dentistry with Dr James Tran appeared first on Dental Head Start.

A career in dentistry affords many advantages, including an above-average earning capacity from the outset.

Since TIME has the greatest long-term impact on returns on investment, these early few years represent a window that shouldn’t be missed if we want to take full advantage of the opportunity to leverage our investments over time.

On this podcast featuring Dr Rohan Krishnan, we discuss the smart moves that young dentists can make early in their careers to unlock the lifestyle they aspire to.

The post TIP #87 – Investing Early in Your Career with Dr Rohan Krishnan appeared first on Dental Head Start.

How many of us have our patients fill out a medical questionnaire whilst sitting in the waiting room? And is this sufficient enough to gather a full medical history?

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen, an oral medicine specialist, who breaks down the red flags in medical history for general dentists. We talk about things we might miss out on if we’re not being thorough enough and asking our patients specific probing questions. We talk about the significance of certain conditions, medications, supplements and recreational drugs that affect even just day-to-day general dentistry.

We discuss why it is crucial, not only for our overall duty of care to the patient, but to also save ourselves from some potential medicolegal issues. This is a jam packed episode full of little pointers that I had no idea about, and so I hope you’re all able to walk away with a few additional questions you might ask your patients tomorrow.

The post TIP #86 – Red Flags in Medical History with Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen appeared first on Dental Head Start.

The application of lasers in dentistry is so versatile that it can be confusing to get your head around how it works and when to use it. But for those that do, they often remark on how much they love using it in daily practice.

In this episode, long-time laser dentist Dr Kurt Dean breaks it down for us. What dental lasers are, what they’re used for, the types of lalers on the market and the pro’s and cons of the technology.

The post TIP #85 – Lasers in Dentistry with Dr Kurt Dean appeared first on Dental Head Start.

When we prep a tooth for a crown, we send a lab script away and magically, we get a new tooth back. This step may be overlooked by many, and it’s so important that we meet patients' expectations and obtain the best results for them.

This week, Dr James chats with us about how to communicate with the lab and how this fits in with digital scanning and general workflow. Learn what tips and tricks help get the best results and how these useful tips can help you in your daily practice, too.

The post TIP #84 – Lab Communication for Optimal Results with Dr James Tran appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Join us on the Dental Head Start podcast as we dive into our first episode of our four-part series, "5 Things I Wish I Knew." This episode is crafted specifically for new graduates stepping into the world of dentistry. Despite the excitement, the transition from student to practitioner brings its own set of challenges. We discuss the reality of day-to-day dentistry where the need for work-life balance and a supportive work environment becomes crucial. Hear about the common pre-work anxieties that many face and the gradual journey toward overcoming them. We also talk about the loss of structure after university and the importance of taking proactive steps to grow your confidence and scope. Lastly, we delve into effective patient communication strategies—learning to listen rather than fill the silence. Whether you're a new graduate or a seasoned practitioner, this episode offers valuable insights to help you navigate your dental career with confidence and support.

The post Things I wish I knew focus series #1 – As a new graduate with Dr David Keir appeared first on Dental Head Start.

As dentists, we are uniquely positioned to assess and diagnose patients with disorders around the airway, sleep and how it relates to orofacial facial pain.

The impact of these conditions on a patient’s life can be chronic and debilitating (severe fatigue, pain) and can impact their general and mental health in a plethora of ways - mood, reflux, parafunction, concentration, blood pressure etc.

Frequently it’s the case that the underlying issue for many of these patients - airway and sleep disorders - remain undiagnosed and untreated until it’s picked up by a dentist.

A thorough dental assessment can reveal signs and symptoms that go on to trigger further investigations or referrals to ultimately uncover what can be a life changing diagnosis for a patient.

Dr Rohan Krishnan recently completed his masters in the field Sleep Medicine and Orofacial pain management. He explains the important role dentists play in the initial diagnosis and management of sleep and airway disorders.

The post TIP #83 – Dental Sleep Medicine with Dr Rohan Krishnan appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Dentistry is rapidly evolving and there are so many concepts which we just take for granted nowadays. It’s hard to imagine a time where composite resin wasn’t the normal, digital dentistry didn’t exist and social media wasn’t as prevalent as it is now. 

But Dr Derry Rogers has been able witness all of these changes first hand. Having graduated in 1977 and practiced for over 40 odd years, Dr Rogers was there when the adhesive revolution occurred and was one of the founding fathers that helped bring cosmetic dentistry to Australia. With this wealth of knowledge, Dr Rogers continues to lecture internationally, runs courses through The DR Institute and hosts his own Online Dental Mentoring Podcast

In this episode, we dive into how Dr Rogers conducts his new patient consultations and the tips he has for new graduates to become more effective clinicians. We explore the topics of Personality Profiling, Data Collection & Photography, Diagnosis, Treatment Planning & Sequencing. 

We’ve also created a Google Drive with templates and additional notes on all the concepts we discuss in today’s episode. Check it out here!
ps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qHg8SBHNkW1j5NsMjDeNx3_eDfeDrqo2?usp=sharing

The post FEATURE #71 – Mastering Your New Patient Consult with Dr Derry Rogers appeared first on Dental Head Start.

They say the learning never stops, which is where CPD (aka Continued Professional Development) allows us to expand our skillset and learn new perspectives and techniques in treatment.

This week I sat down with Dr. James Tran who told me all about his experiences taking CPD, what his experiences have been, and how to go about choosing the right course for yourself.

The post TIP #82 – Discovering Your CPD Journey with Dr James Tran appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Being an operative dentist is the obvious career path after dental school, but it’s far from being the only option. 

In this podcast, Dr Rohan Krishnan explains why dentists are uniquely qualified to work in non-operative roles such as governance, education, non-profit organisations and other professional and regulatory bodies. 

He challenges us to explore how we can apply ourselves in an alternative capacity; perhaps as an advisor, board member, educator, committee organiser or executive, to unlock opportunities to do greater good and create true impact beyond our individual patients. 

Not only is Dr Krishnan a successful dentist and practice owner, he is the vice president of ADA NSW, Chairman of the “Filling the Gap” organization and a board member of the Australian Dental Council. 

Tune in to hear about his journey beyond the drill.

The post TIP #81 – Alternate Career Pathways with Dr Rohan Krishnan appeared first on Dental Head Start.

When was the last time you sat back and asked yourself, "What are my dreams, and what kind of person do I want to become?

I think as students and new grads, it's so easy to be lost when all our lives, we've always had some sort of curriculum to follow. However, the day we graduate, it's the first time we have to really decide for ourselves what happens next. In this episode, we dive into the importance of dreaming big, how this influences our happiness and career fulfilment, and how to go about finding that spark.

The post TIP #80 – Dreaming Big For Life After Graduation with Dr Kaejenn Tchia appeared first on Dental Head Start.

When I see dentists producing amazing work in various specialties, the first thing I want to know is how they were able to build their skills to that point. Knowing the skills Dr. Maria Avis holds, I had the opportunity to unravel her dental journey.

In this episode, Maria walks us through her experiences in dental school, and more importantly, how her graduate job positions set her up to become the comprehensive dentist she is now. Maria is a business owner of her private clinic, Akoya Dental, mother of two boys and two dogs.

The post FEATURE #70 – Becoming Confident & Competent with Dr Maria Avis appeared first on Dental Head Start.

In an industry where we are almost geared to constantly pursue excellence and success, where we are often isolated in our practice and where the is an expectation to maintain our cool in front of patients, perhaps it’s no surprise that it forms the perfect breeding ground for burnout. But what exactly is burnout, and what can we do to prevent it?

In this episode, we’re joined the Dr Kaejenn Tchia who is The Limitless Dentist. Dr Kaejenn runs his own Facebook and Instagram page where he openly shares his experience with burnout as a recent grad and he uses his platform to regularly share tips on practicing mental well-being.

At DHS, we have always been advocates for mental health and we’re so glad to be able to dive into it in this episode to break down what burnout is, what causes it and Dr Kaejenn’s Top 4 tips on how to avoid it. For an industry that is so tight-knit, I really hope this helps us open up the discussion to talk about our shared experiences on a topic we all inevitably go through.

The post TIP #79 – The 4 Crucial Tips to Avoid Burnout with Dr Kaejenn Tchia appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Autograft, allograft, xenograft - it all sounds like a foreign language to me, but to Dr Andrew Cheng, it's pretty much his second language. 

In this episode, we wind it all back to basics with a crash course ‘Grafts for Dummies’ where we talk what a graft is, the fundamental principles and how Dr Andrew uses hard and soft tissue grafts in his day to day practice.

The post TIP #78 – Grafts 101: A Crash Course with Dr Andrew Cheng appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Nothing is more frustrating than knowing you’re missing something and not being able to find it, and in the world of Endodontics, it is no different when it comes to hunting down that elusive missing canal.

In this episode, Dr Mehdi Rahimi shares his tips, tricks and tools to locating these canals from rubber dam placement to the specific burs he uses and CBCT assessments.

The post TIP #77 – Finding that Missing Canal with Dr Mehdi Rahimi appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Ever heard of verti-preps? There was no mention of it in my dental school. But Dr Bez Shokouhi wishes he’d learned about it earlier in his career because it’s a game changer for the way he approaches some heavily damaged teeth.

Basically, it’s a type of crown preparation that has NO horizontal margin, meaning you can preserve a lot more tooth structure. This is possible thanks to properties of materials like zirconia that can perform well with a knife edge margin. Verti-preps allow for the creation of more subgingival ferrule and salvaging of teeth deemed otherwise unrestorable by traditional restorability standards.

The post TIP #76 – Vertical Crown Preparations with Dr Bez Shokouhi appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Welcome to the Discoveries in Dental focus series. This series highlights recent dental discoveries and saves you time having to read through numerous journal articles.

Hosted by @dr.haydynbathurst

In this episode I discuss the use of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), a calcium silicate-based cement used in endodontic procedures such as pulp capping and preventing pulpal exposure, even in cases of irreversible pulpitis. However, there are potential contradictions in using MTA, such as the need for an aseptic environment and the potential for pulp exposure, which may negate its effectiveness.

The post Discoveries in Dental Focus #2 – Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) for Endodontic procedures appeared first on Dental Head Start.

TIP #74 - Implants: The Common Pitfalls when Getting Started with Dr Andrew Cheng

Hosted by Erica Hwin

We often get told to not be too hasty when starting up with implants, but what are the common mistakes that new grads encounter, and what should we check off our experience list before getting involved?

In this episode, Dr Andrew Cheng reflects on his early experiences and shares his advice for those wanting to get their feet wet. We have a great discussion about the myriad of factors that come into play during case selection and treatment planning, and the importance of patient-centred care.

The post TIP #75 – Implants: The Common Pitfalls when Getting Started with Dr Andrew Cheng appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Implant dentistry is becoming more popular by the day, how does one choose what course they want to take when learning implantology? Misagh Habibi is one of those clinicians who is taking implantology education to a new level in Australia.

This podcast we sit down with Misagh and hear his journey, and how it led him to becoming such a well decorated dentist with so much knowledge. He takes a keen interest in teaching all aspects of implant surgery at all levels through various outlets of the Implant Institute, which he is the director of. You can feel Misagh’s passion for teaching during our chat, and his outlook towards upping your skillset is both honest and wholesome.

The post FEATURE #69 – The Implant Institute & Guiding Your Learning with Dr Misagh Habibi appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Every dentist thinks they KNOW how to bond to tooth structure, yet it’s one of the most misunderstood and inconsistently performed procedures among practitioners.

In this episode, Dr Bez Shokouhi breaks down the perfect bonding protocol into the details of the multitude of factors that can profoundly affect its success. As a serial CPD attendee and graduate of several university programs involving restorative and implant dentistry, the depth of his knowledge on this subject is exhaustive.

If you’ve ever had post-operative sensitivity or a debond after a bonding procedure, this is a must-listen episode.

The post TIP #74 – Perfect Bonding Protocols with Dr Bez Shokouhi appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Fractured instruments, perforations, hypochlorite accidents - you name it, it seems as though there are so many things that can 'go wrong' when we're working on microscopic canals. It's a daunting situation to be in, but it's an inevitable part of practicing endodontics that happens to even the very best of dentists.

In this episode, Dr Mehdi Rahimi talks us through a mindset shift on how we should view these misadventures. In particular, we focus on fractured files and his top tips on the pre-emptive conversations we ought to have with patients, and how to go about managing them in case it does occur.

The post TIP #73 – I Fractured a File – Now What? with Dr Mehdi Rahimi appeared first on Dental Head Start.

If there’s anyone who’s really mastered the act of up-skilling rapidly in their early years, then surely it must be Dr Andrew Cheng. From implants, grafts and All-on-X to orthodontics and high level cosmetic dentistry, it seems like he’s done it all for someone who still humbly considers himself a new-grad.

This was a really thoughtful conversation where we talk about developing the right attitude and mindset towards our continuous learning and growth. We talk about how to go about critically evaluating our work, asking for feedback and taking actionable steps to improve. Join us in this episode as we dive into Dr Andrew’s own journey and reflect on how he’s gotten to where he is now.

The post TIP #72 – Upskilling & Critically Evaluating Yourself with Dr Andrew Cheng appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Nobody likes to be in pain, and as dentists, we have patients walking through the door in pain everyday. And it’s our job to help them out. However, every so often, we encounter the Angry Hot Pulp, which just won’t settle no matter what we do to try anaesthetise it.

We are so fortunate to be have Dr Mehdi Rahimi – a specialist Endodontist, Adjunct Associate Professor and president of the Australian Society of Endodontology (NSW Branch) – join us over a three part series, to talk through all the common endo problems we might encounter and how to manage them. In this episode, he talks us through what exactly causes a hot pulp and the protocol he’s developed to manage it.

The post TIP #71 – Taming the Hot Pulp with Dr Mehdi Rahimi appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Taking on the challenge of starting a podcast and delving into a world that you know nothing about is daunting. Putting yourself out there in a close knit community is a brave thing to do, and David has done it flawlessly.

David holds an engineering degree, been a dental assistant for a millennia, played semi-pro poker and can now add a successful career as a podcast founder to the mix. There’s not much David can’t do. 

Erica and Graeme sit down with David as they explore David’s life, talk about what Dental Head Start means to them, the future of DHS, and David’s parting wisdom have worked for 5 years and is now leading into a new, fun life adventure. 

We couldn’t think of a better interview to start off the new year 2022 with. 

The post FEATURE #68 – The Future of Dental Head Start with Dr David Keir appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Dental Head Start has always been about helping dental students become great dentists, and over the years, we've interviewed dozens of successful dentists to hear their journeys and tips for younger dentists. However, with the end of the year looming up and grad season upon us, I thought it would be interesting to turn things around a little, and actually hear things from a new grad’s perspective. And I couldn't think of anyone better to chat with than Anthony and Yasmin.

Anthony and Yasmin are finishing their first year out as dentists, but even from the get go as wide-eyed dental students, they were doing incredible things for the community. In their final year of dental school, they were the President and Secretary of the Sydney University Dental Association (SUDA) and are both now now continuing to engage with the industry through their roles in ADA NSW Recent Graduate and Advocacy committees.

This was such an insightful conversation hearing Anthony and Yasmin's fresh perspective on their job hunting process especially as a couple, different mentorship styles and finding the right balance between having confidence as a new graduate dentist, but also understanding their limitations. This is a heart-warming episode full of words of encouragement that I think one that our student listeners in particular will really enjoy!

The post FEATURE #67 – Building Communities and the New Grad Experience with Dr Anthony Yammine and Dr Yasmin Samiee appeared first on Dental Head Start.

We all know that one kid who never seems to study, is always playing games or out hitting the town, and yet still passes with flying colours and is everyone’s favourite friend.

Dental school is a rollercoaster. We’re learning the fundamentals of dentistry, figuring out what kinda dentist we want to be whilst trying to maintain a semblance of study-life balance. They say dental school is really just the beginnings of our journey and it all really starts the day we graduate, but what kind of things can we do now to really set us up on positive trajectory?

In this episode, Dr Jeff Kho reminisces on his days in dental school - and (surprise surprise!) how he wasn’t that superstar student. He talks about what he would do differently, knowing what he does now, and the stresses that in hindsight, he would’ve worried less about. We dive into the areas and disciplines that new grads don’t have as much experience in and what we can do to fill that gap in knowledge. Above all, we talk about the importance and value of investing in ourselves.

The post TIP #70 – Making the Most of Final Year with Dr Jeff Kho appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Welcome to What I Wish I Knew by Dental Head Start. This is a podcast where we learn from people […]

The post TIP #69 – Getting Comfortable with TMD w/ Clin. A/ Professor Dr Tony Au appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Hosted by Christina Potestas @christina_oralhealth

Listen on all podcast players

Hi Dental Head Start listeners, Christina here. This episode is a bit of a fangirling moment for me because I sit down with Tabitha Acret @tabitha_dental_hygienist_ , whose journey beyond Uni is quite inspirational. We talk about her initial work in both general and specialist practices, travelling around the world and presenting Guided Biofilm therapy to international audiences and all the serious life lessons in between that help us become better clinicians. Tabitha is about to complete her master’s degree in Advanced Periodontics at the University of London and is an academic at the Sydney University. Keep listening to hear her story and how she continues to  make the most out of her Oral Health Degree.

The post Feature #94 – Making the most of our Oral Health degree with Tabitha Acret appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Have you ever had a bonded wire retainer break off or debond?

Or witnessed relapse occurring despite the fixed wire retainer?

If you’ve done enough ortho cases, the answer is probably yes.

What if you have no occlusal space to place an upper wire?
Zig-zag or straight?
Lab made or direct?
Fixed or removable?
Canine to canine or a shorter wire?

Decisions, decisions!

If these questions about orthodontic retention have ever crossed your mind, tune in because this podcast with orthodontist Dr Katie Xu is going to answer them all.

The post TIP #68 – Orthodontic Retention with Dr Katie Xu appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Needless to say, COVID-19 has shaken the world and the dental industry is by no means exempt. So how has this affected the experience of new grads and their job hunting prospects?

Dr Jeff Kho shares his thoughts on the matter - and I’m pleased to let you know, it’s not all doom and gloom! In this episode, we talk about how to begin our job search journey, the pros and cons of old and new books, and how to toss up between multiple great offers.

The post TIP #67 – Job Hunting During COVID-19 with Dr Jeff Kho appeared first on Dental Head Start.

For us students and new grads, communication is an area that doesn't get much attention, but can be a make or break moment when talking with patients. Do you ever wonder how you can explain concepts to patients in simple terms? What about explaining pros/cons or risks about certain procedures? How will they even trust you enough to let you do such a procedure?

In this interview with Clinical Associate professor Dr. Tony Au, we talk about all things communication. Tony is a specialist prosthodontist in Sydney who deals with complex cases AND complex patients daily. Tony provides us with his top tips on how to deal with pushy patients, how to use analogies to help patients understand concepts, and how to BED a patient. You heard that right, how to BED a patient. If that doesn't peak your interest, I don't know what will.

The post TIP #66 – Managing Patient Complexities with Clin A/ Professor Dr Tony Au appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Dr Krishnan has spent many years contributing to ADA NSW, initially on and then as chair of the Recent Graduate Committee and more recently as a Board Director. He is also on the board of Filling The Gap and runs his own private practice.

Impressive, yet my interest was peaked when he shared his new project with the University of Sydney. Dr Krishnan has put together a course for Usyd students to help them with transitioning to private practice. Together with hand chosen people from his broad network of passionate, excellent colleagues, Rohan is able to make a difference at the coalface. And I truly hope this becomes an Australia and New Zealand University wide approach.

The post FEATURE #66 – [Re-Run] Dental Students to Graduates with Dr Rohan Krishnan appeared first on Dental Head Start.

As dentists, we’re fortunate to have a well above average earning capacity, but managing wealth and personal finances is something most people are not taught through conventional education.

In this podcast, Dr Kalyan Voruganti, a successful and experienced practice owner shares with us some of his key best practices for managing personal finances and wealth across the different stages of our careers.

The post TIP #65 – Managing Personal Finances with Dr Kalyan Voruganti appeared first on Dental Head Start.

So you’ve found a practice you love, a mentor you admire and an opportunity that you just don’t want to miss out on. So then how do you go about landing that position? What can you do to make sure that you’re The One?

This is Part 1 of a three part grad series I did with Dr Jeff Kho where we talk about all things surrounding graduation and job hunting, making the most of our final year and how to be the ideal candidate - so keep an eye out for Part 2 and 3. David also did a much longer feature interview with Dr Jeff early in the year where we hear his story and his experience training dental graduates and founding Australian Hands On Courses (AHC).

In this episode Dr Jeff shares his golden tips on making a stellar first impression, being ‘the purple cow’ and the art of persistence. We talk about the importance of not just communicating but properly connecting with people, and how we can get better at it in a world where at times, we can be so disconnected.

The post TIP #64 – How to Be the Ideal Candidate with Dr Jeff Kho appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Dentists rely on private courses and seminars to fill the gaps in their knowledge and skill set beyond the bare basics taught at dental school.

These gaps are not small. Most experienced dentists report that the vast majority of treatments they perform (for example CEREC, orthodontics, implants, photography, digital dentistry) or skills they rely upon for success (for example leadership, communication, management) were not learned in dental school; they were learned almost exclusively through private CPD taken after graduation.

Fortunately, there are many CPD options on the table and additionally, they’re offered across increasingly flexible platforms; in person, online, interactive workshops, live demonstrations and more.

However most dentists have an ad-hoc approach to CPD with little consideration given to mapping out their education plans over their career. With the average cost of CPD annually in the thousands (or 10’s of thousands), Dr Kalyan Voruganti shares with us a more strategic approach to selecting and maximising CPD choices over time.

The post TIP #63 – A Smarter Approach to CPD with Dr Kalyan Voruganti appeared first on Dental Head Start.

As a student and graduate it is common to feel stress when we think about our regulator. Yet this often comes from a misunderstanding of how the Dental Board of Australia and APHRA work and what there goals really are.

This episode we are lucky enough to be chatting the the Chair of the Dental Board, Dr Murray Thomas. But the core message is not the regulator themselves but an initive they support.

That is of course Dental Practitioner Support (www.dpsupport.org.au), a helpline for dental professionals and their families. This is funded by the DBA in an effort to support dentists however is a completely confidential and seperate.

Mr Anthony Denham joined us on this podcast as the Program Director at Turning Point, the organisation running dental practitioner support.

This was a great conversation about a critical topic. Because after all, we can't look after others if we're not looking after ourselves.

The post FEATURE #65 – Dental Practitioner Support with Dr Murray Thomas and Anthony Denham appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Hold your horses! We have some new kids on the block!

Things are changing here at Dental Head Start, and we have some really exciting plans moving forwards into the future that we can't wait to share. But before we can get to that...has anyone seen David?

n this episode, we're taking things into our own hands and hijacking the show. Tune in to hear us share some of our visions for the show, and as we try to catch each other off guard with some silly get-to-know-us questions. It's a fun and light-hearted chat and a little teaser for bigger things to come!

The post BREAKING NEWS! WIWIK Takeover with Graeme & Erica appeared first on Dental Head Start.

To practice dentistry, you need to have a lot of...stuff. Just open up a drawer or cabinet in any clinic and you’ll find hundreds of unique items that need to be ordered repeatedly from different suppliers. Some items are critical, some items expire, some are on special and some are on back-order.

The whole ordering, inventory and stock management process in dental is time consuming, human-resource heavy and plain messy. Due to the sheer volume and variety of products that need to be ordered from multiple suppliers, all with their own e-portals, order forms or sales reps it’s no wonder things inevitably fall through the cracks. Just today our entire practice ran out of etch!

As a multi-site practice owner, Dr Namita Gupta was no stranger to the pain points around ordering and stock management. She saw an opportunity to disrupt the wasteful and cumbersome old ways and co-founded Restoq, a centralised digital platform that streamlines and modernises inventory management for practices.

The post TIP #62 – Stock & Inventory Management with Dr Namita Gupta appeared first on Dental Head Start.

In this episode, Dr Harry Mohan, a specialist endodontist breaks down how to protect the tooth in between each appointment and gives some practical tips on how to and why to place interim/temporary restorations. Dr Mohan breaks down the restorative workflow in endo from completely stripping down the tooth and protecting that coronal seal till a definitive restoration can be placed.

The post TIP #144 – Restorative Workflow in Endodontics with Dr Harry Mohan appeared first on Dental Head Start.

To take care of others we first need to take care of our-selves. Yet dentists rarely take time off for themselves when they need it. How can we do our best work when sick?

Dr Annalene Weston is well known for her work in Burnout and Mental Health for dentists and it is our pleasure to have her on the What I wish I Knew podcast again to share something she sees dentists making the mistake of time and time again, not taking care of yourself.

The concept of the Third Space resonated strongly with me as did much of what she had to say in this episode. I hope you take as much from this as I did.

The post TIP #61 – [Re-Run] Take Care of Yourself with Dr Annalene Weston appeared first on Dental Head Start.

If you’ve ever thought about specialising in ortho, this is a must-listen podcast.

Meet Dr Katie Xu - a talented young orthodontist who shares with us exactly what it’s like to work as an ortho specialist and how it compares to general dentistry.

She walks us through a typical day in a busy ortho practice and highlights the systems and workflows that make it run like a well oiled machine. Lots of tips you can take straight to the general practice!

Katie also talks about the more challenging aspect of her profession such as the significant amount of non-chairside hours spent on digital treatment planning and correspondence. It’s clear all worth it to her as evidenced by her passionate facebook posts educating GDPs on all things ortho.

The post TIP #60 – A Day in The Life of An Orthodontist with Dr Katie Xu appeared first on Dental Head Start.

"Why do you want to be a dentist?" The cliché response to this common question is that we want to help people. And it goes without saying, our general dentistry does this. But there is so much more that is possible.

Community engagement, public health policy, volunteering and health advocacy are all areas that can make a wider impact. And Dr Mohit Tolani does them all.

Mohit and I were lucky enough to meet at the Graduate of the Year Mini Residency in 2017. We were fresh out of University and ready to change the world. Interestingly, Mohit is well on his way.

His education pathway and community involvement all demonstrates his dedication to the community and oral health outcomes at large. This is inspiring stuff for those who want to give back.

The post FEATURE #64 – Becoming a Leader in the Community with Dr Mohit Tolani appeared first on Dental Head Start.