The Dental Head Start Podcast

Welcome to What I Wish I Knew by Dental Head Start. This is a podcast where we learn from people that have been there, made the mistakes, learnt the lessons and have developed into the accomplished dental professionals they are today. It’s your weekly mentoring session. Hosted by Dr Cigdem Kipel There’s no denying that the job hunting scene post-Covid has changed dramatically, and it’s become a new grads’ market. In this episode, we welcome back Dr Cigdem Kipel who sits down with Dr Mitesh Vasant, both of whom are practice owners, to break down the nitty gritty questions graduates should be asking when joining a practice.  What’s the culture and environment like? How might it influence the treatment you undertake? What’s the mentorship like and what can you bring to the table to contribute to the team? This is a great episode hearing from people sitting on the other side of the interview table, with insightful tips for new grads embarking on their dental journey. Dr Mitesh Vasant Dr Mitesh completed dental school at the University of Queensland in 2012. He had an obsession with cosmetic dentistry and providing his patients with long lasting dental treatment in a gentle manner. To help with this he completed several courses both locally and internationally perfecting the art of designing using Digital Smile Design. He uses a Cerec in his Sandstone practice and has spoken as a KOL for Dentsply Sirona so is credibly qualified to share his experiences with fellow clinicians. Avant Dental  Digital dentistry is becoming a large part of our dental profession and our daily workflows. With all the new changes in our industry, how do you know you’ll be leveraging the most of the technology at your disposal? Avant is a full-service dental laboratory specialising in crown and bridge, implants, splints and a range of removable prosthetic restorations. They deliver the best quality and competitive prices with materials manufactured from the best facilities in the world,. Visit www.avantdental.com.au for more information. Avant will help support your digital dentistry journey and provide excellent service along the way. Clinical Aligner Excellence Aligners are becoming an integral part of private practice. Whether you are new to aligner therapy or an experienced practitioner, the opportunities are vast. But how do you do it at a high standard, efficiently and profitably? Dr Geoff Hall and Dr Jesse Green have come together to help with these key problems through Clear Aligner Excellence – their latest education platform. Visit clearex.com.au for more information. You can expect a wealth of knowledge to help improve your practice as well as huge discounts on major aligner therapy companies and lab fees. The post TIP #109 – Questions to Ask Your Practice with Dr Mitesh Vasant appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Welcome to the New Grad Focus Series by Dental Head Start. Join us across a limited series of episodes as we take a deep dive into the journey of a new grad, covering various topics from multiple different angles.  Hosted by Dr Phillip Nguyen During our time in dental school, most of us will only work in a setting treating patients within the public system. But the statistics show that about 90% of us will work in a private practice when we graduate. So do you know the differences between working in a public job vs a private job?  In this episode, we are joined by Dr Bianca Lee and Dr Steph Ib and we speak about the core differences of working in these different sectors and how they can change our growth pathway. We discuss topics like remuneration structures, work/life balance, opportunities to extend your scope and much, much more. If you are a final year student or new graduate listening to this episode, I hope you learn something new and perhaps it will open your eyes to working in a sector that you had not thought about much previously. Enjoy the episode! Dr Steph Ib Dr Stephanie studied at The University of Melbourne and attests her confidence and resilience in private practice to the challenging experiences that built her foundation. Volunteering for The Royal Flying Doctor Service inspired her to go beyond her comfort zone. Her solo practice during COVID lockdowns afforded her the unique opportunity to treat complex patients and under general anaesthetic in a hospital setting. Through this, her passion for surgery was cemented and she is forging a pathway to implants. She respects the privilege to change lives and encourages dentists to go above the norm to achieve their dream.  Dr Bianca Lee Dr Bianca Lee graduated from La Trobe University in Bendigo and has since had experience working in the private setting within metropolitan Melbourne. She has worked in various clinics that have allowed her to experience different types of patient bases, styles of clinics and opportunities to extend her scope of practice. Bianca’s interests lie in cosmetic and oral surgery/implant dentistry. OrthoEd Exclusive Discount for DHS Listeners If you want to learn from these exceptional courses and teachers, sign up with the following codes to get 10% off their ENTIRE RANGE of courses! Available to dental students and graduates within 5 years of graduation. Dental Practitioner Support Dental Practitioner Support is the first national 24/7 telephone and online service to support dental practitioner health and wellbeing in Australia. The service is free, confidential and independent. Remember, good practice involves seeking support when you need it. Dental practitioners can call and speak to an experienced team ready to provide advice on a wide range of issues, including mental and physical health, workplace issues and general wellbeing. Call them anytime you need, and even save the number in your phone so that it’s there on the day that you need it. 1800 377 700 or visit the website www.dpsupport.org.au The post New Grad Focus #2 – Public vs Private with Dr Steph Ib and Dr Bianca Lee appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Welcome to the New Grad Focus Series by Dental Head Start. Join us across a limited series of episodes as we take a deep dive into the journey of a new grad, covering various topics from multiple different angles.  Hosted by Dr Phillip Nguyen The transition from being a student to a fully qualified dentist is one of the biggest periods of change we go through and it’s something that isn’t taught at all at university.  In this episode, Dr Margaret Tran joins us to go through all the essential things you will need to have organised before you start your first day of work. Not only do we go through the specific requirements of each license and number, but also the nuances of each application and how to minimise the delay in receiving each which will ultimately allow you to begin work sooner! This episode is a must to listen to as it will make the transition to working so much easier, smoother and stress-free. Dr Margaret Tran Margaret Quynh Tran is a new graduate dentist completing her studies in 2021 at the La Trobe University. She is working at a private clinic in Shepparton at the Goulburn Valley Dental Group. In university she was heavily involved with the Bendigo Oral Health and Dentistry Society holding the role of president in 2019. Her commitments have now shifted to the Australian Dental Association Victoria Branch (ADAVB) where she sits as part of the Recent Graduates and Students Committee. Margaret is also the secretary for the ADAVB Goulburn Valley Group. Margaret enjoys all things food, fitness and travelling. Avant Dental  Digital dentistry is becoming a large part of our dental profession and our daily workflows. With all the new changes in our industry, how do you know you’ll be leveraging the most of the technology at your disposal? Avant is a full-service dental laboratory specialising in crown and bridge, implants, splints and a range of removable prosthetic restorations. They deliver the best quality and competitive prices with materials manufactured from the best facilities in the world,. Visit www.avantdental.com.au for more information. Avant will help support your digital dentistry journey and provide excellent service along the way. Clinical Aligner Excellence Aligners are becoming an integral part of private practice. Whether you are new to aligner therapy or an experienced practitioner, the opportunities are vast. But how do you do it at a high standard, efficiently and profitably? Dr Geoff Hall and Dr Jesse Green have come together to help with these key problems through Clear Aligner Excellence – their latest education platform. Visit clearex.com.au for more information. You can expect a wealth of knowledge to help improve your practice as well as huge discounts on major aligner therapy companies and lab fees. The post New Grad Focus #1 – Your Checklist Before Starting Work with Dr Margaret Tran 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 that have been there, made the mistakes, learnt the lessons and have developed into the accomplished dental professionals they are today. It’s your weekly mentoring session. Hosted by Erica Hwin If the mission statement of Dental Head Start is to help dental students become great dentists then I really am the guinea pig for it. In this episode, we are joined by David Keir who founded DHS to talk about his advice for me as a soon-to-be fully fledged dentist. In this episode, we talk about finding your feet in that first year out, the effect of the practice you work at and the boss you work under. How CPD is crucial but also not everything and how there are so many other resources we can tap into to upskill.  For all my fellow graduating classmates, this is such an exciting time for us! Congratulations for making it this far, and let’s get it! The world is ours to make.  Dr David Keir David spent over 13 years dental assisting before graduating from The University of Sydney. These years were formative and really gave David that head start in his career. Thus, in 2018, the Dental Head Start podcast was born with the hopes of sharing the lessons David had been lucky to learn along the way, and to help students and new graduates transition from textbooks into clinical practice.   Alongside DHS, David is also the co-founder of CPD Junkie – Australia’s largest CPD directory. Check out https://www.cpdjunkie.com.au to stay in the loop with the latest and greatest CPD courses, deals & discounts.  BOQ Specialist BOQ Specialist offer a great banking package for graduates.  This package includes an everyday bank account with no monthly, annual or ongoing account keeping fees, an optional overdraft with no establishment fee and no repayments required until 1 July the year after you graduate, a credit card with no fees for five years and an optional car loan. Having worked closely with medical professionals for over 30 years, BOQ Specialist understand the unique challenges we can face at the beginning of our careers. Whether it’s relocation costs, everyday living expenses, buying a new car or even saving for a first home – BOQ Specialist have a range of banking products and services to help. For more information, click here. Clinical Aligner Excellence Aligners are becoming an integral part of private practice. Whether you are new to aligner therapy or an experienced practitioner, the opportunities are vast. But how do you do it at a high standard, efficiently and profitably? Dr Geoff Hall and Dr Jesse Green have come together to help with these key problems through Clear Aligner Excellence – their latest education platform. Visit clearex.com.au for more information. You can expect a wealth of knowledge to help improve your practice as well as huge discounts on major aligner therapy companies and lab fees. The post TIP #108 – Growing As A New Grad with Dr David Keir 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 that have been there, made the mistakes, learnt the lessons and have developed into the accomplished dental professionals they are today. It’s your weekly mentoring session. Hosted by Erica Hwin Perhaps one of the most common findings we’ll come across charting, is discovering cracks in teeth. Now here comes the conundrum of how bad is that crack, should we fix it and how should we go about fixing it?  In this episode, we sit down with Dr Michael Mandikos, a specialist prosthodontist, to crack the code. We talk about diagnosing cracks, how to manage them and we tackle the age old debate of… do you chase the crack? Dr Michael Mandikos BDSc (Hons), MS (New York), Cert Pros, FRACDS, FICD, FPFA Dr. Mandikos is a registered specialist in Prosthodontics. Michael received his Bachelor of Dental Science Degree with First Class Honours, from the University of Queensland and in 1998 he completed a three-year Residency Program at the State University of New York at Buffalo (USA), graduating with a Certificate in Prosthodontics and Masters Degree in Biomaterials. He has researched composite resin materials and published research papers in Australian and international journals on clinical and dental materials topics, as well as many clinical technique articles in local dental magazines. Michael has been a Visiting Specialist Prosthodontist to the University of Queensland Dental School and the Royal Australian Air Force. He is a Reviewer for three dental Journals and is a product evaluator for several dental companies. Michael has presented continuing education programs at dental meetings throughout Australia and Southeast Asia, and also in Greece, Antarctica and the USA. He maintains a Private Practice limited to Implant and Restorative Dentistry in Graceville in Brisbane’s Inner West, and also teaches at the Australian Dental Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. Dental Practitioner Support Dental Practitioner Support is the first national 24/7 telephone and online service to support dental practitioner health and wellbeing in Australia. The service is free, confidential and independent. Remember, good practice involves seeking support when you need it. Dental practitioners can call and speak to an experienced team ready to provide advice on a wide range of issues, including mental and physical health, workplace issues and general wellbeing. Call them anytime you need, and even save the number in your phone so that it’s there on the day that you need it. 1800 377 700 or visit the website www.dpsupport.org.au The Dental Summit 2023 by AHC  The Dental Summit 2023 is a conference for dentists in all phases of their careers. They’ve brought together some of the greatest minds in dentistry who will share their knowledge and enthusiasm so that you, too, can reach your summit.   Two days of incredible lectures, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, from leading experts and a cocktail night to network with fellow dentists and specialists. It is the must-attend dental event of 2023.  Register now at https://www.tds23.com and use ‘DHS10’ to get 10% off your ticket purchase! The post TIP #107 – The Cracked Tooth with Dr Michael Mandikos appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Hosted by Erica Hwin With over 44 years of experience in the dental industry, Kathy Metaxas knows a thing or two about dental practices. She is the founder of Platinum Professional Development, a motivational speaker, dental educator, coach and advocate for patient care and management, fostering strong team culture and implementing systems to ensure dental practices can function at the optimal potential.  One of the things we love doing on the podcast is bringing on people who aren’t necessarily dentists, but are fundamental and integral to our industry. We all know a dental practice is only as good as its staff, and in today’s episode Kathy talks us through it all. We talk about leadership, teamwork, how generational differences affect us and her advice for new grads entering the world of dentistry.  Kathy Metaxas Kathy Metaxas has been involved in the field of Dentistry for over four decades now. Her enthusiasm and knowledge has motivated and directed many dental teams across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada and the United States to achieve levels of success beyond their expectations. PLATINUM Professional Development’s philosophy has always been total commitment to a high standard of Patient Care and Service. Kathy believes the foundation of every successful Dental Practice is through total TEAM effort. She enjoys her career as a Speaker and Coach and has built an outstanding reputation for providing sound and up to date management principles, systems and protocols delivered in a fast paced, fun and highly motivating style. The Dental Summit 2023 by AHC  The Dental Summit 2023 is a conference for dentists in all phases of their careers. They’ve brought together some of the greatest minds in dentistry who will share their knowledge and enthusiasm so that you, too, can reach your summit.   Two days of incredible lectures, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, from leading experts and a cocktail night to network with fellow dentists and specialists. It is the must-attend dental event of 2023.  Register now at https://www.tds23.com and use ‘DHS10’ to get 10% off your ticket purchase! Dental Practitioner Support Dental Practitioner Support is the first national 24/7 telephone and online service to support dental practitioner health and wellbeing in Australia. The service is free, confidential and independent. Remember, good practice involves seeking support when you need it. Dental practitioners can call and speak to an experienced team ready to provide advice on a wide range of issues, including mental and physical health, workplace issues and general wellbeing. Call them anytime you need, and even save the number in your phone so that it’s there on the day that you need it. 1800 377 700 or visit the website www.dpsupport.org.au Clinical Aligner Excellence Aligners are becoming an integral part of private practice. Whether you are new to aligner therapy or an experienced practitioner, the opportunities are vast. But how do you do it at a high standard, efficiently and profitably? Dr Geoff Hall and Dr Jesse Green have come together to help with these key problems through Clear Aligner Excellence – their latest education platform. Visit clearex.com.au for more information. You can expect a wealth of knowledge to help improve your practice as well as huge discounts on major aligner therapy companies and lab fees. The post FEATURE #76 – Enhancing the Dental Team with Kathy Metaxas 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 that have been there, made the mistakes, learnt the lessons and have developed into the accomplished dental professionals they are today. It’s your weekly mentoring session. Hosted by Erica Hwin There’s not denying that restorations form the bread and butter of our dental work, but there’s a lot of finesse to creating the perfect restoration. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Alice Whang to talk about how to restore a classic 14DO – how to assess it radiographically, rubber dam placement, how to choose the right matrix, assessing your contact and how to wedge. I know often I fall into the trap of just thinking if it fits, it fits, but Dr Alice talks us through the detailed thought process that goes into every step of restoring a tooth to ensure you have predictable and optimal results every single time. Dr Alice Whang Dr Alice is an educator and lecturer for RipeGlobal, a cloud-based education platform incorporating innovative teaching methods with students based all around the world. Her special skills include digital dentistry, complex rehabilitations and implantology.  BOQ Specialist BOQ Specialist offer a great banking package for graduates.  This package includes an everyday bank account with no monthly, annual or ongoing account keeping fees, an optional overdraft with no establishment fee and no repayments required until 1 July the year after you graduate, a credit card with no fees for five years and an optional car loan. Having worked closely with medical professionals for over 30 years, BOQ Specialist understand the unique challenges we can face at the beginning of our careers. Whether it’s relocation costs, everyday living expenses, buying a new car or even saving for a first home – BOQ Specialist have a range of banking products and services to help. For more information, click here. Avant Dental  Digital dentistry is becoming a large part of our dental profession and our daily workflows. With all the new changes in our industry, how do you know you’ll be leveraging the most of the technology at your disposal? Avant is a full-service dental laboratory specialising in crown and bridge, implants, splints and a range of removable prosthetic restorations. They deliver the best quality and competitive prices with materials manufactured from the best facilities in the world,. Visit www.avantdental.com.au for more information. Avant will help support your digital dentistry journey and provide excellent service along the way. The post TIP #106 – Matrix Selection & Placement with Dr Alice Whang 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 that have been there, made the mistakes, learnt the lessons and have developed into the accomplished dental professionals they are today. It’s your weekly mentoring session. Hosted by Erica Hwin Moving interstate is always a daunting experience and to do that as a new-grad about to start full time work can be a lot.  In this episode, Dr Phillip Nguyen shares his experience moving for uni and then again for work. We talk about how he planned it out and how he balances his hobbies, fitness and social life along with dentistry, and how he’s built his support network all up from scratch.  As someone who is about to graduate and potentially moving interstate, this is a really reassuring conversation. And I hope for anyone in the same boat, this chat gives you some guidance and motivation as well!  Dr Phillip Nguyen Originally from Adelaide, Dr Phillip Nguyen attended La Trobe University in Regional Victoria and graduated in 2021. He was named the Australian Dental Graduate of the Year. He works in a private practice as an associate dentist at Avenue Dental on the Sunshine Coast. As a student, he served on the ADSA Committee in multiple roles including Media Officer, Secretary and President. Now, he is the Convenor of ADAQ’s Recent Graduates and Students Committee. Phillip’s interests in dentistry are varied and include cosmetic dentistry and full mouth rehabilitations. He also loves seeing paediatric and special needs patients. Clinical Aligner Excellence Aligners are becoming an integral part of private practice. Whether you are new to aligner therapy or an experienced practitioner, the opportunities are vast. But how do you do it at a high standard, efficiently and profitably? Dr Geoff Hall and Dr Jesse Green have come together to help with these key problems through Clear Aligner Excellence – their latest education platform. Visit clearex.com.au for more information. You can expect a wealth of knowledge to help improve your practice as well as huge discounts on major aligner therapy companies and lab fees. Avant Dental  Digital dentistry is becoming a large part of our dental profession and our daily workflows. With all the new changes in our industry, how do you know you’ll be leveraging the most of the technology at your disposal? Avant is a full-service dental laboratory specialising in crown and bridge, implants, splints and a range of removable prosthetic restorations. They deliver the best quality and competitive prices with materials manufactured from the best facilities in the world,. Visit www.avantdental.com.au for more information. Avant will help support your digital dentistry journey and provide excellent service along the way. The post TIP #105 – Moving Interstate & Balancing Life with Dr Phillip Nguyen 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 that have been there, made the mistakes, learnt the lessons and have developed into the accomplished dental professionals they are today. It’s your weekly mentoring session. Hosted by Erica Hwin So we see a child with some missing teeth, some crowding here or there and a bit of a funny bite. Do we intervene now? Or watch and wait, and let them grow into themselves? In this episode, we chat with Dr Derek Mahony about the age-old question of when to start orthodontic treatment. If you haven’t already, check out our previous episode (Early Airway Intervention & Orthodontics) where we talk about early airway intervention and how this can simplify and optimise orthodontic treatment later on. Because today, we talk about when exactly we should start assessing children, how to assess peak growth and the ideal age to begin treatment.  Dr Derek Mahony Dr. Mahony is a Specialist Orthodontist who has been in private practice for over 30 years. He has built his practice, clinical teaching, and worldwide reputation in offering early interceptive orthodontic treatment. Dr. Mahony is an invited reviewer for many dental journals, in the field of facial development, and its association with nasal breathing. He has been involved in leading research linking maxillary arch expansion to reducing a number of systemic disorders such as bed wetting and ADHD. The Dental Summit 2023 by AHC Dental The Dental Summit 2023 is a conference for dentists in all phases of their careers. They’ve brought together some of the greatest minds in dentistry who will share their knowledge and enthusiasm so that you, too, can reach your summit.   Two days of incredible lectures, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, from leading experts and a cocktail night to network with fellow dentists and specialists. It is the must-attend dental event of 2023.  Register now at https://www.tds23.com and use ‘DHS10’ to get 10% off your ticket purchase! Principle Practice Management Software  Cloud based dental software, rethought from the ground up for 2021 and beyond. Finally, an intelligent platform that optimises every process and workflow from scheduling to treatment planning to account management. Designed for intuitiveness, Principle offers seamless interconnectivity between patients, appointments, staff, tasks, notes, meetings, labs and more. This means fewer clicks, fuller books, faster communication, nothing slipping through the cracks and greater business transparency.  Principles of best practice embedded in software design to keep your team lean and your time productively occupied. The post TIP #104 – At What Age Should We Start Ortho? with Dr Derek Mahony appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Hosted by Erica Hwin Dr Soo-Wee Ong – Oral Surgeon by Day, Weightlifter by Night, Founder of DPR and All Round Awesome Guy. In this jam-packed episode, we talk about everything from how weightlifting changed Soo-Wee’s life, to his early days as a magician on the side. We discuss the differences between dentistry in Australia and New Zealand, where Oral Surgeons stand in the field and the humble origins of DPR.  We discuss Soo-Wee’s attitude towards sharing knowledge and why he’s so passionate about educating the younger generation. This episode was such a wonderful mix of fun stories and the valuable lessons Soo-Wee has for grads. You don’t want to miss it! Dr Soo-Wee Ong Dr Soo-Wee is a specialist oral surgeon in full-time private practice in Dunedin, NZ. Having been a general dentist for almost 10 years prior to specialisation, his passion is not only passing on his triumphs and failures so far in oral surgery, but sharing his experiences as a general dentist, and how you can make it worthwhile in practice. The Dental Summit 2023 by AHC Dental The Dental Summit 2023 is a conference for dentists in all phases of their careers. They’ve brought together some of the greatest minds in dentistry who will share their knowledge and enthusiasm so that you, too, can reach your summit.   Two days of incredible lectures, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, from leading experts and a cocktail night to network with fellow dentists and specialists. It is the must-attend dental event of 2023.  Register now at https://www.tds23.com and use ‘DHS10’ to get 10% off your ticket purchase! RIPE Global As a student or new grad, CPD can be expensive. The cost of the course itself, flight tickets, accomodation, and finding time amidst clinic, lectures and exams can be a lot.  Thankfully, our friends at RIPE global have got you covered. RIPE global offers an education platform with hundreds of hours of lectures, hands-on procedures and recordings of live content from their full day courses – all of which you can access from the comfort of your own home. In a market flooded with online content, RIPE Global sits head and shoulders above the rest. Enjoy some of the most useful yet professionally created online content anywhere in the world. Get 10% off the membership for life – use the code “DENTALHEADSTART”  Dental Practitioner Support Dental Practitioner Support is the first national 24/7 telephone and online service to support dental practitioner health and wellbeing in Australia. The service is free, confidential and independent. Remember, good practice involves seeking support when you need it. Dental practitioners can call and speak to an experienced team ready to provide advice on a wide range of issues, including mental and physical health, workplace issues and general wellbeing. Call them anytime you need, and even save the number in your phone so that it’s there on the day that you need it. 1800 377 700 or visit the website www.dpsupport.org.au The post FEATURE #75 – Weightlifting, Oral Surgery & The Origins of DPR with Dr Soo-Wee Ong appeared first on Dental Head Start.