The Dental Head Start Podcast

As a new grad, it’s almost the norm rather than the exception nowadays to have at least some form of digital dentistry within one’s practice. But it wasn’t always this way, and for many more seasoned dentists, the world of digital dentistry was something they had to slowly piece together over the years and learn to leverage. In this months’ feature, we explore Dr Lingaiah Dronavalli’s journey in dentistry from his early years as a new grad with huge expectations but without the tools, resources and mindset to grow and how that overall affected his feeling of fulfillment, to where he is today - a self proclaimed dental peacock who takes pride in his work! We talk about Dr Lingaiah’s discovery of digital dentistry and CEREC specifically, and how that’s not only shaped his growth as a clinician, but also how it’s taught him to leverage technology to maximise efficiencies and workflows within his practice and ultimately optimise the entire patient experience. We explore the concept of practice ownership and associateship and the importance of building mutually supportive environments within the practice. The post FEATURE #86 – CEREC To Success & The Patient Experience with Dr Lingaiah Dronavalli appeared first on Dental Head Start.

It’s common practice nowadays to encourage parents to bring their children in early to familiarise themselves with the dental appointment. But beyond chair rides, gloved animals and triplex tickles, what else can we do to help empower parents during these appointments? This is Part 3 of our series with Dr Shereen Lim on Sleep Disordered Breathing and Airway Health in young children. If you haven’t already be sure to check out Part 1 (TIP #125 - Childhood Bruxism: A Case Study) and Part 2 (TIP #128 - Teeth, Tongues & Tonsils) In this episode, we talk about the different stages of growth in children and the things we can help educate parents on to look out for including feeding, thumb sucking and dummy use. The post TIP #134 – Empowering & Educating Parents on Breathing & Growth with Dr Shereen Lim appeared first on Dental Head Start.

A lot of dental students that are about to graduate haven’t gotten much experience with rotary endodontics. With us here to bust many myths regarding rotary is Associate Professor Ha of the University of Sydney, a specialist endodontist and co-founder of the extremely helpful endo-prep app. If you’re looking for clarification on what a ‘hybrid system’ actually means and tips for rookies to avoid in using rotary than this is the episode for you. The post TIP #133 – Mythbusting in Rotary with A/Prof William Ha appeared first on Dental Head Start.

In today’s episode I chat with Dr Viet Le and Dr Chiraag Devani on an important mental health topic of Identity and Self Worth in Dentistry. Learn the importance of how your self worth correlates to your clinical confidence in your dental career and the MASK framework can help you better show up more authentically as a dentist you truly wish to be. We also vulnerably share some of our own challenges in our careers thus far to help normalise the struggles you may encounter in your career and how to navigate them. The post Mental Wellbeing Focus #4 – Identity & Self Worth in Dentistry with Dr Viet Le and Dr Chiraag Devani 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 #132 – The Sixth Month (The Courage to Try Again) with Dr Erica Hwin appeared first on Dental Head Start.

With job hunting season just around the corner, we’re teaming up with Nauv Kashyap to cover the top most commonly asked questions students and new grads have when it comes to finding the right job. Even as times change, the challenges we face as new grads are evergreen. In this episode, we’re talking about the differences between dentist-owned practices vs big corporate organisations, rural vs metro considerations, how to excel as an associate, red flags to look out for in contracts and what to do when a job isn’t what it was promised to be. Nauv is a huge advocate for new grads, and is passionate about standing up for them and ensuring they are being treated fairly within their workplaces. There is so much to unpack in this episode and we’re really lucky to have Nauv’s insight on the topic. The post FEATURE #85 – Finding the Right Job with Dr Nauvneel Kashyap appeared first on Dental Head Start.

We’ve all children come in for check-ups, with no signs of active decay, but their parents stop and ask, “What are those white flecks on their teeth?” or, “But why is their tooth all brown and speckled?” Hypomineralisation. It can be a confusing situation – do you leave it, do you remove it, how much do you take away and how do you replace it? In today’s episode we are joined by Dr Deb Wong, a specialist paediatric dentist based in Melbourne, to talk all about hypo mineralisation – what it is, how to explain it to parents and how we manage it in both the anterior and posterior region. This is a great practical episode with tips on exactly what you can do the next time you encounter another one of these situations. The post TIP #131 – Hypo-what-mineralisation? with Dr Deb Wong appeared first on Dental Head Start.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Maheer Shah, who is a part of a group of Biomimetic Aesthetic Dentistry (also affectionately known as BAD). They stand by the philosophy of recreating a tooth the way nature made it, preserving tooth structure and utilising all the strengths and properties of modern-day adhesive dentistry. It’s an area that isn’t traditionally taught in dental school, but one that is definitely on the rise. This episode is part one of a 3-part series with both Dr Maheer Shah and Dr Tim Maxwell on biomimetic indirect restorations. Today’s episode covers all the principles and fundamentals of biomimetic dentistry - what it means, what it entails, the different terminology and all the essentials. The post TIP #130 – Biomimetic Dentistry – Principles with Dr Maheer Shah appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Inclusivity, equitability, and community – these are the themes for this month’s Feature. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Trudy Lin, one of 25 Special Needs dentists in Australia and a passionate advocate for equitable access to oral health for all individuals, with her work and contributions granting her the SA Young Australian of the Year Award in 2022. In this conversation, Dr Trudy sheds light on her journey in specialising and how her mission has evolved over the years. We discuss her role within Citizen Advocacy, the story that led to her self-funding a Supported Independent Living Facility for those with special needs, becoming a mindset and leadership coach and a public speaker. Dentistry is stressful, and it's easy to get caught up in our own little worlds. However, conversations like these are a great reminder for us to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Recognise the position that we are in, and consider the small little things that we can do so that others are able to experience the same opportunities that we do. The post FEATURE #84 – Special Needs Dentistry & Oral Health Advocacy with Dr Trudy Lin appeared first on Dental Head Start.

We are all briefly aware of antibiotic resistance being a global phenomenon however as we know in the space of dentistry we have the responsibility to know when to prescribe them appropriately. It can be really blurry at times and to help me navigate through this is dentist and pharmacist Dr Leanne Teoh. She has been involved in various systematic reviews on antibiotic use in dentistry along with co-authoring the therapeutic guidelines. Hope you all enjoy this episode! The post TIP #129 – Antibiotic Resistance in Dental Health with Dr Leanne Teoh appeared first on Dental Head Start.

In today’s episode I have a fireside chat with 2 dental school colleagues of mine whom we all share one common trait that is often not talked about enough in dentistry - being left handed. This episode is a shout out to all the left handed dentists and students (lefties) that are out there and we hope through our discussion of our own dental journeys so far you will not only feel seen, heard and understood, but also feel reassured and inspired that being a lefty does not limit your future success in a dental career. The post Mental Wellbeing Focus #3 – Left Handed Dentistry: The Side You Never Thought About with Dr Vishi Phoeung & Dr Owen Johnston appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Hosted by Dr Erica Hwin Teeth, tongues, thumbs and tonsils. There are so many things to look out for in a growing child and it can be hard to know what requires intervention and what’s a normal part of development. This is Part 2 of our series with Dr Shereen Lim on Sleep Disordered Breathing and Airway Health in young children. If you haven’t already be sure to check out Part 1 (TIP #128 - Childhood Bruxism: A Case Study). In today’s episode we go through the nitty gritty of what to look out for in a clinical examination of a young child and the tell-tale signs that there may be something else going on that’s affecting the way that they are breathing, sleeping, developing and thriving overall. The post TIP #128 – Teeth, Tongues & Tonsils with Dr Shereen Lim appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Whether you love treating kids or not, as dentists, we play such a crucial role in shaping their attitude towards coming to the dentist and taking care of their oral health. Dentistry today is so different to what is was for the older generation, and our goal is to nurture safe and comfortable environments for children so that they are motivated to come in for regular check-ups, to look after their teeth and to let us treat them. And perhaps one of the most important steps, but also the step that can make or break the appointment, is how well you can numb them up. In this episode, we are joined with Dr Deborah Wong, a paediatric dentist based in Melbourne, to talk all about the LA experience for children. From children’s perception of pain to communication tips and clinical considerations, this is a jam-packed episode filled with wonderful insight you can bring along to your next appointment with your little patients. The post TIP #127 – LA For Children with Dr Deborah Wong appeared first on Dental Head Start.

Saliva… or rather spit! We’re told it’s important to test saliva at school but does knowledge about the patients saliva change the way the patient is treated? What can findings in our saliva cultures tell us about diseases such as Alzheimer’s or infective endocarditis? Joining us again to talk all things oral environment is none other than the wonderful Dr Samantha Byrne. Later on in the piece Samantha lists off a paper that we will have the link to in the show notes along with ways you can reach her if you have any questions for today’s episode. Stay tuned! The post TIP #126 – The State of Saliva with Dr Samantha Byrne appeared first on Dental Head Start.

As dentists, we are one of the very first people to be looking inside a child's mouth and picking up on potential signs that may be reflective of the way that they are sleeping, breathing, eating, growing, and thriving overall. I know oftentimes I have young parents bringing in their children and asking me how their child developing and if there is anything they can do differently. Fortunately, this is Dr Shereen Lim’s area of expertise and over a series of episodes we will be discussing everything to look for from childhood bruxism, to sleeping patterns, bad habits tongue ties, diet and feeding, and jaw development. In this first part, we’ll be diving into a case study of a little girl that I saw just the other day with severe bruxism, and how we would go about managing her situation. The post TIP #125 – Childhood Bruxism: A Case Study with Dr Shereen Lim appeared first on Dental Head Start.

In today’s episode I chat with Dr Martin Mendelson, our second international guest on the DHS podcast from the USA, all about how to overcome challenging career circumstances. We also discuss the importance of mindset and that there is no cookie cutter approach to a dental career. The post Mental Wellbeing Focus #2 – Overcoming Challenging Career Circumstances with Dr Martin Mendelson appeared first on Dental Head Start.

There is so much stress and anxiety that comes with graduating and entering the real world of dentistry, and it's so easy to get swept up in it all. As new grads, at some point in our first few years there will be a moment where we hit a bit of a wall, when the magic and glamour starts to fade, and we're left to wonder, “Is this it? Is this what I want to be doing? Is this all there is?” Are you in love with dentistry? I'm not sure if it's a conversation we often talk about, but I'm sure it's something we all think of. After sustaining a back injury that left her unable to work for four months, Dr Cathleen Dong was forced to reflect on her dental journey - what she enjoyed, what she didn’t, what was rewarding and what she wanted to change or pursue. In this episode, we dive into her story. We talk about exploration, about dabbling in different avenues to find out what it is that we enjoy and thrive in, and we dissect the whole concept of finding fulfilment in what we do. The post FEATURE #83 – The Reality of Dentistry Post-Graduation with Dr Cathleen Dong appeared first on Dental Head Start.

All this talk of AI machine learning, but what does this mean for dentistry? Am I going to be able to plug in a bitewing radiograph and the computer can tell me where the caries is for me? Join Dr Pethani and Haydyn Bathurst as they discuss all the breakthrough and limitations to all things machine learning in dentistry The post TIP #124 – What is AI Machine Learning and its Future in Dentistry? with Dr Hanna Pethani appeared first on Dental Head Start.

In today’s episode I chat with Dr Mahrukh Khwaja about the how positive psychology can help us thrive in our dental careers. This is our first international guest on the DHS podcast all the way from UK. The post Mental Wellbeing Focus #1 – Positive Psychology in Dentistry with Dr Mahrukh Khwaja appeared first on Dental Head Start.

From learning all things oral pathology in school we learn to memorise specific pictures in textbooks that we spot in exams and go ‘Yes! I’ve seen this pathology before!’ however when it comes to actually seeing oral pathologies in the mouth, particularly the pigmented lesion, it can get very confusing between what is normal, and what isn’t, particularly as we learn to look at wide ranging demographics of patients when first starting out. With me again is oral medicine specialist Dr Kang, and we look at what things to be aware of when spotting pigmented lesions, and what actions we can take to making sure we are providing essential care to our patients. The post TIP #123 – The Pigmented Lesion with Dr Michelle Kang appeared first on Dental Head Start.