The Graduate Dentist Podcast

For many of us as graduates, the entry point into aligners has become so much more accessible compared to traditional fixed braces. It’s very easy for aligner companies to come knocking on our door, show us their software and teach us how to take scans and photos. It then comes back with a proposed plan and all we have to click is 'Submit'. Before we know it, our aligners are now on our doorstep....

As new graduates, the fear of patient complaints, legal action, or being deregistered can be really daunting. Dentistry has consistently ranked among the top three most complained-about professions, and many of us have either experienced or know someone who has experienced a nerve-wracking call from AHPRA.In this episode, Annalene and I unpack these very real concerns and share our insights on how...

If you’ve ventured anywhere into the world of Instagram dentistry, you may be familiar with the blue rubber dams and frosty onlays preparations. Words like biomimetics, IDS, DME, resin coats, bio base all get thrown around, but what does it all mean? In today’s episode, we are joined by none other than Dr Bill Gergis to demystify biomimetic dentistry. Alongside Dr Maheer Shah and Dr Tim Maxwell, t...

Job hunting season is upon us yet again, and who better to bring onto the podcast to chat about it than Nauv Kashyap. Nauv is a prominent figure in the world of practice ownership, an active advocate for the fair treatment of dentists within their workplaces and someone who has hired dozens of dentists, both experienced and new grads, over the years. In this episode we break down what exactly a pr...

We hear it from senior dentists all the time, if there’s one thing that they recommend we learn and learn to do well early on, it’s communication. Our clinical skills are just half the puzzle, but if we can’t communicate, then the whole picture falls apart. There’s no point knowing and being able to do things if you can’t convince another people you can.  I have loved being able to share communica...

At this early stage of our career, one thing we lack is relativity. We haven’t been dentists for all that long, we don’t have the hindsight and anecdotal experience to see our work return to us. The reality is our patients have been seeing the dentist and have experienced more dentistry, more iterations of dentistry and developments in dentistry, for for longer than we have even been dentists. So...

We've officially released 10 full episodes to date and what I love about them is how each one builds upon one another and every guest shares a similar message despite being recorded independently. I like to think it's a sign that we are on the right track, and that with each episode, we are building the values, the beliefs and philosophies that The Graduate Dentist stands upon. In this episode, we...

One of the most incredible things to witness is how far all my friends have come since we graduated. That just 18 months ago we were all in the same boat sitting our final year exam until everyone found themselves in jobs and practices that suited our individuals needs and desires. And you very quickly see that what’s right and what works for one person isn’t necessarily right for another person....

Kaejenn and I have worked together across various projects and shared similar spaces over the years and he is someone I always love hearing from. We share very similar beliefs and values on communication, mindset, mental wellbeing and advocating for that within our community, and so I’m so glad we go to take a deep dive into all these topics in today’s chat. It’s a raw, honest and vulnerable conve...

Mentorship is a topic I get asked about all the time and it’s a term that often gets thrown around, romanticised and perhaps at times misunderstood. This is a bitesize snippet of an Instagram Live session I did with Dr Kaejenn Tchia where we share our thoughts on the matter. If you want to watch the full video, check it out on @thelimitlessdentist! I am often reminded that we are the sum of the to...

Some of us may be fortunate enough to work side by side with a dental hygienist or oral health therapist within our practice, but for many of us who haven't, the role of a hygienist/OHT, their scope and expertise can be a bit of a mystery. In today’s episode, we are joined by Emma Cubis and we dive into the role of a hygienist/OHT within a dental practice, the differences between the two professio...

If there’s one thing I aim to showcase on the podcast, it is the myriad of opportunities dentistry presents us, and all the different avenues we can explore. Everyone’s journey is different - shaped by their unique experiences, interests, stages of life and influences. There really isn’t a right way to do things, and it’s okay if you’re not sure what you want to be doing just yet. But I hope that...

In today’s episode, we talk about a topic that is often as the heart of many of the discussions I have with you guys. It’s all about confidence.  Dr Lincoln Harris helps us break down the concept of confidence vs competence, the exponential nature of growth, how our fears and anxieties impact how we learn and ways in which our historical model of dental education lets us down.  Dr Lincoln Harris i...

There’s a fine balance between challenging yourself enough to improve and avoid complacency and boredom, and not so much that it discourages you and you burnout. For all of us there will inevitably be ebbs and flows in our confidence. There will be days where we decide to play it safe, and days where there is that little daring spark to push our boundaries a little further. However. as a new grad,...

One thing I really love from this episode is how we explore the mindsets of dentists from differing generations and the things we can learn from one another. Many of us may work in practices with senior dentists that have been practicing for decades, and they have a tried and tested formula, a loyal patient base and the physical proof of dentistry they have done that has lasted how ever many years...

One thing I always love from conversations with colleagues is finding their passion point, the one thing where you see their eyes light up with excitement as they talk about it and you can see how much they truly love it. Now you may know what yours is, or you may have no idea and that’s okay. I hope these talks inspire you to keep searching for that spark and that drive that keeps you going. In t...

They say your first job really sets the trajectory for the dentist you will become, so choose carefully and choose wisely. Over the last few episodes, I’ve been reflecting on my first year working in private practice, sharing my thoughts and the lessons I’ve learned as an associate dentist. Today, I thought it would be a fun idea to flip things around and bring on my boss, Dr Jeffrey Kho, to share...

Last week, whilst visiting family back in Melbourne, I got to spend some time with my older brother Paul. We reflected on our journeys so far, the vastly differently stages we are currently at in our careers and thought it would be fun to answer some questions that you guys sent through on Instagram! Notably, we dived into how Paul upskilled, his attitude towards CPD and his early years as a pract...

We all know social media is a double-edge sword - a place where we can learn so much, connect with dentists from all around the world and do things that previous generations of dentists never could, but it’s also a breeding ground for comparison, for imposter syndrome and negative self-talk. In today’s episode, Ben and I break down the walls, remove the filters and talk all about it. Ben is someon...

Looking back on my first year, I realise that whilst dental school set me up with a solid core and foundation, I had to relearn dentistry all over again when thrown into practice. Why? Because textbook is never the same as the real world we live in, and there are so many nuances to dentistry that university can’t possibly teach you. In this episode, we dive into what The Graduate Dentist is about,...