Conversations with Dental Friends

Rachael
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If you are in the dental industry and feel you have loads of potential and more to give, or maybe you’re new to the dental field, and if you like interesting stories from interesting people that might just inspire your dental future then this podcast is for you!

  1. 12H AGO

    S4 Ep 6 : How Do You Build a Career That Shapes a Profession? with Kathryn Mayo

    Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends 🤍 This week’s conversation is a special one. I’m sitting down with the brilliant Kathryn Mayo, a clinician, educator and leader who has helped shape what modern dental hygiene looks like today. We talk about: – how she first got started in dentistry – finding your niche (and having the courage to own it) – why collaboration will always outperform competition – clinical growth through implants and MINST – stepping into education – staying curious and continually expanding your knowledge – and what it really means to lift a profession skywards This is a conversation about longevity, leadership and refusing to stand still. Thank you so much to Kathryn, this is genuinely one I’ll come back to again and again. Hand on heart, Kathryn and Jenny’s course with Implant Educators is my favourite postgraduate course I’ve ever attended. If you’re ready to invest in your clinical confidence, I’ve linked how to get involved (and other brilliant postgraduate opportunities) in the show notes. You can follow Kathryn on Instagram @kathryn_dentalhygienist You can follow Jenny Walker @jennywalker_dentaltherapist You can follow @theimplanteducators for more info on Kathryn and Jenny’s courses and of course @icedentalinstitute Let me know in the comments if you’re an undergraduate and would like Kathryn to do some implant education with you at your dental school and I’ll pass your info on To find out more about what your scope could include as a dental hygienist or dental therapist you can click here To find out more about ADHD you can click here You can find out more about teaching here You can get some great information on MINST here Some excellent information on monitoring dental implants in practice here You can listen to Siobhan Kelleher’s Episode here A huge thank you to Oral-B for sponsoring this episode and supporting these conversations. You can listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and if you enjoy it, don’t forget to follow, rate, review and subscribe. It makes such a difference. You can also subscribe to our Substack for deeper dives on this episode and past seasons. And if Kathryn has inspired you to think bigger - more internationally, more strategically - DM me the word LINK and I’ll send you my completely free 2026 career planning workbook. See you next week for another conversation with dental friends 💗

    1h 13m

  2. FEB 12

    S4 Ep 5 : Is Orthodontic Therapy the Most Underrated Career Move in Dentistry? with Sarah MacDonald

    Another Thursday, another Conversations with Dental Friends 🎙️ This week I’m joined by the brilliant @londonOT Sarah MacDonald, chatting all things orthodontic therapy and how she’s built a career that goes far beyond the traditional surgery setting. In this episode, we dive into: ✨ what the role of an orthodontic therapist really looks like ✨ maximising your scope and backing yourself ✨ stepping into education and sharing your expertise ✨ what it actually means to be an “expert” ✨ and why your dental career doesn’t have to stay confined to the surgery Huge thank you to Sarah for such an open and inspiring conversation make sure you check out the show notes wherever you listen. You can find out more about becoming an orthodontic therapist here Shoutout to my friends at NIMDTA who are now offering orthodontic therapy in Belfast here We have some great previous episodes discussing orthodontic therapy if you would like to find out more Bekka Hamilton here Amanda Jackson here Emma McCrory here You can find out more about Sarah’s courses on Instagram @the_london_ot or on her website here You can also sign up to our Substack for more brilliant conversations around orthodontic therapy and what it could mean for your practice. Don’t forget to like, comment, rate and share 🤍 You can grab your FREE dental career planning workbook for 2026 by commenting or DM’ing the word LINK — let’s make 2026 your year. A huge thank you to Oral-B for sponsoring this episode. See you next week for another conversation with a dental friend ✨

    39 min

  3. FEB 5

    S4 Ep 4 : What If Ambition Was the Key to Thriving as a Dental Therapist? with Gemma Cowen

    This week on Conversations with Dental Friends, I’m joined by Gemma Cowen, aka @_boss_dental_health ✨ Gemma may be recently qualified, but she’s already making serious waves. From championing dental therapy and direct access to fully stepping into her scope, this conversation is all about backing yourself and thinking bigger from day one. We talk about: ​non-traditional routes into dentistry​ambition (and giving yourself permission to have it)​maximising your scope in practice​further education and postgraduate study​why the future for dental therapists is genuinely exciting Huge thank you to Gemma, it was such a pleasure heading to Manchester to record this episode 🤍 For Reena Wadias massive selection of post graduate courses you ca check out perio school here For Cat Edneys post graduate course the modern therapist you can click here You can follow Gemma on Instagram @_boss_dental_health you can follow the podcast @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can follow me @homegirlhygienist If this conversation resonated, don’t forget to follow, rate and comment wherever you listen. You can also subscribe to our Substack for more insights and conversations like this. Feeling inspired by Gemma? You can download a free dental career planning workbook for 2026 - just comment or DM me the word LINK and I’ll send it straight over. Massive thank you to Oral-B for sponsoring this episode. See you next week for another conversation with dental friends ✨

    47 min

  4. JAN 29

    S4 Ep 3 : Can Uncertainty Be the Start of an Exceptional Career? Dr Amit Patel

    This week on Conversations with Dental Friends 🤍 I’m joined by periodontal hero Dr Amit Patel to talk all things perio, implants, and what it really looks like to build a meaningful career in dentistry — even when the path isn’t linear. In this episode, we talk about: • why the journey into dentistry (and specialism) is rarely straightforward • how “meandering” can actually shape your best career moves • key developments in perio and implant dentistry, and what they mean in practice • taking your training further without burning out • the power of finding (and backing yourself within) the right network Huge thank you to Amit for his generosity, patience, and openness, this conversation felt just as important for me personally as it will for anyone listening. You can find out more about emdogain here You can find out more about pocket x here Chitosan brushes for Peri-implantitis here Diabetes & Periodontitis here Gut Microbiome & Perio here to find out about Crystal Marruganti you can click here You can find out more about heart disease and perio here You can get some vitamin D with K2 here You can find out about Osetocom here You can find Perio with Deepak here You can find Perio Campus here You can click here for more info about the ADI Here for the BSP Here for BSDHT Here for europerio ADI thrive ever here Thankyou to Oral B for Sponsoring this episode Make sure you’re following the podcast wherever you listen. You can also follow Amit at @amitspecialistinperiodontics and sign up to our newsletter at conversationswithdentalfriends.substack.com for more conversations like this. You can grab my FREE dental career planning workbook by commenting or DM’ing me the word LINK - I’ll send it straight over. Massive thank you to Oral-B for sponsoring this episode 🤍 You can catch up on all seasons now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. See you next week ✨

    46 min

  5. JAN 22

    S4 Ep 2 : Are you doing enough to stand out as a Dental Associate? Dr Mary Catherine O’Dolan

    Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends ✨ This week I’m joined by dental associate Dr Mary Catherine O’Dolan someone who’s quietly putting in the work, investing in her education, and becoming a real name to watch in dentistry. We talk about: • getting started and finding your direction • investing in courses (short and long game) • turning knowledge into confident clinical practice • stepping into education • and why the right practice support changes everything A genuinely inspiring conversation about backing yourself, staying curious, and building a career with intention. All the relevant links are below You can follow Mary Catherine on Instagram @dr.marycatherine The 22 course Mary Catherine Mentioned are Invisalign Go Accredation here Open University Learning to Teach here AMOMS Annual Conference FAC Accredited Facial Aesthetics here Sleep Device Use and Construction MFDS Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians Glasgow here Inhalation Sedation Competency here Totally Composite by Monik Vasant here Level 1&2 CBCT here Zero Bone Loss Concepts by Thomas Linkevičius here ADI Team Conrgress here Chrome Guided Smiles, Full Arch Implant Placement and Restoration here Design, Align, Refine, Invisalign and Composite Bonding here CBCT lead Digital Fully Guided Implant Planning here Focus Bounce Clinical Photography here Visit to BTI headquarters, Vitoria Gasteiz, to explore the uses of PRGF in implant dentistry and the use of short and extra-short implants here Several Invisalign provider online courses to keep my knowledge up to date on the latest features of clear aligner therapy here RealGuide Proficiency Training Composite Layering Techniques, PosteriorInjection Moulding and Porcerlain Cementation, Visit to GC Europe headquarters (Leuven) here Art of Resin by Rhodri Thomas here Direct Restorative course by Thomas Taha here Use of Short Implants in the Mandible/ BTI Youth Summit, Visit to BTI Head Quarters here Restorative/Periodontal interface Course hosted by Jorg Cordosa in Porto here Sinus Augmentation and Block Grafting Intensive Course here Aesthetic Update Article here You can follow all things conversations with dental friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m over on Instagram too @homegirlhygienist or TikTok if you prefer Don’t forget to subscribe to our new Substack newsletter: conversationswithdentalfriends.substack.com You can also get your free dental care planning workbook, just comment or DM the word LINK. Huge thank you to our sponsors Oral-B beyond grateful. Back next week with another conversation 🎙️

    54 min

  6. JAN 15

    S4 Ep 1 : Are You Leaving Value on the Table? Maximising Practice Potential with Laura Horton

    It’s 2026 and we are back with a brand new season of conversations with dental friends! We are kicking this season off with a bang with the fantastic Laura Horton who has personally changed my career and my approach clinically but more widely has set up her own consultancy, absolutely championed the role of the TCO trailblazed the way through the world of communication and I can’t wait to see what happens next! In this episode we chat about - getting started in dentistry - What treatment coordination actually means - How the whole practice can benefit at every stage of the patient journey - Starting your own adventure in business - Podcast life - Supporting our colleagues in dental nursing You can listen now on Spotify and Apple podcast & we also have our news letter on Substack with bts episode summaries and links www.conversationswithdentalfriends.substack.com To celebrate this season I’ve also designed a FREE career planning notebook for 2026 comment or DM link and I’ll send it to you! Thankyou so much to our sponsor ORAL B for supporting this podcast See you next week for another conversation with dental friends It’s 2026 and Conversations with Dental Friends is officially back 🎙️ New season. New conversations. Same mission: real talk about careers, growth and the people shaping dentistry. We’re kicking things off with someone who has genuinely changed the trajectory of my career — Laura Horton. From transforming my clinical approach, to building her own consultancy, championing the TCO role, and leading the way in communication within dentistry… Laura is proof of what’s possible when you back yourself and your skillset. And honestly, I can’t wait to see what she does next. In this episode, we talk about: • getting started in dentistry • what treatment coordination actually means • how the entire practice benefits at every stage of the patient journey • starting your own business adventure • life behind the podcast • and why supporting our dental nursing colleagues really matters You can listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 🎧 Plus, our Substack newsletter is live with behind-the-scenes insights, episode summaries and all the links 👉 conversationswithdentalfriends.substack.com To celebrate the new season, I’ve also created a FREE 2026 career planning notebook ✍️ Comment or DM me “LINK” and I’ll send it straight over. Don’t forget to follow Laura on Instagram @laurahorton1 You can listen to the Horton hangout here You can find out more about Laura’s practice coaching sessions on treatment coordination, reception and her new initiative ‘Aspire’ on her website here Huge thank you to Oral-B for supporting this season of the podcast. See you next week for another conversation with dental friends 💬🦷

    58 min

  7. 12/18/2025

    S3 Ep 12: What if Dental Care Didn’t Have to Trigger Anxiety? Practical Tips with Dr Niall Neeson

    Welcome back and somehow we’re already at the season finale of Conversations With Dental Friends?! We’re closing out the season with an absolute gem: Dr Niall Neeson, who you’ll definitely know as @thecalmingdentist. And trust me, the name is earned. This episode dives into: ✨ Finding your niche in dentistry ✨ The real, practical tips for supporting nervous patients ✨ Why time is the most valuable asset you’ve got ✨ And how the right environment sets everyone up to thrive A huge thank you to Dr Niall for sharing so many actionable insights especially those patient-management tips that will save both you and your patients a whole lot of stress on clinic days. To find out more about BSMDH Scotland click here Diploma in sedation trinity college Dublin here SWOT analysis info here Communication course here Andrew jones sedation course here Dental nurse sedation training dental sedation courses.co.uk here Kit calm link here The ever popular Paul Tipton course here Oral surgery course with Chris Waith Joe McEnhill here Ambrish Roshan composite course here Michael Crilly composite course here Niall on Instagram @calmingdentist you can follow the podcast on Instagram too @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m on Instagram too @homegirlhygienist Boyne dental website including referrals for dental fear solutions with Dr Niall here I genuinely can’t believe that’s another season wrapped. Thank you, truly, for every listen, message, share, and piece of feedback. It means more than you know. And of course, thank you to every brilliant guest who joined us this season 🫶🏼 I’ve learned so much from each of you. We’re taking a little Christmas break, but Season 4 will be landing in 2026 with even more brilliant conversations with dental friends. Drop your guest suggestions in the comments and I’ll see you in the new year! 🎙️🦷✨

    57 min

  8. 12/11/2025

    S3 Ep 11 : How Does a Career Grow With You? A Dentist’s Path to Facial Aesthetics Mastery

    Episode 11 is live! This week on Conversations With Dental Friends, I’m sitting down with Dr Janice Brown — a dentist who’s taken her clinical roots and built a thriving career in facial aesthetics. 🚀 We dive into: ✨ The power of a solid dental foundation for long-term growth ✨ Why smart investment always shows up before smart profit ✨ Backing yourself enough to make the leap (even when it’s scary) ✨ Social media as a growth tool and why nothing beats word of mouth A huge thank you to Dr Janice Brown for bringing so much clarity, honesty and inspiration to this episode. Go give her a follow if you’re curious about referrals… or if you’re considering polynucleotides because, let’s be real, same 🤪💉 Are you practising facial aesthetics alongside dentistry right now? Drop it in the comments I want to know! 👇 Massive shoutout to our sponsors Dürr and DMI for supporting the podcast. 💛 and of course Marlborough Clinic Belfast for hosting us to record If you’re interested in Tipton training click here Masters degree in aesthetic medicine here Bob Cantor course here Lee Walker FA course here Jonny De Souza clinic here Galderma info here Jason Smithson course here ICE dental and implant institute course here You can find Janice on Instagram @drjanicebrown You can follow me @conversationswithdentalfriends and @homegirlhygienist See you next week for another Conversation With Dental Friends. 🦷✨

    55 min
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If you are in the dental industry and feel you have loads of potential and more to give, or maybe you’re new to the dental field, and if you like interesting stories from interesting people that might just inspire your dental future then this podcast is for you!

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