The Dental Head Start Podcast Dr David Keir

So you’ve gotten yourself into a little bit of a sticky situation and received a complaint…now what? Now, fingers crossed this never actually happens to any of us, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry, to be informed and to have all our bases covered.



Harry Nicolaidis is one of Australia’s leading alternative dispute and litigation lawyers, and assists health practitioners and dental practice owners across a wide range of issues. In this episode, we talk about what to do and perhaps more importantly, what not to do when faced with a complaint. We talk about the protocols we should have in place to look after ourselves and our patients, and who our first point of call ought to be.

Litigation is a scary part of dentistry, but at the end of the day, there is a wide support network around us that we can tap into. You don’t have to face it alone.

I’m young, fit and healthy…do I really need health insurance? Can’t I cheap out and just not buy travel insurance? What exactly is professional indemnity?



Just like tax, there’s a lot of different types of insurance. And when we haven’t directly experienced a sticky situation, it’s often hard to see the value of it or understand what they entail.



In this episode, Bhupesh Kaphle talks us through the basics of insurance and why it’s important. At the end of the day, you’d rather have your back covered, than to have regrets when things don’t go to plan.

All it takes is one conversation to start a movement or inspire a change.



In this episode, we wind down with Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen and take a deep dive into aspects of our lives beyond just clinical dentistry. I think Dr Amanda is such a wonderful role model for younger dentists in terms of living to your greatest potential, chasing your passions and not worrying so much about what other people think.



We talk about all things from work-life balance (and does that even exist), managing self-doubt and imposter syndrome and standing your ground and knowing when to say no. We also discuss Dr Amanda’s role as current President for the Western Australia Women in Dentistry committee, what it means to her and their vision for the future.



So grab yourselves a cup of tea and wind down with us for this heart to heart chat.

If there’s one thing I took away from this episode with Dr Aovana Timmerman, it is that dentistry is a marathon not a sprint. It takes discipline, persistence and a consistent pace to maintain motivation and prevent burnout.



In this episode, we talk to Dr Aovana about what it is that drives her passion for continuous learning and growth in dentistry, and the parallels our profession has with physical activity. We reflect on her journey as a general dentist for 10 years, before undergoing endodontic specialist training, research and why she’s now chosen to undertake a PhD.



Dr Aovana is a fantastic role model and really instills confidence in young dentists that there is so much potential for us to do great things - we just have to chase it!

Congratulations - you’ve just landed yourself a job offer! But now, as you sit down to have a look at the contract you’ve been given, you start to wonder, ‘What did I sign up for?’



It’s job hunting season, and whether you’re new to the game and looking for your first gig or if you already have a job under your belt but have questions about your contract, we’ve got you covered.



Ever wondered what the differences between employee-employer relationships, contractors or service and facilities arrangements (SFAs)? In this episode, we bring it back down to basics to cover all the things we should know when signing a contract.

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.



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Dental Head Start @dentalheadstart

Erica Hwin @ericahwin.dmd

Cigdem Kipel @dr.cigdemkipel

Graeme Pearson @dr.graemepearson