David Keir, Author at Dental Head Start

FEATURE #70 – Becoming Confident & Competent with Dr Maria Avis

March 21, 2022March 22, 2022Leave a Comment

When I see dentists producing amazing work in various specialties, the first thing I want to know is how they were able to build their skills to that point. Knowing the skills Dr. Maria Avis holds, I had the opportunity to unravel her dental journey.

In this episode, Maria walks us through her experiences in dental school, and more importantly, how her graduate job positions set her up to become the comprehensive dentist she is now. Maria is a business owner of her private clinic, Akoya Dental, mother of two boys and two dogs.

FEATURE #65 – Dental Practitioner Support with Dr Murray Thomas and Anthony Denham

October 25, 2021January 20, 2022Leave a Comment

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As a student and graduate it is common to feel stress when we think about our regulator. Yet this often comes from a misunderstanding of how the Dental Board of Australia and APHRA work and what there goals really are.

This episode we are lucky enough to be chatting the the Chair of the Dental Board, Dr Murray Thomas. But the core message is not the regulator themselves but an initive they support.

That is of course Dental Practitioner Support (www.dpsupport.org.au), a helpline for dental professionals and their families. This is funded by the DBA in an effort to support dentists however is a completely confidential and seperate.

Mr Anthony Denham joined us on this podcast as the Program Director at Turning Point, the organisation running dental practitioner support.

This was a great conversation about a critical topic. Because after all, we can’t look after others if we’re not looking after ourselves.

FEATURE #64 – Becoming a Leader in the Community with Dr Mohit Tolani

September 20, 2021January 20, 2022Leave a Comment

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“Why do you want to be a dentist?” The cliché response to this common question is that we want to help people. And it goes without saying, our general dentistry does this. But there is so much more that is possible.

Community engagement, public health policy, volunteering and health advocacy are all areas that can make a wider impact. And Dr Mohit Tolani does them all.

Mohit and I were lucky enough to meet at the Graduate of the Year Mini Residency in 2017. We were fresh out of University and ready to change the world. Interestingly, Mohit is well on his way.

His education pathway and community involvement all demonstrates his dedication to the community and oral health outcomes at large. This is inspiring stuff for those who want to give back.

FEATURE #63 – Advocating for the Dental Profession with A/ Prof Matthew Hopcraft

August 16, 2021January 20, 2022Leave a Comment

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When we graduate from dental school, most of us think our only path in dentistry is to become a clinical dentist working out of a dental clinic. A/Prof Matthew (Matt is preferred) Hopcraft has chosen a different avenue of practicing dentistry, as he is making a huge impact on communities in Australia because of it.

Matt is a recognised leader and expert in dental public health and advocacy and has been instrumental in not only advocating on behalf of the dental profession, but also relaying information to dentists themselves since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matt shares some great stories about his experiences of working in the army, becoming CEO of the Australian Dental Association Victorian Branch, and taking part in the hit series Masterchef Australia.

Enjoy this fun episode as we talk to Matt about all the great things he has been doing in his extensive career.

FEATURE #62 – Simon Palmer on Practice Sale Search

July 19, 2021January 20, 2022Leave a Comment

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FEATURE #61 – Artificial Intelligence and Authorship with Padma Gadiyar

June 28, 2021January 20, 2022Leave a Comment

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What do you think dentistry will look like in 30 years?

It’s a good question, for many of us we’ll still be practicing and caring for our patients. So what impact will technology have on our practice? Without a doubt digital dentistry is having an impact, but so is AI.

Dr Padma Gadiyar is on the cutting edge of the intersection of AI and dentistry. Specifically patient managment and engagement. She is the founder of smilo.ai, an app and software that helps patients monitor their condition with their dentist and suggests if they have dental disease that needs to be addressed.

Dr Padma is not only a tech entraprenaur, she is also a practice owner and mother who has achieved so much in her career, with the added challange of immigrating to Australia after graduation.

This is an engaging episode with an inspiring women. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

FEATURE #60 – Multiple Practice Ownership & Raising a Family with Dr Ayesha Aijaz

June 7, 2021January 20, 2022Leave a Comment

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Building a practice is an immense challenge. Building multiple practices is exponentially harder. Building multiple practices while raising a young family is superhuman.

Yet there are breakthrough individuals out there who have achieved this. Dr Ayesha Aijaz is one of those and she has done so while also scaling back her clinical time and creating balance in her life.

Many of us either have or plan to have a family. How do you balance the time and make sure you’re not letting either ball drop?

Dr Ayesha Aijaz gives us her insights for both owners and associates which I think you’ll all learn something from.

FEATURE #57 – Multiple Practice Ownership with Dr Paul Jay Hwin

April 19, 2021January 20, 2022Leave a Comment

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Dental Head Start was created to give students and graduates an insider look at dentistry with tips and tricks they don’t teach you at dental school
They certainly don’t teach us business at dental school!

Yet for some of us, it’s been engrained since day 1. In this podcast we have the pleasure of speaking with Dr Paul Hwin, a young multiple practice owner who is kicking some serious goals in the shadows.

A lot of time on the DHS podcast is with well known, successful dentistry educators. Dental celebs if there is such a thing. Yet this podcast and other success stories of widely successful dentists who achieve it without the limelight are genuinely inspiring to me.

Packed with advice for grads and a practice ownership spin, i really think you’ll enjoy this one with Dr Paul Hwin.