Hieu Dong, Author at Dental Head Start

TIP #127 – LA For Children with Dr Deborah Wong

June 15, 2023June 15, 2023Leave a Comment

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.

TIP #126 – The State of Saliva with Dr Samantha Byrne

June 8, 2023June 7, 2023Leave a Comment

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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!

FEATURE #83 – The Reality of Dentistry Post-Graduation with Dr Cathleen Dong

May 29, 2023May 30, 2023Leave a Comment

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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.

Mental Wellbeing Focus #2 – Overcoming Challenging Career Circumstances with Dr Martin Mendelson

May 25, 2023May 24, 2023Leave a Comment

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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.

TIP #124 – What is AI Machine Learning and its Future in Dentistry? with Dr Hanna Pethani

May 18, 2023May 17, 2023Leave a Comment

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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

Mental Wellbeing Focus #1 – Positive Psychology in Dentistry with Dr Mahrukh Khwaja

May 11, 2023May 10, 2023Leave a Comment

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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.

TIP #123 – The Pigmented Lesion with Dr Michelle Kang

April 27, 2023April 25, 2023Leave a Comment

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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.

FEATURE #82 – Business, Motherhood and Leading Women in Dentistry with Dr Vicky Prokopiou

April 24, 2023April 24, 2023Leave a Comment

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For many of us, perhaps one of the biggest reasons and deciding factors that led us to choose dentistry, was the work-life balance it would afford us. The flexibility in our working hours and a steady income that may one day allow us stability to settle down, work less days and have time to raise a family. But perhaps this is much easier said than done. There’s so much you want to do and learn and achieve, and before you know it, you’re struggling to juggle everything all at once.

In this episode, with Dr Vicky Prokopiou, as someone who has been there and risen above it, we talk all about it – from her early years starting up a practice from scratch, to uprooting and moving to a small rural community of 3000 people 6 hours away from Sydney, and starting a family. We learn about the challenges she faced and overcame that has now bred the enthusiastic and positive mindset she has towards life. We talk about raising a family, about IVF and how to juggle the different hats of being a dentist, businesswoman and a mum. It’s a conversation we don’t talk a lot about, but something very very real. So join us for this episode, and let’s get above it!

TIP #122 – How to Section with Dr Cecilia So

April 20, 2023April 19, 2023Leave a Comment

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If there’s one thing I wish dental school taught me better, perhaps second only to how to luxate properly, it would be how to section a tooth.

Picking up a surgical bur for the very first time can be so daunting. Where do I drill? What do I drill? How far down do I go? In this episode, Dr Cecilia So talks us through the step-by-step process of sectioning a tooth and the landmarks you should hit so that you can do it controlled and predictably every time. So if you want to learn how to save another poor tooth from snapping into root tips that you can’t dig out, then stick around for this episode.And if you haven’t already, check out our previous episode with Dr Cecilia So on TIP #118 Extractions…Pick Your Battles Wisely.

TIP #121 – The Who What When Where of the ADSA with Sanika Shorey

April 13, 2023April 11, 2023Leave a Comment

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For those in dental school right now you may be familiar or unfamiliar with who ADSA are, what things they run and what they stand for. Throughout the lockdown period in 2020 and 2021, a lot of us dental and oral health students have missed out on learning about all the things that ADSA are involved with in our dental schools. 2022 has seen a great comeback with the convention and involvement with dental school events now that restrictions have been eased.

To learn what ADSA are about this episode presents Sanika Shorey the president of the ADSA committee in 2023 to excite you as to what things ADSA has to offer this year