Dentistry Tips Blog - Page 2 of 32

TIP #131 – Hypo-what-mineralisation? with Dr Deb Wong

August 17, 2023August 17, 2023Leave a Comment

We’ve all children come in for check-ups, with no signs of active decay, but their parents stop and ask, “What are those white flecks on their teeth?” or, “But why is their tooth all brown and speckled?”

Hypomineralisation. It can be a confusing situation – do you leave it, do you remove it, how much do you take away and how do you replace it?

In today’s episode we are joined by Dr Deb Wong, a specialist paediatric dentist based in Melbourne, to talk all about hypo mineralisation – what it is, how to explain it to parents and how we manage it in both the anterior and posterior region. This is a great practical episode with tips on exactly what you can do the next time you encounter another one of these situations.

TIP #130 – Biomimetic Dentistry – Principles with Dr Maheer Shah

August 3, 2023August 2, 2023Leave a Comment

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In this episode, we are joined by Dr Maheer Shah, who is a part of a group of Biomimetic Aesthetic Dentistry (also affectionately known as BAD). They stand by the philosophy of recreating a tooth the way nature made it, preserving tooth structure and utilising all the strengths and properties of modern-day adhesive dentistry. It’s an area that isn’t traditionally taught in dental school, but one that is definitely on the rise.

This episode is part one of a 3-part series with both Dr Maheer Shah and Dr Tim Maxwell on biomimetic indirect restorations. Today’s episode covers all the principles and fundamentals of biomimetic dentistry – what it means, what it entails, the different terminology and all the essentials.

FEATURE #84 – Special Needs Dentistry & Oral Health Advocacy with Dr Trudy Lin

July 31, 2023August 20, 2023Leave a Comment

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Inclusivity, equitability, and community – these are the themes for this month’s Feature. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Trudy Lin, one of 25 Special Needs dentists in Australia and a passionate advocate for equitable access to oral health for all individuals, with her work and contributions granting her the SA Young Australian of the Year Award in 2022.

In this conversation, Dr Trudy sheds light on her journey in specialising and how her mission has evolved over the years. We discuss her role within Citizen Advocacy, the story that led to her self-funding a Supported Independent Living Facility for those with special needs, becoming a mindset and leadership coach and a public speaker.

Dentistry is stressful, and it’s easy to get caught up in our own little worlds. However, conversations like these are a great reminder for us to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Recognise the position that we are in, and consider the small little things that we can do so that others are able to experience the same opportunities that we do.

TIP #129 – Antibiotic Resistance in Dental Health with Dr Leanne Teoh

July 27, 2023July 26, 2023Leave a Comment

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We are all briefly aware of antibiotic resistance being a global phenomenon however as we know in the space of dentistry we have the responsibility to know when to prescribe them appropriately. It can be really blurry at times and to help me navigate through this is dentist and pharmacist Dr Leanne Teoh. She has been involved in various systematic reviews on antibiotic use in dentistry along with co-authoring the therapeutic guidelines. Hope you all enjoy this episode!

Mental Wellbeing Focus #3 – Left Handed Dentistry: The Side You Never Thought About with Dr Vishi Phoeung & Dr Owen Johnston

July 20, 2023July 19, 2023Leave a Comment

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In today’s episode I have a fireside chat with 2 dental school colleagues of mine whom we all share one common trait that is often not talked about enough in dentistry – being left handed. This episode is a shout out to all the left handed dentists and students (lefties) that are out there and we hope through our discussion of our own dental journeys so far you will not only feel seen, heard and understood, but also feel reassured and inspired that being a lefty does not limit your future success in a dental career.

TIP #128 – Teeth, Tongues & Tonsils with Dr Shereen Lim

July 13, 2023July 13, 2023Leave a Comment

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Hosted by Dr Erica Hwin
Teeth, tongues, thumbs and tonsils. There are so many things to look out for in a growing child and it can be hard to know what requires intervention and what’s a normal part of development.

This is Part 2 of our series with Dr Shereen Lim on Sleep Disordered Breathing and Airway Health in young children. If you haven’t already be sure to check out Part 1 (TIP #128 – Childhood Bruxism: A Case Study).

In today’s episode we go through the nitty gritty of what to look out for in a clinical examination of a young child and the tell-tale signs that there may be something else going on that’s affecting the way that they are breathing, sleeping, developing and thriving overall.

TIP #127 – LA For Children with Dr Deborah Wong

June 15, 2023June 15, 2023Leave a Comment

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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!

TIP #125 – Childhood Bruxism: A Case Study with Dr Shereen Lim

June 1, 2023June 1, 2023Leave a Comment

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As dentists, we are one of the very first people to be looking inside a child’s mouth and picking up on potential signs that may be reflective of the way that they are sleeping, breathing, eating, growing, and thriving overall. I know oftentimes I have young parents bringing in their children and asking me how their child developing and if there is anything they can do differently.

Fortunately, this is Dr Shereen Lim’s area of expertise and over a series of episodes we will be discussing everything to look for from childhood bruxism, to sleeping patterns, bad habits tongue ties, diet and feeding, and jaw development. In this first part, we’ll be diving into a case study of a little girl that I saw just the other day with severe bruxism, and how we would go about managing her situation.

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.