Current Hosts
Dr David Keir
Founder & Director
David spent over 10 years dental assisting before graduating from The University of Sydney in 2016. The idea of Dental Head Start was born from the hopes of sharing the lessons he’s been lucky to learn along the way and helping others gain a head start too.
Having spent many summer breaks in the Mid North coast, and even marrying his beautiful wife there, David is proud to now call Port Macquarie home. When he’s not busy with one of his endless side projects (which is a rare!), you’ll find David adventuring the great outdoors. But even at home, David has his cheeky toddler and two mini dachshunds who always keep him on his toes!
Dr Michael Shambira
Co-Host
Dr Michael Shambira is a graduate dentist, educator, and host of the Dental Head Start Podcast. Based on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, his work sits at the intersection of clinical dentistry, leadership, and personal development.
Recognised as the Australian Dental Graduate of the Year in 2025, Michael believes that the greatest challenges in dentistry are rarely technical. They are the decisions, habits, conversations, values, and mindset that shape the clinician behind the dentistry.
This philosophy has become the foundation of The Unseen Curriculum—an ongoing exploration of everything that isn’t formally taught at university but determines long-term success, confidence, fulfilment, and excellence in practice.
Through in-depth conversations with leading clinicians, educators, researchers, and industry leaders, Michael explores the lessons hidden behind successful careers: judgement under pressure, ethical decision-making, communication, leadership, business, resilience, and continual growth.
Away from the microphone, Michael maintains a strong clinical focus in restorative and implant dentistry while continually investing in postgraduate education and mentorship. His goal is to bridge the gap between graduation and mastery by making world-class thinking accessible to every ambitious clinician.
Whether you’re a dental student, new graduate, or experienced practitioner, Michael’s work is designed to help you build more than technical ability. It’s about becoming the kind of clinician people trust, colleagues respect, and patients remember.
Ahmed Issa
Co-Host
Ahmed Issa is a final-year dental student at Charles Sturt University and host of Dental Head Start. His journey into dentistry was shaped by persistence, setbacks and an unwavering drive to improve.
Through Dental Head Start, Ahmed explores the stories behind some of dentistry’s most respected clinicians including the failures, sacrifices and defining moments that shaped their success. Beyond dentistry Ahmed is deeply committed to mentorship, community service and creating opportunities for others.
He is driven by a simple philosophy: keep learning, keep challenging yourself and use whatever success you build to make an impact beyond yourself. His career is still at the beginning, but the mission is already clear: to become an exceptional clinician, contribute meaningfully to the profession and bring others along the journey.
Previous Hosts
Erica Hwin
General Manager & Co-Host
Erica is a final year dental student at The University of Sydney. From scheduling to content creation, she is the nagging mum that’s constantly chasing everyone around.
Having grown up in a family of storytellers, Erica has always been fascinated by other peoples’ journeys. Now, she gets to sit behind the mic to hear the stories of her favourite role models in the industry.
Outside of student clinics, you’ll find her elbows deep in her crafts, hunting for new desserts with friends or marathoning yet another gruesome TV show!
Dr Cigdem Kipel
Co-Host
Cigdem is a general dentist with an annoyingly difficult Turkish name (pronounced Chi-dem).
Graduating in 2009 from Griffith University, she was known as ‘The Girl Who Asked a Lot Of Questions’, which definitely wouldn’t be the title of a best-seller. But now she’s the co-host of WIWIK, where she uses her curiosity to ask the questions we all want to know.
A proper dental nerd, Cigdem spends most of her time immersed in the industry. She lectures in various topics, runs a large Sydney practice and is the co-founder of Principle Cloud Practice Management Software and Level Up Systems and Training Software. Despite all this, her golden retriever Poppy is still more well known than her!
Dr Graeme Pearson
Editor & Co-Host
Graeme was born and raised in the cold land of Ottawa, Canada and is continuing to defrost as he begins he first year out in Taree, NSW. He manages the editing for the podcasts and works to ensure the audience has a great listening experience.
Outside of school, you’ll find Graeme busy playing soccer, rock climbing, and going for hikes. With the abundance of great restaurants in Sydney, you’ll find him tagging along with his foodie friends who know all the best spots in town.
Haydyn Bathurst
Editor
Haydyn Bathurst comes from Jervis Bay in the South Coast of NSW and is a fourth year student at Charles Sturt’s Dental school in Orange NSW. Haydyn’s role is to edit the podcasts and provide a bit of social media content as well. He’s a part of Colgate’s Advocates for Oral Health and has always found the media production involved as a hobby of his.
For the drives in-between Orange to Jervis Bay Haydyn listens to anything from audiobooks, podcasts, and music from Jimmy Barnes to K-PoP and everything in between, whatever the vibe calls for.
