TIP #82 – Discovering Your CPD Journey with Dr James Tran

They say the learning never stops, which is where CPD (aka Continued Professional Development) allows us to expand our skillset and learn new perspectives and techniques in treatment.

This week I sat down with Dr. James Tran who told me all about his experiences taking CPD, what his experiences have been, and how to go about choosing the right course for yourself.

TIP #72 – Upskilling & Critically Evaluating Yourself with Dr Andrew Cheng

If there’s anyone who’s really mastered the act of up-skilling rapidly in their early years, then surely it must be Dr Andrew Cheng. From implants, grafts and All-on-X to orthodontics and high level cosmetic dentistry, it seems like he’s done it all for someone who still humbly considers himself a new-grad.

This was a really thoughtful conversation where we talk about developing the right attitude and mindset towards our continuous learning and growth. We talk about how to go about critically evaluating our work, asking for feedback and taking actionable steps to improve. Join us in this episode as we dive into Dr Andrew’s own journey and reflect on how he’s gotten to where he is now.

TIP #70 – Making the Most of Final Year with Dr Jeff Kho

We all know that one kid who never seems to study, is always playing games or out hitting the town, and yet still passes with flying colours and is everyone’s favourite friend.

Dental school is a rollercoaster. We’re learning the fundamentals of dentistry, figuring out what kinda dentist we want to be whilst trying to maintain a semblance of study-life balance. They say dental school is really just the beginnings of our journey and it all really starts the day we graduate, but what kind of things can we do now to really set us up on positive trajectory?

In this episode, Dr Jeff Kho reminisces on his days in dental school – and (surprise surprise!) how he wasn’t that superstar student. He talks about what he would do differently, knowing what he does now, and the stresses that in hindsight, he would’ve worried less about. We dive into the areas and disciplines that new grads don’t have as much experience in and what we can do to fill that gap in knowledge. Above all, we talk about the importance and value of investing in ourselves.

3 Must Do’s To Get The Most Out Of Your CPD

Dental continuing education is critical. We graduate with just an entry ticket to the game. So the courses we take, and how we approach these courses make a huge difference to the trajectory of our career. 

Add to this, the earlier you learn, optimise or perfect a skill, the more impact this will have on your career. Just like compounding interest, adding implants to your procedural repertoire or perfecting your communication technique now will have exponential impact on your career over the years to come.

Yet, CPD is expensive! And perhaps the most costly part is the opportunity costs of being away from work. Add in the travel, accommodation and being away from your family, this really is a big investment. So if you’re going to invest in expanding your knowledge with continuing education, then you better get your money’s worth.