New Grad Archives - Dental Head Start

Welcome to the first of a series of monthly catch ups with Erica!

Starting full-time work can be exciting, daunting, invigorating and exhausting all at the same time. It takes a lot out of you – mentally, physically, emotionally and socially.

In this episode, Erica shares the lessons she’s learnt in her first month so far and the mentality she is developing in order to stay positive and focused on improving her skills as a new grad.

In true ‘What I Wish I Knew’ style, Erica goes over 12 tips for fellow new grads and those currently in dental school to think about. How should you take that X-Ray? Should you use rubber dam? What if I hit the pulp? All this and lots more discussed in this episode!

FEATURE #79 – A Journey in Confidence with Dr Erica Hwin & Haydyn Bathurst

January 30, 2023January 30, 2023Leave a Comment

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Happy New Year to our Dental Head Start family! To kick 2023 off, we wanted to touch base and share the big plans we have in store for you on The Dental Head Start Podcast.

Firstly, we’d like to welcome our superstar editor Haydyn Bathurst to the microphone for his official debut as our new student host! Haydyn has been a huge asset to the team and we’re excited to share his perspectives and advocacy for all the dental students out there.

With her shiny AHPRA registration in hand, Erica is now a new graduate dentist! In this episode, we’ll get to hear from her side of the table – her university experience, the lessons the podcast has taught her and how her first few weeks as a dentist have been. Join us as we dive into discussions about building confidence, exploring opportunities and the mentality we develop in order to navigate an industry as difficult as dentistry.

Thank you all for your endless support. Here’s to another bigger and better year!

New Grad Focus #5 – Welcome to the Dental Profession! with Dr Michelle Chen

January 26, 2023January 26, 2023Leave a Comment

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Congratulations! You’ve finally made it through dental school and now you’re ready to start working as a dentist!
Although studying dentistry may have felt like a huge challenge in your life, your first year as a dentist is likely to feel the same, if not more. So what are the key tips and tricks you need to know as you begin seeing patients and are doing procedures without the safety net of a supervisor checking off the key steps?
In this episode, we are joined by Dr Michelle Chen who is a graduate of the University of Queensland and works at the Kashyap Dental Group in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas. Within her workplace, she has a role in the mentorship program of new graduate dentists and has seen the common mistakes that many make when first starting out.
This episode will wrap up the entire series and is the perfect summary to listen to before you start your first day of work. We hope you enjoy the episode and good luck in your careers as dentists!

FEATURE #78 – Overcoming Decision Paralysis as a New Grad with Dr Alex Khominsky

December 19, 2022December 19, 2022Leave a Comment

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Hosted by Erica Hwin

It goes without saying that a trait of our industry is being high achievers. What comes with big dreams is often big decisions, and when faced with too many, we can find ourselves inflicted by decision paralysis.

What kind of dentist do I want to become, what kind of practice do I want to work at, what kind of people do I want to surround myself with? Do I want to specialise, do I want to go into research, do I want to become a practice owner or do I enjoy general dentistry for what it is? These are all decisions that can be very overwhelming.

In this episode, we speak with Dr Alex Khominksy about his journey in dentistry, from a dental student with a hunger for knowledge, working his first year in a tertiary referral centre before transitioning into private practice, then beginning his post graduate training in periodontics, all the whilst co-founding the General Dental Residency on the side.