There's a moment early in your career when someone asks you to do something that doesn't feel right — and you have to decide whether to push back or go along with it. Whether you're a new dentist or a new oral health therapist, that moment will come. How you handle it says a lot about the kind of clinician you're becoming.

This is Fresh-Out Fridays, where we sit down with early-career dental professionals who share the unfiltered truth about navigating those moments that study didn't quite prepare you for. In this episode, we're joined by Jayden Hall, an Oral Health Therapist, four years into his career.

Jayden opens up about what it really means to work as an OHT: using your full scope, holding your ground when a principal expects more than you're trained to give, and why he believes dentists need to rethink the way they collaborate with oral health therapists.

We'll explore how to build confidence with patients when you look like you're fresh out of high school, what delegation actually looks like in a well-run practice, and why finding mentorship — even informally — can change everything in those first few years.

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's brush up on what it takes to find your place in the team.

If you want to stay up to date with the latest developments in dentistry, check out our upcoming CPD courses at adacpd.au.

There's a moment in every new graduate's journey when you realise the textbook doesn't have all the answers. When you're faced with a complex case, a nervous patient, or an unexpected complication, you suddenly have to think for yourself.

This is Fresh-Out Fridays, where we sit down with early-career dentists who share the unfiltered truth about navigating those early-career moments that dental school didn't quite prepare you for. In this episode, we're joined by Dr Sarah Amr, who chose to return to her Western Sydney roots after graduating from the University of Sydney. Sarah opens up about the realities of private practice, building trust with diverse patient communities, and why she's passionate about bringing quality dental care to underserved areas.

We'll explore how to balance taking advice with developing your own clinical instincts, the importance of finding the right mentors, and why reflection is the secret ingredient to becoming a truly confident practitioner.

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's brush up on what it takes to find your voice as a new dentist.

If you want to stay up to date with the latest developments in dentistry, check out our upcoming CPD courses at adacpd.au.

What motivates a student to move from the United States to Australia to pursue a career in dentistry? This is Next Gen, where we explore the diverse paths dental students take during their training.

In this episode, we’re sitting down with Caroline, a second-year dental student at the University of Sydney, to discuss the transition from international life to the Australian dental system. Following in her mother's footsteps at her alma mater, Caroline opens up about the unique challenges and "pinch me" moments of her early clinical years.

We explore the reality of shifting from simulation clinics with plastic teeth to treating real-life patients, and the unexpected nerves that come with that responsibility. Caroline shares candid insights on why "simple" skills like scaling turned out to be trickier than expected, the importance of a collaborative rather than competitive student culture, and her aspirations to take her skills to rural or public sectors after graduation.

From balancing the rigours of study with crocheting and her Cavoodle, Puddles, to dreaming of a trip to Antarctica, discover how this future dentist is keeping her cool while learning the ropes.

So grab your coffee (or an iced oat milk chai), settle in, and let’s brush up on the journey of an international dental student.

If you want to stay up to date with the latest developments in dentistry, check out our upcoming CPD courses at adacpd.au.