Before Yousif Alsaoor was a dental student, a bullet went around his head in the womb. His family fled Iraq, rebuilt their lives in rural Australia, and never looked back.

In this episode of The Brush Up, host Michael Klein sits down with Yousif, a fourth-year Bachelor of Dental Science student at Charles Sturt University in Orange and the President of the Student Dental Association for 2026. Yousif shares the extraordinary story of his family’s escape from Iraq, why he chose dentistry (and how he “finessed” the doctor title past his dad), what it’s like studying in a tight-knit rural campus far from home, and the clinical moments that made him fall in love with restorative dentistry.

He also opens up about the mentors who shaped his standards and why the best advice he’d give his first-year self is not to lose himself in the process of becoming a dentist.

Topics covered: refugee background and family resilience, choosing CSU and rural dentistry, Student Dental Association leadership, sim clinic and restorative passion, patient rapport and clinical milestones, mentorship and rigorous feedback, and advice for dental students.

The Brush Up is brought to you by ADA New South Wales. Find resources, episodes, and more at adansw.com.au.

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

What actually happens when you call ADA NSW Advisory Services? And should you call even if nothing’s gone wrong yet?

In this episode of The Brush Up, host Michael Klein sits down with Dr Vicki Rozos, Head of Advisory Services at ADA NSW, to demystify the service that many members don’t fully understand until they need it most.

Vicki shares how advisory supports dentists at every stage of their career — from reviewing your first job offer and navigating tricky consent conversations to managing patient complaints, handling record requests, and even fielding calls with a patient still in the chair.

Whether you’re a student, a recent graduate, or a seasoned practitioner, this conversation is a reminder that you’re never on your own. Advisory is confidential, tailored to your situation, and staffed by experienced dentists who’ve been in your shoes.

Topics covered: advisory services overview, new graduate support, patient complaints, consent and communication, dental records requests, solicitor correspondence, professional indemnity insurance, practice ownership guidance, ceasing to treat, and the importance of good record-keeping.

The Brush Up is brought to you by ADA New South Wales. Find resources, episodes, and more at adansw.com.au.

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

At some point in your career, you'll collaborate with an oral health therapist. If you haven’t already, it’s important to understand what they do, how they think, and the value they bring to a team.

Welcome to Fresh-Out Fridays, where we sit down with early-career dental professionals to discuss the real-life experiences that academic study doesn’t fully prepare you for.

In this episode, we speak with Jayden Hall, an Oral Health Therapist (OHT) who is four years into his career.

Jayden provides an honest look at life as an OHT—covering everything from a typical day’s activities to how he discovered his clinical niche, and how he built trust with patients who were initially uncertain about him.

He explains the collaboration between OHTs and dentists, shares insights on the CPD landscape from an OHT’s perspective, discusses the rewarding moments in the job, and emphasises the importance of finding mentorship—even informally—during those crucial early years.

This episode is a valuable resource for any early-career dentist who wants to understand their future colleagues better, enhance team dynamics, improve patient care, and how to foster effective collaboration that benefits everyone—including patients.

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 adansw.com.au/cpd.

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 adansw.com.au/cpd.

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 adansw.com.au/cpd.

Remember that first time you drove alone on your red P plates? That mix of freedom and sheer terror? That's exactly how Haydyn Bathurst describes his first days treating patients without a tutor looking over his shoulder.

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 catching up with Dr Haydyn Bathurst as he opens up about choosing the public pathway, juggling contract reviews during final exams, and learning to communicate with patients who comment on his youthful appearance. We'll explore how COVID reshaped his clinical training, why difficult patients can become your most loyal, and the unexpected satisfaction he's found in dentures of all things.

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's brush up on what it takes to find your feet in those crucial first years.

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

What happens when four dental students start filming TikToks to make studying tooth morphology less boring - and accidentally become the most recognisable faces in Australian dental education? This is Next Gen, where we explore the diverse paths dental students take during their training.

In this episode, we're sitting down with Mustafa, Chris, Harish, and Troy - better known as Dropkick Dental - to hear how their viral social media presence has shaped their dental school experience and future careers.

From their rocky first meeting to accidentally creating dental TikTok content that resonates across continents, these four reveal the unexpected lessons learned from putting themselves online. We'll explore how they balance humour with professionalism, navigate criticism from qualified dentists, and use their platform to break down stereotypes about dental students. They share candid insights about the risks of being so visible, the networking opportunities that have opened doors, and how making mistakes online has actually prepared them to be better dentists.

From getting roasted in the comments to being recognised on campus, discover how these students are using social media to change perceptions of dental education - one viral video at a time.

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's brush up on how to build a brand while building a career.

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

What happens when a last-minute acceptance letter changes everything? When you have 24 hours to pack up your life in Canada and chase a dental school dream in Australia? This is Next Gen, where we explore the unique journeys of dental students as they prepare for practice.

In this episode, we're diving into the unexpected path of Austen Oviatt, a Canadian-born fourth-year dental student at the University of Sydney who went from biology to computer programming to extractions - and has already completed over 70 of them!

Austen opens up about the whirlwind decision to leave everything behind for dental school, the challenges of being an international student navigating visa requirements, and why age and life experience can be your greatest assets in patient care.

We'll explore how working at Campbelltown Hospital's intimate clinic setting has accelerated his hands-on learning, from routine extractions to full clearances and emergency cases.

From shadowing oral surgeons to witnessing procedures go wrong (and how experienced clinicians handle the pressure), Austen shares honest insights about building confidence, managing complications, and the reality that even seasoned professionals get nervous. We'll also discuss the unique challenges facing international graduates - from contract negotiations to the financial conversations that dental school never teaches you.

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's brush up on what it takes to leap across continents for dentistry.

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