Conversations with Dental Friends

Can you do motherhood and dentistry your way? Yoga, balance and choosing your season

What happens when the version of success you need begins to change?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by one of her closest friends, dental therapist and qualified yoga teacher Samantha Cawsey.

Samantha explains how dentistry found her after she left school feeling uncertain about her direction. A dental nursing position introduced her to a profession that combined creativity, preparation, pressure and human connection. After completing further qualifications in dental radiography and oral health education, she went on to study dental therapy at Newcastle University, where she met Rachael.

They reflect on university, learning to trust your abilities and making better use of the experts around you. Samantha also discusses the periodontal education that gave her greater confidence and a clearer structure for patient care.

The conversation then moves beyond dentistry. Samantha shares why she travelled alone to Goa for yoga teacher training and how breathing, mindfulness and connection now influence the way she works with patients.

At the heart of the episode is an honest discussion about motherhood and career identity. Samantha explains why she has chosen to pause professional progression, dedicate this season to her family and trust that dentistry will still be there when she is ready to return with greater energy.

In this episode, we cover:

• Moving from dental nursing into dental therapy
• Studying together at Newcastle University
• Building confidence through postgraduate periodontal education
• Travelling to Goa for yoga teacher training
• Using breathing and mindfulness during a clinical day
• Choosing connection over simply completing a checklist
• Motherhood, identity and allowing your career to pause

Content note

Between approximately 38:34 and 42:59, the conversation briefly includes personal reflections on fertility pressure, adjusting to maternity leave, career identity and mental health.

Samantha’s book recommendations

• Light on Yoga: The Definitive Guide to Yoga Practice by B.K.S. Iyengar
• A detailed guide to yoga practice, including postures, breathing and the principles behind the practice.
• Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace and Ultimate Freedom by B.K.S. Iyengar
• A reflective exploration of how yoga can influence our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual lives.

Both titles and authors have been checked against the publisher and recognised Iyengar Yoga resources. harpercollins.co.uk

Yoga teacher training

• Himalaya Yoga Valley
• The organisation Samantha trained with in Goa.
• Himalaya Yoga Valley teacher-training programmes
• Information about its current yoga teacher-training options in India, Ireland and online.

Himalaya Yoga Valley currently offers 200-hour and 300-hour teacher-training pathways, although the structure may have changed since Samantha completed her course in January 2020. yogagoaindia.com

Periodontal education mentioned

• Perio School
• The Perio Masterclass
• The Hygienist Course
• Diploma in Periodontics for Hygienists and Therapists
• RW Perio

Dental therapy education

• Newcastle University Dental Therapy BSc

Connect with Samantha

• Samantha Cawsey on LinkedIn

Continue the conversation

• Conversations with Dental Friends on Instagram
• Rachael on Instagram at @homegirlhygienist
• Conversations with Dental Friends on Substack
• Conversations with Dental Friends on YouTube
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Homegirl Hygienist

Sponsors

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

Free Career Planning Workbook

If you would like the free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook, comment or message the word “link”.

Follow the podcast and share this episode with a dental friend who may need permission to approach their career at a different pace.

How do you find your thing in dentistry? Perio, purpose and patience

How do you build a fulfilling dental career when you do not yet know which direction you want to take?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by specialist periodontist, educator and speaker Dr Ian Dunn.

Ian explains why he originally planned to study engineering and how one short careers talk completely changed his direction. After qualifying from Leeds, he spent eight years working as an NHS general dentist before an unexpected teaching opportunity introduced him to periodontology.

What initially seemed like a route into another area of dental education gradually became Ian’s professional passion. A four-day periodontal course brought his academic and clinical knowledge together, transformed the results he was achieving and encouraged him to pursue further training.

Ian also shares what he learned from teaching alongside Phil Ower, why educators should remain connected to clinical practice and why the purpose of a course should be to empower the audience rather than showcase the speaker.

The conversation explores behaviour change, the relationship between periodontitis and wider health, the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the importance of remembering the person behind every periodontal chart.

Ian finishes with reassuring career advice for anyone feeling lost, pressured or unhappy. You do not need to specialise to prove your value, and you do not need to build your career at somebody else’s pace.

In this episode, we cover:

• How an engineering careers day led Ian towards dentistry
• Moving from general practice into periodontology and education
• The four-day course that transformed Ian’s clinical approach
• Why great educators empower rather than impress
• Behaviour change and the psychology of periodontal treatment
• AI, clinical data and the increasingly informed patient
• The contribution of hygienists and therapists to periodontal care
• Comparison, career pressure and finding work you enjoy
• Why dentistry still needs excellent generalists
• Accepting temporary discomfort when a job or environment needs to change

Links and resources

• Ian Dunn on Instagram
• Ian’s Perio Courses profile
• Perio Courses
• British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry
• BSP Patient Forum
• The Sound of Periodontitis
• BSP patient resources

The BSP Patient Forum contributes the patient perspective to periodontal information and resources, while The Sound of Periodontitis shares the human experience of the disease through patients’ stories. bsperio.org.uk

Ian’s current professional profile confirms his continued involvement in clinical periodontology and postgraduate dental education. periocourses.co.uk

Continue the conversation

• Conversations with Dental Friends on Instagram
• Conversations with Dental Friends on Substack
• Conversations with Dental Friends on YouTube
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Follow Rachael at @homegirlhygienist
• Homegirl Hygienist

Free Career Planning Workbook

If you would like a copy of Rachael’s free Career Planning Workbook, comment or message the word “link”.

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

Can one mentor transform your career? Confidence, Icon and education

What difference can one supportive person make to the direction of your career?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by Dr Kiran Shankla, a restorative and cosmetic dentist based in Reading.

Kiran explains why dentistry was never originally part of her plan and how a conversation with a family friend encouraged her to completely rethink her A-level choices. She went on to study dentistry at the University of Birmingham, work in Australia and complete a four-year part-time master’s in restorative dentistry at UCL Eastman.

One of the most powerful parts of Kiran’s story is the influence of mentorship. She shares how a supportive practice principal offered honest feedback, encouraged her development and helped her recognise the quality of her own clinical work.

The conversation also explores Kiran’s experience with Icon resin infiltration. She discusses the young patient whose successful treatment transformed her understanding of what the procedure could achieve and explains how her growing clinical experience eventually led to opportunities with DMG and dental education.

Kiran offers practical advice on selecting early cases, setting realistic expectations, protecting the soft tissues and booking enough time. She also shares an honest perspective on working abroad, brand partnerships, lecturing and deciding whether practice ownership is truly the right goal for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• ​Choosing dentistry after originally planning a completely different career
• ​Moving to Australia and the realities of working abroad
• ​Completing a restorative master’s while continuing to work
• ​How supportive mentorship can build clinical confidence
• ​Using Icon resin infiltration for white spots and fluorosis
• ​Preparing properly for education and brand opportunities
• ​Defining success without feeling pressured into practice ownership

Kiran’s Icon advice

Kiran recommends beginning with simpler white spot cases and patients who understand that every outcome is individual. Setting expectations is particularly important while you are developing your confidence.

Her preference is to use rubber dam isolation where possible. When this is not suitable, she recommends using an appropriate liquid dam to protect the soft tissues from the hydrochloric acid etchant.

Kiran’s biggest practical message is to book more time than you think you will need. Some lesions require additional etching cycles, and rushing may mean stopping shortly before achieving the desired result.

Links and resources mentioned

• ​Learn about DMG Icon infiltration
• ​Icon Vestibular for white spots, fluorosis and enamel opacities
• ​DMG UK
• ​Kiran’s published Icon case

Course dates change, so contact DMG directly or follow Kiran for current Icon education and training information.

https://uk.dmg-dental.com/education-and-events/education/detail/default-fc015d38b141caeb8cab84a86fcfe102-1

Connect with Kiran

• ​Follow Dr Kiran Shankla at @shanklasmiles

Continue the conversation

• ​Conversations with Dental Friends on Instagram
• ​Rachael at @homegirlhygienist
• ​Conversations with Dental Friends on Substack
• ​Conversations with Dental Friends on YouTube
• ​Listen on Spotify
• ​Listen on Apple Podcasts
• ​Homegirl Hygienist

Sponsors

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

Free Career Planning Workbook

If you would like Rachael’s free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook, comment or message the word “link” and she will send it to you.

Follow the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and share this episode with a dental friend who would enjoy Kiran’s story.

Could paediatric dentistry unlock your full scope? Confidence, care and career growth

What if a successful paediatric appointment does not end with completed treatment, but with a child feeling slightly safer than they did before?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by dental therapist Bradley Wilson.

Bradley’s career began with musical theatre, dance and performing as Billy Elliot in London’s West End. He explains how the discipline, professionalism and communication skills developed during that chapter of his life later transferred into dentistry.

After returning home, Bradley left his A-level studies and trained as a dental nurse. Working alongside a dental therapist introduced him to a profession he had not previously known existed, inspiring him to complete an access diploma and study dental therapy in Sheffield.

Bradley now works across a broad dental therapy scope, including periodontal care, examinations, restorative dentistry and paediatric treatment. He shares how treating children has strengthened his diagnostic skills, communication and confidence as a clinician.

The conversation explores why paediatric treatment must be adapted to the individual child, how parents’ anxieties can influence an appointment and why clinicians should recognise small steps as genuine progress.

Bradley also introduces Perfecting Paediatrics, his practical course designed to help dental therapists develop their confidence, clinical protocols and professional support network.

In this episode

• Moving from the West End and musical theatre into dentistry
• Qualifying as a dental nurse before studying dental therapy
• Graduating during the pandemic and beginning clinical work in PPE
• Creating a varied, full-scope dental therapy role
• Building confidence in paediatric treatment and direct access
• Managing anxious children and working constructively with parents
• Using policies and protocols to develop effective skill mix
• Creating supportive education for dental therapists
• Silver diamine fluoride, fissure sealants and the stamp technique
• Why progress can matter more than completing treatment

Links and resources mentioned

• Perfecting Paediatrics: Bradley’s practical paediatric dentistry course for dental therapists and dentists
• Upcoming BW Dental Therapy courses: Current course dates and registration information
• Bradley Wilson on Eventbrite: Bradley’s organiser page and available tickets
• BW Dental Therapy: Clinical education, course information and updates
• Delivering Better Oral Health: Evidence-based preventive guidance referenced during the conversation

Connect with Bradley

• @bradsdentaljournal
• BW Dental Therapy

Continue the conversation

• @conversationswithdentalfriends
• @homegirlhygienist
• Conversations with Dental Friends on Substack
• Conversations with Dental Friends on YouTube
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Homegirl Hygienist

Sponsors

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for sponsoring Conversations with Dental Friends.

Free career planning workbook

If you would like the free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook, comment or message the word “link” and Rachael will send it to you.

Follow the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and share this episode with a dental friend or practice team who would love to explore more paediatric dental therapy.

Can saying yes shape an extraordinary career?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by Dr Nicola Gore, a restorative dentist, practice owner, educator, author and Vice President of the College of General Dentistry.

In this episode, we cover:

• Growing up between England and Iran and nearly leaving dental school
• Accepting a last-minute foundation training position
• Working in restorative and maxillofacial hospital departments
• Learning from community dentistry in Australia
• Combining postgraduate education, practice ownership and motherhood
• Investing in communication, photography and careful documentation
• Learning to walk before attempting advanced dentistry
• Why removable prosthodontics can transform a patient’s life
• Teaching and supporting 26 foundation dentists
• Writing Dentistry in a Nutshell
• Leadership within the College of General Dentistry
• Supporting dental therapists and the wider dental team

Content note

This episode contains brief references to suicide-related trauma, bereavement and distressing cases encountered within hospital dentistry.

The supplied transcript contains only an opening timestamp, so a precise time for this section is not available.

Nicola’s advice for early-career clinicians

Nicola encourages new clinicians to invest in good loupes and a reliable camera, photograph their work with appropriate consent and begin building a portfolio from the earliest stages of their careers.

Her central message is to learn to walk before trying to run. Strong cosmetic or restorative dentistry still depends on communication, trust, documentation, isolation and sound clinical fundamentals.

Nicola also stresses the importance of being honest about limitations and possible complications. Patients cannot make an informed decision unless they understand both what treatment may achieve and what could go wrong.

Dentistry in a Nutshell discount code

Nicola co-authored Dentistry in a Nutshell with Dr Raabiha N Maan. The book uses practical tables and flowcharts to support dental students, clinicians, dental therapists, dental nurses, professionals returning to practice and candidates preparing for overseas registration examinations.

You can use the discount code NEC when ordering Dentistry in a Nutshell. The code is available until 30 September 2026.

• Order Dentistry in a Nutshell
• Dentistry in a Nutshell on Google Books

Links and resources mentioned

• College of General Dentistry
• Totteridge Dental Studio
• The Impression Club
• Rupert Monkhouse on Instagram

Continue the conversation

• Conversations with Dental Friends on Instagram
• Rachael at @homegirlhygienist
• Conversations with Dental Friends on Substack
• Conversations with Dental Friends on YouTube
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Homegirl Hygienist

Sponsors

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

Free Career Planning Workbook

If you would like Rachael’s free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook, comment or message the word “link” and she will send it to you.

Follow the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and share this episode with a dental friend who would enjoy Nicola’s story.

Can success cost you your health? High performance without burnout

What if looking after your health was not separate from building a successful dental career, but one of the most important parts of it?

In this episode, Rachael is joined by George Vernon, a health and performance coach who works with dental professionals, practice owners, business leaders and other ambitious professionals.

George shares how his early dream of becoming a boxing champion led him into sports science, strength and conditioning, athlete coaching and, eventually, the world of dentistry. His experience of pushing his own training to the point of burnout shaped his evidence-based approach to psychology, nutrition and physical health.

Together, Rachael and George explore why dental professionals often place themselves at the bottom of their priority lists, how small improvements can protect energy and extend a career, and why the right kind of coaching can reduce years of trial and error.

They also discuss building an authentic professional presence on LinkedIn, finding a niche through meaningful work and redefining success around the values that matter most to you.

In this episode

• George’s journey from competitive boxing to health and performance coaching
• What dental professionals can learn from elite athletes
• Protecting your physical health and energy in a demanding profession
• Why putting yourself first can benefit your patients, team and family
• How coaching helps turn complicated goals into manageable actions
• Building a personal brand and finding opportunities through LinkedIn
• Choosing values, meaning and sustainable wellbeing over endless achievement
• How small, consistent changes can produce very different long-term results

Links and resources mentioned

• George Vernon’s website
• George’s free Health Phase Assessment
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Rachael’s conversation with Dr Alan Clarke on Apple Podcasts

Connect with George

• George Vernon on Instagram
• George Vernon on LinkedIn
• George Vernon: Health & Performance on YouTube

Continue the conversation

• Conversations with Dental Friends on Instagram
• Rachael on Instagram at @homegirlhygienist
• Conversations with Dental Friends on Substack
• Conversations with Dental Friends on YouTube
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Visit the Conversations with Dental Friends website

With thanks to our sponsors

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for sponsoring this episode and supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

• Visit Oral-B UK
• ​Mynsk.co.uk

If this conversation made you think differently about health, success or the way you are building your career, please share it with a dental friend.

You can also receive the free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook by commenting the word link on the episode.

Could saying yes transform your dental career? From safe beginner to paediatric leader

What if the next step in your career is not part of a carefully mapped-out five-year plan, but simply an opportunity you are curious enough to say yes to?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by award-winning dental hygienist and therapist Imogen Fox, whose incredibly varied career has taken her through foundation training, head and neck cancer care, special care dentistry, education, private practice and paediatric dentistry.

Imogen shares why becoming a “safe beginner” is the real goal when we qualify and how the right mentorship helped her build confidence in her full dental therapy scope. We also discuss why you do not need to feel completely ready before accepting an opportunity and how some of Imogen’s biggest career developments began with a leap of faith.

The conversation explores Imogen’s formative work as one of the UK’s first Macmillan dental therapists, what treating head and neck cancer patients taught her about compassionate empathy and the importance of knowing when to ask for help.

We also look at the huge opportunity for dental therapists within paediatric dentistry. Imogen explains how therapists can lead children’s examinations, prevention and restorative care, while sharing practical advice for creating a positive experience for young patients.

This is a wonderfully reassuring conversation about staying curious, building confidence, exploring your scope and creating a dental career that can evolve alongside the different seasons of your life.

In this episode

• Why foundation training and supportive mentorship can transform early clinical confidence
• Becoming comfortable with being a safe beginner
• Saying yes before you feel completely ready
• Building a varied career across oncology, special care, education and private practice
• What head and neck cancer care taught Imogen about compassionate empathy
• The opportunities available to dental therapists within paediatric dentistry
• Imogen’s three practical principles for treating children
• Creating a career that supports both professional fulfilment and family life

Links and resources mentioned

• Imogen’s professional profile and dental articles
• Head and Neck Cancer Care in the General Practice Setting, Imogen’s on-demand educational webinar
• Progress and Headwinds for Dental Therapists, Imogen’s article on the future of dental therapy and paediatric care
• Dentaid’s Uganda volunteering programme, for dental professionals interested in overseas volunteering
• NSK Ikigai, where Imogen is an opinion leader and educator

Connect with Imogen

• Connect with Imogen Fox on LinkedIn
• Read more about Imogen’s clinical work at Refresh Dental

Continue the conversation

• Follow Conversations with Dental Friends on Instagram: @conversationswithdentalfriends
• Follow Rachael on Instagram: @homegirlhygienist
• Visit the Homegirl Hygienist website

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for sponsoring this episode and supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

If this conversation encouraged you to explore more of your scope or say yes to a new opportunity, share it with a dental friend who might need that reminder too.

You can also download the free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook by commenting the word link on the episode, and I’ll send it directly to you.

Imogen Instagram @dental.hygienist.uk

Could dentistry prepare you for business? From clinician to founder

What happens when the career you worked so hard for no longer feels like the right fit?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by dentist, facial aesthetics practitioner and founder of Whip Belfast, Dr Ariba Karim.

Ariba shares the honest story behind her journey from dentistry into hospitality and entrepreneurship. We talk about cultural expectations, choosing dentistry, navigating difficult working environments and the realities of building a career as a self-employed dental professional.

After working across Northern Ireland and Dublin, Ariba began to recognise that her mental health was being affected by a career she no longer felt passionate about. Through therapy, travel and plenty of self-reflection, she uncovered a long-suppressed ambition to build something of her own.

That idea became Whip Belfast, a personality-filled concept café known for its açaí bowls, matcha, creative menus and distinctly “girly pop” energy.

This is a wonderfully honest conversation about career pivots, transferable skills, financial risk, resilience and what can happen when you allow yourself to pursue the work that genuinely lights you up.

In this episode

• Why Ariba chose dentistry and what her early career really looked like
• The realities of NHS dentistry, self-employment and associate life
• Recognising when a working environment is not right for you
• Investing in further training and exploring different niches
• Mental health, therapy and losing passion for your profession
• Starting a business, experiencing financial risk and rebuilding after setbacks
• The skills dentistry gave Ariba that now help her run Whip
• Building a memorable brand through creativity, social media and community
• Ariba’s plans to grow Whip while protecting the quality of its original Belfast location

Links and resources mentioned

• Study Dentistry at Queen’s University Belfast
• Start With Why by Simon Sinek
• Watch Simon Sinek’s TED Talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Action
• Derma Medical, where Ariba completed facial aesthetics training

Connect with Ariba and Whip Belfast

• Follow @whipbelfast on Instagram
• Follow @whipbelfast on TikTok
• Visit Whip on the Lisburn Road in Belfast

Continue the conversation

• Follow Conversations with Dental Friends on Instagram: @conversationswithdentalfriends
• Follow Rachael on Instagram: @homegirlhygienist
• Visit the Homegirl Hygienist website

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for sponsoring this episode and supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

If this conversation made you think differently about your own career, share it with a dental friend who might need to hear it.

You can also download the free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook by commenting the word link on the episode, and I’ll send it directly to you.

What if the answer to burnout isn’t simply doing less, but learning how to live, work and succeed in a completely different way?

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, Rachael is joined by specialist periodontist, author, coach, international speaker and fellow podcaster Dr Rana Al-Falaki.

Rana was the first periodontist in the UK to begin using lasers in daily practice and has developed minimally invasive periodontal protocols that are now informing clinical trials around the world. Alongside her clinical and educational work, she is the creator of the NAIL-IT Leadership System, which helps professionals pursue sustainable success without sacrificing their health, happiness or relationships.

Behind Rana’s extraordinary career is an incredibly honest story of burnout. She shares what happened when years of overachievement, emotional trauma, professional pressure and never asking for help finally caught up with her.

Content note

This episode contains a personal discussion of childhood trauma and sexual abuse. This begins at approximately 26 minutes and 15 seconds within the original interview. Please be aware that the precise timestamp may move slightly following the addition of the episode introduction and sponsorship messages. Please look after yourself while listening and feel completely free to pause or skip this part of the conversation.

Find out more about Dr Rana Al-Falaki

Dr Rana’s official website:

https://www.drranaalfalaki.com/

Follow Dr Rana on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/drranaalfalaki/

Discover NAIL-IT Leadership and Rana’s coaching, workshops and services:

https://www.drranaalfalaki.com/nail-it

Find out more about NAIL-IT Leadership: Your Blueprint to Optimal Performance:

https://www.drranaalfalaki.com/nail-it-leadership

Listen to the NAIL-IT Podcast with Dr Rana Al-Falaki and Dr Bhavin Patel:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/nail-it/id1824975541

Follow the NAIL-IT Podcast on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/nailit_podcast/

NAIL-IT events and education

Find out more about the NAIL-IT Leadership Experience and upcoming 2026 dates:

https://www.nailitindentistry.com/nail-it-in-dentistry-leadership-wellbeing-day-dental-team-professionals

Find out more about Rana’s periodontal and peri-implant courses:

https://www.nailitindentistry.com/perio-courses

Find out more about the periodontal and peri-implant masterclass taking place in London on 20 and 21 November 2026:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYeIAZNmhry/

Thank you to our sponsors

A huge thank you to Oral-B and NSK for sponsoring this episode and supporting Conversations with Dental Friends.

Find out more about Oral-B Professional:

https://www.oralbprofessional.co.uk/s/

Find out more about NSK UK:

https://mynsk.co.uk/

Stay connected with Conversations with Dental Friends

Follow the podcast on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/conversationswithdentalfriends/

Subscribe on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/@homegirlhygienist2756?si=IfQgFNVLAMZu1rcL

https://substack.com/@conversationswithdentalfriends?r=57fuak&utm_medium=ios

Join us on Substack:

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0TR0CyMSp9K3JHIg8eg9nQ

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/conversations-with-dental-friends/id1802284203

Free Career Planning Workbook

If you would like some space to reflect on what you want from your own dental career, comment the word LINK on the episode post and I’ll send you my free Conversations with Dental Friends Career Planning Workbook.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review and share it with a dental friend who may need to hear this conversation.

From making blue-tack braces 🦷😂 to becoming a dental therapist, educator, content creator for 245k+ people, and working with some of the biggest brands in dentistry… Anna Peterson’s journey is a powerful reminder that you don’t always know where one decision will take you.

In this episode, we talk about career pivots, confidence, social media, and what it really looks like behind the polished dental Instagram world.

Anna shares how she didn’t get the A level grades she needed for dentistry, and how she only discovered dental therapy after that door closed. From there, she stepped into a role in restorative dentistry, learned new clinical skills years into practice, and eventually found her way into content creation and education online.

We also dive into the moment everything changed online, when her first viral video almost got deleted at just 10 views… before unexpectedly reaching nearly one million views in under 24 hours.

Since then, social media has opened doors she never expected, including collaborations with Oral-B and NSK, lecturing opportunities, presenting, and educating thousands of people about oral health.

But beyond the viral moments, this conversation is really about something deeper.

💡 Key themes we cover:

• Not getting the grades you expected — and what comes next
• Discovering dental therapy and building confidence clinically
• Learning new skills later in your career (yes, even rubber dam!)
• The reality of going viral on social media
• Building a personal brand in dentistry
• Working with major dental brands like Oral-B and NSK
• The pressure vs reality of dental social media
• Why you don’t need to have everything figured out
• The importance of kindness in dentistry

🧠 Anna’s biggest reminder:

You are allowed to ask questions.

You are allowed to not know everything.

You are allowed to build confidence slowly.

And you absolutely do not have to follow a traditional route.

Because behind every perfect composite, viral video, and polished Instagram feed… there’s a human being figuring it out too.

And as Anna beautifully puts it:

“We’re all in it together.” 🫶🏼

⸻

🔗 Links & Resources

👩‍⚕️ Follow Anna Peterson:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annapetersondental?igsh=MWhyNWk5ZHYycXY2eQ==&igsi=MWhyNWk5ZHYycXY2eQ==

📱 Conversations with Dental Friends:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conversationswithdentalfriends?igsh=bTh4ZWRlank3dWJs

💙 Sponsored by Oral-B

Explore Oral-B professional products & resources:

👉 https://www.oralbprofessional.co.uk/s/login/

🦷 Sponsored by NSK

Discover NSK dental equipment & solutions:

👉 https://mynsk.co.uk

⸻

✨ In this episode, we also mention:

• Rubber dam training and clinical confidence
• Dental photography and content creation
• Career progression in dental therapy
• Social media growth and unexpected virality
• Education, lecturing, and presenting in dentistry