Conversations with Dental Friends

In this episode of Conversations with Dental Friends, I’m joined by Dr Ambrish Roshan, dentist, educator and dental photography enthusiast, for a conversation about finding your direction in dentistry, building a career around the things you genuinely enjoy and why photography can completely change the way you practise.

Ambrish shares the story of moving from Singapore to Ireland to study dentistry, the challenges he faced as an international graduate trying to enter the Irish workforce, and how taking a leap of faith has shaped his career.

We talk about:

📸 Why dental photography is so much more than before-and-after photos

Ambrish explains how documenting each stage of treatment has become one of his most valuable learning and reflection tools, allowing him to identify where things went wrong and continually improve his clinical work.

🦷 Treating the patient, not just the tooth

From his early training in implant dentistry to his current restorative work, Ambrish talks about the importance of looking at the patient as a whole and understanding what they actually value when planning treatment.

💬 Putting the patient in the driving seat

We discuss listening to patients, understanding their priorities and balancing the three big costs of treatment: time, biology and money. Ambrish shares how he approaches consultations and why understanding a patient’s values can completely change treatment planning.

📷 Creating a simple photography workflow

Ambrish talks us through his approach to photographing new patients, including his baseline photographic records, how he uses photography to communicate with patients and why he believes taking 15–20 photographs doesn’t need to take more than two minutes once you have a system.

🎓 Investing in yourself and learning through reflection

We talk about his postgraduate training, the photography course that changed his approach and why sometimes the biggest learning comes from reviewing your own work rather than simply completing another course.

📱 Social media, photography & attracting the dentistry you want to do

Ambrish shares how posting his clinical photography organically led to patients finding him and explains why showcasing the work you want to do can be such a powerful marketing tool.

🤝 Working with dental brands

We also chat about becoming a KOL, choosing brands that align with your values and why authenticity and genuinely using the products you talk about are so important when building trust with your audience.

And, of course, we talk about what’s next for Ambrish, including his plans for composite and photography education and some exciting projects coming later in 2026.

🔗 Find Ambrish

Instagram: @dr.ambrish.roshan

Courses / education: EduDental.ie

DON’T FORGET ADD RACHAEL10 AT CHECKOUT FOR 10% OFF

💡 Mentioned in this episode

Focus Photography Course – Minesh Patel

Michael Crilly

Michael Crilly episode

Ivoclar

DMG / Icon

Invisalign

If you would like to sign up for Oral-B iO testdrive click here

To Sell Is Human – Daniel H. Pink

Don’t forget Ambrish has very kindly offered a 10% discount off his upcoming photography course with the code RACHAEL10

Click the course link and add the discount code here

⸻

🦷 This episode is proudly supported by Oral-B

🦷 This episode is also supported by NSK

SEASON FINALE 🎙️✨

I genuinely cannot believe we’re already at the final episode of Season 5 of Conversations With Dental Friends 🥹🤍

I’m joined by the brilliant Caitlin Miller, Dental Therapist and Head of Dental Hygiene and Therapy at Bupa Dental Care 👏

This conversation felt SO important because we spoke honestly about what it’s really like working within corporate dentistry, the future of dental hygiene and therapy, and how we can better support clinicians in a profession that can sometimes feel incredibly isolating 💭 from starting out as a dental nurse and finding her place within hygiene and therapy, to now leading national initiatives within Bupa, Caitlin’s journey is such a reminder that careers in dentistry can evolve in ways you never expect ✨

in this episode we chat about:

✨ the realities of working within corporate dentistry

✨ support systems and clinician wellbeing

✨ career progression beyond the surgery

✨ the future of dental therapy within the UK

✨ building community for hygienists and therapists

What I loved most about this conversation is how much passion Caitlin has for making hygienists and therapists feel heard, valued and supported 🫶🏼

🎧 listen now wherever you get your podcasts

I also just want to say the biggest THANK YOU to everyone who has supported this season of Conversations With Dental Friends 🤍

whether you’ve listened to one episode or every single one, shared the podcast, messaged me after an episode or supported from behind the scenes… thank you so much 🫶🏼

And a huge thank you as well to our sponsors @siobhan_education and @lighthouse_dental_company_ire for supporting this season of the podcast ✨

After this episode we’ll be taking a short summer break ☀️ there are so many exciting things coming for the next season already and I genuinely can’t wait 💫

To find out more about dental hygienist and dental therapist scope of practice click here

To find out more about a career in bupa click here

To find out more about Siobhan education click here

To find out more about light house dental company click here

New episode of Conversations With Dental Friends is live 🎙️✨

This week I’m joined by the lovely Stacey Saagar and honestly… this conversation felt like such an important reminder that careers in dentistry are allowed to evolve alongside you 🤍

We spoke so openly about confidence, growth, balancing career ambitions with real life, and navigating the pressures that can sometimes come with working in dentistry 💭

From her journey into dental nursing, to education, mentorship and creating a career that aligns with both professional goals and personal priorities, @staceysagar.dental shares so much honesty and perspective throughout this episode 👏🏼

In this episode we chat about:

✨ building confidence within dentistry

✨ balancing family life and career growth

✨ imposter syndrome and self doubt

✨ moving into education and mentorship

✨ creating opportunities beyond clinical practice in the business side of dentistry

✨ the importance of community within dentistry

✨ professional identity and career progression

✨ why your career doesn’t need to look linear to be successful

what I loved most about this conversation is how relatable it felt 🫶🏼

🎧 listen now wherever you get your podcasts if you’re currently navigating career uncertainty, trying to build confidence or figuring out what you actually want from your future in dentistry, I really think this episode will resonate 💫

Thankyou so much to @siobhaneducation and @lighthousedentalcompany for sponsoring this episode

And as always, if you’d like my free Dental Career Planning Workbook, DM me the word LINK 📚✨

You can find out more about your scope of practice as a dental nurse here

You can find out how to become a dental nurse here

You can find out more about Stacey’s course here

You can find out more about lighthouse dental company here

You can find out more about Siobhan’s amazing courses here

Don’t forget to follow Stacey on Instagram stacey.sagar_dental

You can follow the podcast @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m over there too @homegirlhygienist

See you next week for the series finale of Conversations with Dental Friends 🎧🎙️💗

New episode of Conversations With Dental Friends is live 🎙️✨

This week I’m joined by the amazing Raahbia Maan and honestly… this conversation felt SO honest, motivating and refreshing 🤍

We spoke about what it really looks like to build confidence in your career while navigating the pressures of dentistry, social media, personal growth and figuring out who you are both inside and outside of the clinic 💭

From her journey into dentistry, to building her online presence, stepping into education and creating opportunities for herself beyond traditional clinical work… @drraabhia story is such a reminder that you don’t have to limit yourself to one version of success 👏

TW we do chat about fertility and miscarriage in the episode so if you’d rather not listen the timestamp for this part of the conversation is in the intro

in this episode we chat about:

✨ building confidence as a dental professional

✨ social media and personal branding in dentistry

✨ imposter syndrome and comparison culture

✨ creating opportunities outside of clinical practice

✨ education, mentorship and career growth

✨ balancing ambition with authenticity

✨ finding your people within the profession and @thedentalmumsnetwork

What I loved most about this conversation is how openly we spoke about confidence and self belief 🫶🏼 because I think so many people in dentistry are quietly questioning themselves while simultaneously trying to hold everything together professionally, especially as a mum or a female practice owner in dentistry. And hearing someone else be honest about that can feel really reassuring 🤍

Thanks so much to Siobhan Kelleher Education and Lighthouse Dental Company for sponsoring this episode

🎧 listen now wherever you get your podcasts

If you’re currently navigating career uncertainty, trying to build confidence, thinking about putting yourself out there online, or figuring out what you want from your future in dentistry, I really think this episode will resonate 💫

and as always, if you’d like my free Dental Career Planning Workbook, DM me the word LINK 📚✨

You can find out more about dental mums network here

Find out more about Dr Raabiha’s practice here

To find out more about Dentistry in a Nutshell including the new book here

You can listen to Raabiha’s Dental Women’s Podcast here

To find out more about Siobhan Kelleher education click here

To find out more about lighthouse dental company here

You can see Dr Raabiha’s instagram here

See you next week for another Conversation with Dental Friends

New episode of Conversations With Dental Friends is live 🎙️✨

This week I’m joined by the brilliant Ibby Numan and honestly… this conversation felt like such an important one for anyone navigating their career in dentistry 🤍

From starting out as a Dental Nurse at the Eastman, to training as a Dental Therapist during Covid, moving into education, working with BADT and helping therapists build confidence through @restore… Ibby’s story is such a reminder that careers don’t need to be linear to be meaningful 👏

in this episode we chat about:

✨ finding your path in dentistry even when you don’t have it all figured out

✨ the reality of training as a dental therapist

✨ confidence, manual dexterity and overcoming self doubt

✨ the pressure of social media in dentistry

✨ communication skills and why they matter more than perfect composites

✨ the loneliness that can come with working in practice

✨ the importance of community through organisations like BADT

✨ moving into education and giving back to the next generation

✨ balancing ambition, career growth and family life

What I loved most about this conversation is how honest it was 💭 We spoke about the highs, the difficult days, imposter syndrome, evolving as a clinician and the fact that nobody picks up a handpiece and becomes incredible overnight. There’s so much power in just keeping going 🫶🏼 and hearing Ibby talk about returning to the Eastman as a tutor after starting there as a student dental nurse genuinely felt like such a full circle moment 🥹

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts

If you’re a dental therapist, student therapist or someone feeling a bit stuck in your career right now, I really think this episode will resonate with you 🤍

As always, if you’d like my free Dental Career Planning Workbook, DM me the word LINK 📚✨ everything we discussed including BADT, Restore and education pathways will be linked in the show notes 💫

Huge thankyou to Siobhan Kelleher Education and Lighthouse Dental Company for sponsoring this episode

To find out more about dental therapy scope click here

Find out more about Eastman Dental School here

Find out more about BADT here

Find out more about BSDHT here

Find out more about restore course here

Find out more about Siobhan Kelleher Education

here

Find out more about Lighthouse Dental Company here

See you back here next week with another Conversation with Dental Friends

new episode of Conversations With Dental Friends is live 🎙️✨

this week I’m joined by Tracy Doole and honestly… this conversation is such a good reminder that your career doesn’t have to fit into one box 🤍

from starting out in business and temp jobs before finding dentistry through dental nursing, to becoming a dental hygienist, educator, sustainability advocate, BSDHT executive member and clinical educator… @theecohygienist has built a career rooted in curiosity, growth and genuine passion for the profession 👏

in this episode we chat about:

✨ finding your path in dentistry later than expected

✨ the reality of graduating and going straight into practice

✨ perio, implant maintenance and creating better patient outcomes

✨ investing in courses, networking and lifelong learning

✨ building confidence as a clinician

✨ sustainability in dentistry and reducing healthcare waste

✨ mentorship, education and public health

✨ getting involved with BSDHT and professional advocacy

✨ balancing clinical work with opportunities beyond the surgery

what I loved most about this conversation is how passionate Tracy is about pushing the profession forward while still staying grounded in patient care 💭

we also spoke about how isolating dental hygiene and therapy can sometimes feel and why community, networking and surrounding yourself with people who inspire you is so important 🫶

Thanks so much to Siobhan Kelleher Education and Lighthouse Dental Company for sponsoring this episode

🎧 listen now wherever you get your podcasts and as always, if you’d like my free Dental Career Planning Workbook, DM me the word LINK 📚✨

You can find out more about dental hygiene and dental therapy here

Find out more about studying to be a dental nurse here

Find out more about smile academy coaching and mentoring here

Find out more about BSDHT here

Find out more about NSK Ikigai here

Find out more about young innovations here

Find out more about Siobhan Kelleher Education with Tracy is an educator here

Find out more about lighthouse dental company here

See you next week for another conversation with dental friends

New episode of Conversations With Dental Friends is live 🎙️✨

This week I’m joined by the incredible Elaine Tilling, someone who has spent decades shaping the dental profession through education, advocacy, public health work and mentorship 🤍

From joining the Royal Air Force at 17, to becoming a dental hygienist, educator, speaker and passionate advocate for oral health, Elaine’s career journey is honestly such a reminder that there is no one “right” path in dentistry 👏🏼

In this episode we chat about:

✨ building a long and meaningful career in dentistry

✨ moving into education and presenting

✨ mentorship and uplifting others in the profession

✨ smoking cessation, vaping and public health

✨ working with brands while maintaining integrity

✨ the importance of community and professional bodies like BSDHT

✨ finding purpose in your career beyond the clinic

What I loved most about this conversation is how deeply Elaine believes in giving back and creating opportunities for the next generation of dental professionals 🫶🏼

It’s one of those episodes that leaves you feeling inspired, grounded and reminded why our profession matters so much 💭

🎧 listen now wherever you get your podcasts

And if you’re currently thinking about your next step in dentistry, whether that’s education, diversification, content creation or just figuring out what you actually want from your career, DM me the word LINK for my free Dental Career Planning Workbook 📚✨

I’ll also link my Substack and everything we discussed in the show notes 🤍

Huge Thankyou to Siobhan Kelleher Education and Lighthouse Dental Company for sponsoring this episode

You can find more about the scope of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy here

You can find out more about careers in the RAF here

You can find out more about Tepe here

You can find out more about BSDHT here

You can find out more about Siobhan Kelleher Education where Elaine also lectures here

You can find out more about Lighthouse Dental Company here

See you next week for another Conversation with Dental Friends 🎧

Another week, another conversation 🎙️✨ and this one brings a different perspective on building a career in dentistry 💭

This week I’m joined by Alan McCartney a name many of you will recognise through his work with global dental brands 🌍🦷

We’re diving into what it really looks like to step beyond the clinic and into the business side of dentistry and how to build a career that evolves with you 🤍

In this episode we get into:

✨ getting started in representing a dental company

✨ building confidence in education & speaking with credibility

✨ creating a reputation people trust within dentistry

✨ transitioning into undergraduate & postgraduate education

✨ and what the future of dentistry could look like 👀

I’ve known Alan for a long time, so it was really interesting to hear more about his journey — and the decisions that shaped it along the way 💡

If you’ve ever thought about changing direction or exploring opportunities beyond clinical practice… this one’s for you 🫶

Everything from today’s episode is linked in the show notes 🎧

If you enjoy this, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and send it to a friend in dentistry who might need to hear it 💌

You can also join us over on Substack (link in bio) ✍️

& if you’re thinking about what’s next for your career, DM me LINK for your free career planning workbook I’ll send it straight over 📩✨

Huge thank you to Siobhan Kelleher Education and Lighthouse Dental Company for sponsoring this episode 🤍

To find out more about GSK click here

To find out more about Curaprox and Curaden click here

To learn more about Curaden academy click here

Upcoming iTop training course in Belfast with Diane Rochford here

You can find Alan on Link’dIn here

You can find more information about Siobhan Kelleher’s courses here

You can find more information about Lighthouse Dental Company here

We’ll be back next week with another conversation ✨🎙️

New episode dayyyy 🎙️✨

This week on Conversations With Dental Friends I’m joined by the incredible Lauren Long and honestly… this conversation is SUCH an important one for dental therapists everywhere 🫶

Lauren shares her journey into dental therapy, the challenges she faced getting started and how finding the right supportive team completely changed the direction of her career 💭

Now thriving within the Pain Free Dental Group, advocating for therapists through the British Association of Dental Therapists and helping fellow therapists build confidence through her refresher course Restore ✨

We chat about 👇

🦷 Building confidence in practice

🦷 Finding the right team culture

🦷 Making the most of your scope

🦷 Learning from colleagues and lifting others up

🦷 Getting dental therapy working successfully within practice

🦷 Creating a career you genuinely LOVE

One thing I loved about this episode is how honest Lauren is about the hurdles she faced before landing her dream role. I know so many therapists will relate to this conversation 💛

If you’re a dental therapist, hygienist, student or part of a team wanting to make better use of the full clinical team… this episode is for you 🎧

As always thank you SO much for listening and supporting Conversations With Dental Friends 🫶✨

Also a huge thankyou to Siobhan Kelleher education and lighthouse dental company for sponsoring this episode

You can find out about the scope of a dental therapist here

You can find out more about about BADT here

You can find out more about BSDHT here

You can find out more about NSK Ikigai here

You can read more about Ikigai here

You can find out more about the pain free dentistry group here

You can find out more about Lauren & Ailish’s Restore course here

More info about smile dental academy here

Tell us in the comments 👇

What’s been the biggest thing that’s helped build YOUR confidence in practice? 💭

✨ NEW EPISODE ✨

This week on Conversations with Dental Friends I’m joined by the one and only Joe Lovett 🎙️

And honestly… this conversation felt very full circle 🫶

The first time Joe and I spoke around 6 years ago it completely shifted the way I viewed my dental career and opened my mind to opportunities outside of the surgery 👀

One of the BIGGEST topics in this episode is networking and if the word networking makes you cringe a little… you need to hear this one 😂

Joe shares so many practical tips on:

✨ finding your people

✨ building genuine connections

✨ networking as an introvert AND extrovert

✨ creating opportunities for yourself

✨ putting yourself in rooms that align with where you want to go

Because whether your goals are presenting, writing, teaching, working with brands or simply growing your confidence in the industry… the relationships you build really do matter 🤝

We also chat about:

🦷 getting into dentistry without a traditional dental background

📱 social media and personal branding

💡 giving back to the dental community

🚀 building a career beyond the clinic

I absolutely loved catching up with Joe and hearing more about the projects and passions he’s currently working on 💭

You can listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 🎧

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a dental friend who needs to hear it 👯‍♀️

PLUS 💌

DM me the word “LINK” and I’ll send you my completely FREE career planning workbook + our Substack straight to your inbox ✨

You can follow Joe on Instagram @joelovettcatalyst and on LinkedIn

You can find out more about FMC here

You can find out more about joes consultancy business catalyst sales and marketing here

You can find out more about dentistry’s big challenge here

You can find out about our sponsors

Siobhan Kelleher Education here

Lighthouse dental company here

See you next week for another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends 🎙️