Dental Protection Australia

CaseMatters is a podcast series designed to create a shared experience where all points of view are explored.

Traditionally, patient questions were directed toward treating clinicians and practitioners. Then came the era of Dr Google, where online searches began shaping expectations and decisions. Now, we’ve entered a new phase altogether: AI-generated advice, opinions, and treatment recommendations.

Interestingly, this case highlights a situation that some of us may already find ourselves in or perhaps it signpost what we can expect from our patients in the near future.

There are many sides to every story.

CaseMatters is a podcast series designed to create a shared experience where all points of view are explored.

This episode of CaseMatters highlights the importance of effective communication across all members of staff, particularly, in practices where patient care is shared between multiple practitioners, who each provide different aspects of treatment and care.

Have you ever been the subject of an audit related to a third-party payment mechanism such as a private health fund or Medicare? Are you unsure about use of certain item codes, how non-compliant use might lead to scrutiny or even why a particular practitioner might be selected for audit?

In this podcast episode, Dr Colm Harney from Dental Protection speaks with Dr. Amit Gurbuxani, General Dental Practitioner, recent Past President of ADAWA and current member of the ADA Federal Item Code Committee.

They discuss what an audit might look like, when to seek advice and how to respond. Dr. Gurbuxani shares insights on appropriate use of item codes from his work on the ADA’s Schedule and Third Party Committee. They also explore practical steps dental practitioners can take to prevent becoming the subject of an audit.

In this podcast episode, Dr Colm Harney from Dental Protection and Dr. Jacinta Vu, Oral Medicine Specialist discuss the importance of trauma-informed dental care, particularly for patients who have experienced domestic violence.

They explore how dental practitioners can create a safe and empowering environment for their patients, the significance of understanding trauma and its effects, and the role of empathy in building trust.

Dr. Vu shares insights from her work with Healing Smiles, a charity providing dental services to survivors of domestic violence and emphasizes the need for dentists to be aware of the unique challenges faced by these patients.

The conversation also touches on the importance of volunteering in the dental community and the positive impact it can have on both practitioners and patients.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder can lead to relentless dissatisfaction with one’s appearance. Join us as we unpack this important topic and learn how to approach it in dental practice.

How do you think we can change the narrative around beauty standards?

You can read Carolina's paper on this topic here: Body dysmorphia in dentistry and prosthodontics: A practice based study

In recent years, the demand for cosmetic dental services has grown rapidly, and many practitioners will have noticed their patients becoming increasingly eager to enhance their smiles.

Among the most commonly requested treatments are dental veneers, performed both in general practice and by specialist prosthodontists. As more clinicians provide these services, we’re also seeing a rise in conversations about the risks and challenges associated with veneer cases.

In this episode of RiskBites, Dr Annalene Weston and Dr Simon Parsons, discuss some of these issues, highlighting areas to consider when planning, communicating, and delivering veneer treatment.

Listen to hear more.

It might surprise many of our listeners to learn that compassionate grounds for the early release of superannuation have actually been around for a long time since 1 July 1994, shortly after Australia’s modern superannuation system was introduced.

And since 1 July 2018, it’s the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) that has been responsible for approving these applications.

This topic has been attracting a lot of attention lately, and not always for the right reasons. Heightened media coverage, combined with some unfortunate commentary, has led to questions being raised about the integrity of our profession. 

In this episode of RiskBites, we unpack what’s really going on. We separate fact from fiction, talk through what compassionate release actually involves, and share practical guidance for navigating an area that’s now under close scrutiny. The goal is simple: to help our members feel informed, confident, and clear about their responsibilities in a rapidly evolving space.

In this episode of RiskBites Dr Annalene Weston is joined by her colleague and fellow dentolegal consultant, Dr Kiran Keshwara, to explore a topic that’s becoming increasingly relevant in Australian dental practice.

Australia is a rapidly changing and culturally diverse nation. In fact, more than half of our population was either born overseas or has at least one parent who was. That diversity enriches our communities, but it can also present real challenges in clinical settings.

These interactions can be complex, nuanced, and at times confusing, particularly when important clinical information, consent, or risk needs to be clearly understood.

In this episode, we explore how to navigate language barriers safely, respectfully, and effectively.

In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked art of communicating effectively with your dental laboratory.

Dentists and technicians exchange information daily across multiple channels and on a vast range of clinical and technical matters. Yet, as Dentolegal consultant, Dr Simon Parsons notes, many opportunities to strengthen this communication and ultimately improve clinical outcomes are frequently missed.

To understand why this happens and what clinicians can do to bridge the gap, Dr Annalene Weston speaks with Simon, who brings a unique dual perspective shaped by his time working within a large dental laboratory and his own clinical experience. Join us for a conversation that may just transform the way you work with your lab.

As we move into the festive season and the final days of 2025, many of us naturally pause for reflection, looking back, looking inward, and looking ahead. 

For our last Risk Bites episode of the year, we wanted to close not with something heavy, but with something uplifting. So, in this episode, Dr Annalene Weston and Mrs Anita Kemp explore the idea of perfection, both the pursuit of aesthetic perfection and the quieter tyranny of personal perfectionism that shapes so much of our behaviour. 

Listen in as Annalene poses a powerful question: What would happen if we stopped striving to be perfect and instead allowed ourselves to aim for personal excellence?

Could this shift our mindset and allow us to be kinder to ourselves, something we all deeply deserve?