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It is clear Professor Ian Meyers was destined for a career in dentistry. “I had a number of family members who were dentists (my father, my grandfather and my uncle) and in addition to this I was very interested in both the medical and technical aspects of dentistry,” he recalls. “It was also the range of work opportunities after graduation that appealed to me.”

When asked what he most enjoys about his work, Ian says it is embracing the range of ever improving materials and technologies available in dentistry, and utilising these to enhance the ongoing oral health of his patients. “In addition, having practiced for many years, being able to review patients over a long period of time so I can reflect on and improve my approaches to patient management, particularly in restorative dentistry,” he adds.

An honorary professor at The University of Queensland School of Dentistry, Ian is an experienced presenter and says the best aspect of presenting to his colleagues is sharing experiences, and understanding that most face very similar challenges with their patients. “I greatly enjoy the interaction with colleagues and sharing my experiences, including the successes and the less successful outcomes, and I regularly learn and appreciate more about dentistry when sharing these experiences and challenges,” he says. “I also really enjoy seeing clinicians understand and appreciate different ways to manage patients and embracing the range of options to make their daily dentistry more enjoyable. “I enjoy working with the dental profession as a whole, particularly interactions with the dental industry and learning about materials and equipment development,” he adds. “I enjoy being involved with the profession of dentistry and what happens outside the clinical environment. I have been very fortunate in my career to have had many opportunities and have embraced many of these and been able to integrate academia, administration, regulation and policy, clinical dentistry, and professional and community service.”

Ian will be presenting Practically Minimally Invasive Restorative Techniques in May at ADA House. The comprehensive, evidence-based, hands-on workshop offers clear, easily understood protocols for adopting a minimally invasive approach to restorative treatments. It has been designed for dentists to develop and enhance their clinical skills to a minimum intervention, preventive patient-centred approach.

“The workshop reviews a range of clinical scenarios and a range of strategies for managing patients using contemporary and conservative approaches,” Ian explains. “It aims to highlight the need for the clinician to understand the presenting situation, determine the appropriate options for management, and where appropriate utilise minimally invasive restorative techniques. The presentation provides both evidence-based scientific information to support the various clinical interventions, and also participants will get the chance to undertake a number of practical exercises to enhance their understanding and knowledge.

“Attendees will hopefully gain a greater knowledge of the options for restorative management of patients, including best approaches to caries and tooth wear management, optimising tooth surface preparation prior to adhesive restoration, and understanding the restorative materials selection and manipulation to enhance outcomes,” he adds. “This will enable the attendees to develop confidence in utilising these restorative approaches in their everyday dental practice.”

Ian says the workshop is suitable for dentists, oral heath therapists and dental hygienists who want to enhance their knowledge and appreciation of contemporary restorative dentistry, and thereby assist their patients in achieving and maintaining their best possible oral and dental health outcomes.