The NPP program was hugely successful in 2021, with plans to make the program bigger and even better in 2022.
ADAWA’s New Practitioner Program was launched in 2020, with the goal of assisting new and recent graduates to transition from a big cohort in a predicted environment to part of a network of peers.
Comprising five study clubs, held throughout the year – culminating in November’s Young Dentists’ Conference – NPP allows new practitioners to hear from some of the best in the industry and have the chance to ask questions in a safe, supportive setting.
Headed by Chair of the Recent Graduates Committee, Dr Bec Penco, along with committee members Drs Sean Archibald, Greg Crane and Amanda Phoon Nguyen, the 2021 program was a roaring success, but it wasn’t luck – there was a lot of work behind the scenes.
“We all work very well as a committee because we are always talking and have frequent meetings and group chats,” Amanda says.
The committee also seeks feedback to ensure the program is as useful for new practitioners as possible.
“We always tell attendees of the study groups to let us know what they want and what they find interesting,” Amanda explains. “We also encourage them to let us know if they run into any cases or have any questions, so it is quite organic; we craft the program based on what people tell us they want to know.
“For example, Leon Smith’s talk at the latest Young Dentists’ Conference was: ‘What goes wrong at 5pm on a Friday and how to prevent it’. That idea was born because something did go wrong with a patient at 5pm on a Friday, so Leon asked the registrars at the hospital what they most commonly see after hours – and the talk was based on that.”
The committee recently held a focus group to ensure NPP was delivering what the recent grads wanted. “We invited recent graduates to provide feedback over lunch,” Bec explains. “It was really great because most had attended the NPP events, so they were able to give us really candid feedback.”
The committee also works closely with Dr Jenny Ball from WA Dental CPD, often sharing in-demand speakers.
The Young Dentists’ Conference at the end of 2021 went out with a bang, with the committee working incredibly hard to create an informative program.
“At the end of YDC in 2020 we asked attendees what they wanted to know about,” Amanda explains. “They told us they liked the panel discussion at the end, where they could ask questions. I don’t want anyone to think that if they give any feedback on the day we will not listen, because we very much do.
“As a result, we targeted the talks around what people wanted to know,” she adds. ‘Biomimetic dentistry is something our young dentists want to know more about, so we had two amazing speakers for that. We tried to keep the focus of the program on very practical tips, so whoever attended and listened to the talks could hopefully start applying things the next day or the next week. We aimed to keep things interactive, so we had panel discussions, several quizzes and prizes sponsored by DPL and WA Dental CPD.”
The social event afterwards was a hit, with great music and tacos for lunch, CARAD Food Truck (a social enterprise staffed by refugees and asylum seekers) in attendance, and a live paella station.
“The social event of the YDC is my favourite part, because we really build a community with the regular study clubs throughout the year and the final day is a culmination,” Amanda says.
“We have received a lot of amazing feedback, and attendees have told us it was probably the best one ever. I think that is really a reflection of the effort the committee put in and all of the feedback that we have received.”
The committee has recently expanded, with two new committee members and recent graduates now on board (Drs Ching Wen Tan and Parnian Zareie). Together, the group is excited about what 2022 will bring, with the study club program lined up for the year.
Some of the speakers for 2022 will include orthodontist Dr Sanj Kandasamy, Dr Greg Crane, Dr Rohit Chaturvedi and other special guests, with topics including paediatric sleep bruxism, intraoral scanning, communication and more.
Be sure to add the following dates to your calendar:
Young Dentists’ Conference – Saturday November 12
“We are still trying to keep the program very grad-focused and relevant,” Bec says. “We try to find people who are great speakers, first and foremost, and ask them what they would have wanted to know when they were at this stage of their career.
“We have speakers who are passionate in their field and who are very approachable,” she adds. “One of the best things about the program is that we encourage attendees to ask questions throughout the presentations. After all, it is not a lecture but a study group. We want people to feel comfortable asking any question that comes to mind so they get the most out of the sessions.”
“Come along because I feel that we have a really good program that we are proud of and we want this to be something that will help dentists,” Amanda says.
“Everyone has a lot in common, so if you feel like you don’t know much about something or you want to learn more, don’t feel shy or embarrassed to come along because nearly everyone is in the same boat. No one graduates knowing everything and even experienced dentists don’t know everything – it is always a learning process, and this is why the study clubs are so important.”
“When you graduate it is very easy to become isolated because you work in a silo,” Bec adds. “You have your practice, and you mingle with the other dentists there if you are lucky, but so often if you have a chat to people outside of where you work you learn so much so quickly.
“We are trying to grow a community because we can all learn from each other.”
The NPP is going from strength to strength, thanks to the work of the committee and the enthusiasm of the attendees. There are plans to tailor a CPD roadmap for new grads and hopes to one day take the program on the road to rural practitioners. Watch this space.
Study Clubs cost $25 each, or $100 for all five, plus the Young Dentists' Conference in November. To book, visit https://adawa.com.au/cpd
Advertising opportunities are available in the Western Articulator, on the website and across social media.
Contact Shaden on 0452 426 533 or Shaden.Kanaan@adawa.com.au
We welcome clinical articles and good news stories for the Western Articulator and social media.
