Welcome back and somehow we’re already at the season finale of Conversations With Dental Friends?!
We’re closing out the season with an absolute gem: Dr Niall Neeson, who you’ll definitely know as @thecalmingdentist. And trust me, the name is earned.
This episode dives into:
✨ Finding your niche in dentistry
✨ The real, practical tips for supporting nervous patients
✨ Why time is the most valuable asset you’ve got
✨ And how the right environment sets everyone up to thrive
A huge thank you to Dr Niall for sharing so many actionable insights especially those patient-management tips that will save both you and your patients a whole lot of stress on clinic days.
To find out more about BSMDH Scotland click here
Diploma in sedation trinity college Dublin here
SWOT analysis info here
Communication course here
Andrew jones sedation course here
Dental nurse sedation training dental sedation courses.co.uk here
Kit calm link here
The ever popular Paul Tipton course here
Oral surgery course with Chris Waith Joe McEnhill here
Ambrish Roshan composite course here
Michael Crilly composite course here
Niall on Instagram @calmingdentist you can follow the podcast on Instagram too @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m on Instagram too @homegirlhygienist
Boyne dental website including referrals for dental fear solutions with Dr Niall here
I genuinely can’t believe that’s another season wrapped. Thank you, truly, for every listen, message, share, and piece of feedback. It means more than you know.
And of course, thank you to every brilliant guest who joined us this season 🫶🏼 I’ve learned so much from each of you.
We’re taking a little Christmas break, but Season 4 will be landing in 2026 with even more brilliant conversations with dental friends.
Drop your guest suggestions in the comments and I’ll see you in the new year! 🎙️🦷✨
Episode 11 is live!
This week on Conversations With Dental Friends, I’m sitting down with Dr Janice Brown — a dentist who’s taken her clinical roots and built a thriving career in facial aesthetics. 🚀
We dive into:
✨ The power of a solid dental foundation for long-term growth
✨ Why smart investment always shows up before smart profit
✨ Backing yourself enough to make the leap (even when it’s scary)
✨ Social media as a growth tool and why nothing beats word of mouth
A huge thank you to Dr Janice Brown for bringing so much clarity, honesty and inspiration to this episode. Go give her a follow if you’re curious about referrals… or if you’re considering polynucleotides because, let’s be real, same 🤪💉
Are you practising facial aesthetics alongside dentistry right now? Drop it in the comments I want to know! 👇
Massive shoutout to our sponsors Dürr and DMI for supporting the podcast. 💛 and of course Marlborough Clinic Belfast for hosting us to record
If you’re interested in Tipton training click here
Masters degree in aesthetic medicine here
Bob Cantor course here
Lee Walker FA course here
Jonny De Souza clinic here
Galderma info here
Jason Smithson course here
ICE dental and implant institute course here
You can find Janice on Instagram @drjanicebrown
You can follow me @conversationswithdentalfriends and @homegirlhygienist
See you next week for another Conversation With Dental Friends. 🦷✨
Episode 10 is here 🎉 and it’s a good one.
This week on Conversations with Dental Friends, I’m joined by the incredible Lisa Grogan, a dental coach who’s genuinely shaking things up across the industry.
We get into:
A huge thank you to Lisa for sharing such sharp, refreshing insights into a career path in dentistry that more of us should be talking about.
You can find Lisa over at @lisagrogan_dentalcoaching drop her a message, get connected, see what coaching could look like for you.
And tell me in the comments: have you ever considered working with a coach as part of your career development?
You can find the chimp paradox here
You can find crucial conversations here
You can find Jen Atkin blowing my way to the top here
Find out more about AI receptionists here
You can listen to Shennae’s podcast around AI in dentistry here
You can listen to Alan Clarkes podcast here
You can find out more about Invisalign here
You can find out more about Chris barrow including his private business 100 group here
Make sure you’re following along here on Instagram, @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m over there too @homegirlhygienist and hit subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.
Massive thank you to our sponsors @duerrdental and @DMI for supporting the pod.
See you next week for another Conversation with Dental Friends.
Welcome back to Conversations With Dental Friends.
This week, in Episode 9, I’m sitting down with Dr Naweed Mamood an incredible associate dentist working across multiple practices both in the north and south of Ireland.
This episode really leans into the reality of growth in dentistry:
✨ how learning on the job actually happens, one tiny improvement at a time
✨ why good mentorship doesn’t just guide you, it elevates you
✨ how honest reflection is the backbone of real progress
✨ why challenges teach you just as much (if not more) than your wins
✨ and how empowering your team creates success that genuinely feels shared
A huge thank-you to Dr Naweed for being so open and generous with his insight not just clinically, but in how he approaches development as a whole. All links are in the show notes, and you can follow Naweed over at @dr.naweed.dentistry to keep up with his upcoming courses.
I want to hear from you too how are you growing as an associate right now?
Drop your thoughts in the comments.
See you next week for another Conversation With Dental Friends 🤍
You can follow Dr Naweed on Instagram @dr.naweed.dentistry
If you fancy studying at Plymouth university you can find out more information here
You can find out more about paste dental here and on Instagram @paste.dental
You can listen to Alan Clarkes super inspirational episode on season 2 episode 2 of the pod here
You can find out more about gentle dental here or on Instagram here @gentledental
Course recommendations
You can find out more about practicing dentistry in Dubai here
Thanks so much for listening 🫶🏼
Episode 8 of Season 3 is officially live 🎧
This week I’m joined by the brilliant Lauren O’Boyle a dentist who’s been incredibly open about navigating mental health challenges, the pressure of early career decisions, and the moment she realised she needed to pause, reflect, and choose a different direction within dentistry.
We get into:
• the pressure to choose your path far too young
• finding your place in the NHS system
• how slowing down can actually fast-track your clarity
• legal + ethical realities nobody really talks about
• mental health in a profession that rarely stops
• and why dentistry is just one part of who we are
A huge thank you to Lauren this conversation will resonate with the entire dental team, not just dentists. So if someone in your world needs to hear it, please share it their way 💛
All the info (including Lauren’s email) is in the show notes, so head there if you’d like to get in touch.
If you’re thinking about a career in dentistry click here
If you would like to study at queens you can click here
If you think Liverpool would be more you’re thing you can click here
If you’re interested in a legal and ethics masters you can click here
If you’re thinking of teaching in dentistry you can find more info here
For more information around dental indemnity you can check out dental protection here or DDU here
You can chat to Lauren via email lauren.oboyle@bupadentalcare.co.uk
This is such a difficult topic but for more information on suicide awareness training with NIMDTA you can click here
You can find more information on mental health services with mind here
You can find more about the headspace app here
You can follow the podcast on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can follow me too @homegirlhygienist
Massive thank you to our sponsors Dürr Dental and DMI, and to Marlborough Clinic Belfast for hosting us while we recorded.
👇 In the comments, tell me: how do you protect your mental health in dentistry?
See you next Thursday for another conversation with dental friends ✨
✨ Episode 7 is now live! ✨
This week I’m joined by the amazing Vicki Griffiths, a dental therapist whose career has honestly been one of the most inspiring we’ve featured so far. From making the most of her scope as a dental nurse to carving out her niche in dental therapy, Vicki’s story is full of insight, honesty, and plenty of motivation for anyone in the dental world.
We get into:
🦷 The incredible scope of practice for dental nurses
📄 Applying for dental therapy
💬 Tips for supporting patients with additional needs
🎯 Finding your niche
🤝 BSDHT and community in dentistry
📱 Navigating social media as a dental professional
This was such a fun conversation — I learned so much, laughed a lot, and honestly left feeling a bit like I’d had therapy myself. A huge thank you to Vicki for being so open and generous with her experiences.
And of course, massive thanks to our sponsors Dürr Dental, DMI, and The ICE Dental Institute in Manchester for hosting us for this episode!
If you enjoyed listening, make sure to check out the show notes for all the links, share this episode with your dental friends, and hit follow on the podcast so you never miss a new chat landing on your phone each week.
🎧 See you next Thursday for another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends!
You can find out more about applying for Dental Nursing here
Absolutely look into applying to your local dental hospital to really step up your dental nursing career, the Belfast trust website has loads of information here or Google in your area
If your interested in applying for dental therapy you can find out more information here
If you’re already a dental therapist (or dental hygienist) and you’d love to get that feeling of community by joining a society you can find more information on BSDHT here and BADT here
If you think studying in Manchester sounds amazing (because I do) you can find out more information about Salford university here
You can find links to all the post grad quails and more information about ICE Dental Institute here
You can find Vicki on Instagram and TikTok @vic_dental_therapist
You can find Conversations with Dental Friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can find me on Instagram and TikTok @homegirlhygienist
If you’re interested in the face spray you can find it on Amazon
You can check out Siobhan Kelleher’s brilliant episode on Season 2 Episode 3 of this podcast and find out more information on her course here
Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends 💬
This week I’m joined by the brilliant Shennae Bartlett from Chairsyde a dentist who’s diving deep into how AI can actually support us in dentistry, rather than replace us.
We’re unpacking:
✨ The myths (and truths) about how AI will really impact our careers
🦷 What AI actually means for the dental world
🛠️ How tools like Chairsyde can make your day-to-day easier and more efficient
💡 And how leaning into innovation can help us rediscover our passion, tackle burnout, and build a more sustainable future in dentistry
A huge thank you to Shennae for such an insightful, inspiring conversation and for reminding us that embracing change doesn’t have to mean losing the human side of what we do.
Big thanks to our sponsors Dürr Dental and DMI for supporting this episode.
🎧 Don’t forget to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode and let me know in the comments: How are you using AI in your dental career?
You can find out more about Chairsyde here
You can find out more about research opportunities here
You can follow conversations with dental friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends
And I’m over there too @homegirlhygienist
Finally apologies for any sound issues on this episode we are working with the latest technology but sadly there can occasionally be feedback even after sound enhancement but I hope you still enjoyed it!
See you next week for another deep dive into all things dentistry and beyond 👋
🎙️ Welcome back to another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends!
This week we’re joined again by Aoife and Lucy for part two of Surviving Dental School and trust me, it’s a good one.
We’re diving into everything from:
🦷 staying sane through exam season
🧠 looking after your mental health
💼 joining the BDA and spicing up your CV
✨ making the most of your time outside of study
📄 and of course, navigating foundation training applications.
A huge thank you to Aoife and Lucy for coming back to share such honest, relatable insights into life as dental students at Queen’s University Belfast it’s the kind of conversation every dental student needs to hear.
If you’re currently studying (or gearing up for foundation training this year 👀), let us know in the comments what resonated most — we love hearing your thoughts!
See you next week for another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends! 💬
You can find quizlet here
You can get more information about dentistry at queens university here
You can find the student wellbeing service at QUB here
You can get more information about student membership at the BDA here
You can find more information about research at QUB here
You can find more about the BDA future leaders program here
Post graduation courses can be found in Northern Ireland at NIMDTA here
You can find out more about foundation training here
New episode alert!
This week on Conversations With Dental Friends, I’m joined by Dr Emma McCrory, a specialist orthodontist who’s built her own orthodontic practice right here in Northern Ireland.
We’re diving into everything from:
✨ What speciality training really involves time, cost, travel, and all the realities
✨ Relocating as a specialist and finding your place
✨ The highs and hurdles of setting up your own practice
✨ Building and empowering an incredible team
✨ The secret weapon that is orthodontic therapy
✨ And how Emma’s journey has evolved into education and beyond
A huge thank you to Dr Emma for sharing so openly there are so many brilliant takeaways in this one, not just for orthodontists, but for the entire dental team.
For more information on speciality orthodontic training you can click the link here
For more information on Orthognathic Surgery you can get a brief overview here
To refer to Emma and her team at Lisburn Orthodontics you can click here
To find out more about orthodontic therapy training here in Northern Ireland you can click here
And you can find out more about Rebekka Hamilton’s journey into orthodontic therapy on Season 2 Episode 5 of the podcast or clicking here
You can follow Dr Emma on Instagram @dremmamccrory and her practice @lisburnortho
You can follow all things Conversations with Dental Friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can follow me @homegirlhygienist
To book onto a course with Dr Emma you can find out more info at the British Orthodontic Society here
You can tune in now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 🎧
New episodes every Thursday hit subscribe so you never miss an episode!
See you next week for another Conversation With My Dental Friends 💬🦷
🎙️ Welcome back to episode 3 of this season of Conversations with Dental Friends!
This week, we’re switching things up diving into what it really takes to get a dental product from idea to shelf with Dr. Mike and Dr. Toby, the minds behind Dr. Heff’s, the dental supplement your patients definitely need to know about.
We’re talking:
💡 Getting into dentistry
🚀 Turning a product idea into reality
🧩 Balancing innovation with a full-on dental career
🌱 And how big ideas just… keep growing
A huge thank you to Dr. Toby and Dr. Mike for such an inspiring chat and for proving that your dental product dreams might be closer than you think. If you’ve got an idea, reach out to the podcast or to Dr. Heff’s directly let’s see how we can use our dental community to lift each other up.
As always, let me know what you thought of this one and if you’d love more behind-the-scenes conversations like this 👀
You can follow Dr Heff’s on all social media @drheffs or you can find out more on their website here
You can shop Dr Heff’s on their website or on Amazon
You can also listen to Victoria Sampson’s Diary of a CEO episode here
You can follow the podcast over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can follow me there too @homegirlhygienist
See you next week for another episode 💬
We are back with episode 2 of conversations with dental friends! Today I’m joined by the London hygienist herself Anna Middleton discussing the last decade of her career highs and lows and everything Inbetween
In this chat we get into
- getting started in dental hygiene
- Widening your scope of practice with additional dental therapy training
- Becoming an entrepreneur
- How dentistry and poker aren’t that far apart
- Protecting yourself against burnout and honouring your mental health
Massive thankyou to Anna for being so open and honest I know there will be loads of comments and questions after this so our DMs are always open
See you back here next week for another episode of conversations with dental friends
We’re back with episode 2 of Conversations with Dental Friends 🎙️
This week, I’m joined by the London Hygienist herself — Anna Middleton — to look back on ten years of breaking boundaries in the dental industry. From the highs and lows of building a career and brand, to the realities of burnout, balance, and being your own boss, Anna shares what it’s really like behind the success story.
We cover:
💬 Getting started in dental hygiene
🦷 Expanding your scope with dental therapy training
💼 Stepping into entrepreneurship
♠️ Why dentistry and poker might have more in common than you think
🧠 Protecting your mental health and recognising burnout before it hits
A massive thank you to Anna for such an open, honest, and inspiring conversation. I have no doubt this one’s going to spark a lot of thoughts (and probably a few DMs) — so as always, our inbox is open.
You can read Simon Senek start with why here
You can get your own copy of Instagram for Dentists here
You can find out more about Anna’s course thrive here
You can find Aces High on Instagram @aceshighlondon
You can follow Anna on Instagram @londonhygienist and annaconda_life
You can follow Victoria Wilson on Instagram @mysmilerevolution
You can follow Joe Lovett @joelovettcatalyst
You can follow me @homegirlhygienist and of course this podcast @conversationswithdentalfriends
If you don’t know about chat GPT you can find out more here
If you want to practice dental therapy at home
For more info on the BDA you can click here
Phillips sonicare here
EMS here
For more info on becoming a dental hygienist dental therapist you can check out ucas here
See you next week for another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends.
Welcome back to Season 3 of Conversations with Dental Friends!
In our opening episode for this season I am thrilled to introduce Dr Colin Campbell!
This was such a brilliant chat where we discuss
- moving forward through adversity
- building a purpose built practice
-stepping into education
- leaving a legacy in dentistry
Thankyou so much to Colin for such an honest and open conversation, we mentioned loads of good resources so I’ll try and link as many as possible below
You can find out more about the Campbell Clinic, the Campbell Academy and Colin’s Blog here
If you’d like to find out more about the absolute gentleman Mark Pollock you can find out here
All of Simon Sinek’s literary catalogue is available on Amazon
There are many many great dental photography courses but here’s an online one from UCL London
The Marlborough Academy Conference is amazing if you would like to sign up for 2026 you can via the Marlborough Academy here
If you’re looking for your community within dental implants you can find out more about the ITI here
or the ADI here
And you can sign up for the next ICE dental institute course here
You can follow all things conversations with dental friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can find me over there too @homegirlhygienist
See you next week for another conversation with my dental friend
Bonus episode drop ✨
It’s that time of year again… application season. Whether you’re going for Oral Health Sciences, Dental Hygiene or Dental Therapy, I’ve pulled together some golden advice from two people who’ve been there and done it Aaron Stewart and Rosie Murphy from way back in Season 1.
We’re covering:
📝 UCAS & personal statements
🎤 The interview process
🧩 CASPer testing
📩 A special message from Aaron & Rosie themselves
A massive thank you to our sponsors Dürr Dental and Lighthouse Dental Company for supporting the pod, and of course to Aaron & Rosie for sharing their wisdom.
If you’re applying this year, good luck, and remember my DMs are always open if you need a bit of guidance.
If you’re interested in a course in Oral Health Sciences or Dental Hygiene or Dental Therapy you can find out more here
If you’re interested in studying dental nursing you can find out more here
You can find out more about post graduate dental nursing courses through NIMDTA here or through the NEBDN here or through tempdent here
If you’re interested in an access course you can find out more info here
If you’re applying to a uni using a Casper SJT you can find out some more info here
You can follow Rosie on Instagram @r.j.therapy and you can follow Aaron @aarondentaltherapy they’re more than happy to answer your questions via DM
you can follow all things conversations with dental friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m over there as well @homegirlhygienist or on TikTok if you prefer
P.S. Season 3 is wrapped and ready to go… we’ll be back next week with another brand new episode of Conversations with Dental Friends.
Hey everybody welcome back to the season finale on Season 2 of Conversations with Dental Friends
In this episode I’m taking to NI dental legend Amanda Jackson
Amanda has had such an amazing career from Dental Nursing to Management to Education and Course Creation.
There were SO many things to add to the show notes so here are as many as I can cram in
If you’re interested in becoming a dental nurse you can click the link here
If you would like to move into formal education training you can explore some more info here
NIMDTA has so many amazing post qualifications for DCPs which you can explore here including fluoride application, practice management, orthodontic therapy, training for nurses of FT dentists, operator training and full team cross infection training
You can find out about NIMDTAs open day for sixth form here
And of course the NIMDTA conference is happening on the 17th of October which you can register for here
And of course you can contact Amanda via her email amanda.jackson@hscni.net
Thankyou so much to all of our amazing guests on season 2! We have a special bonus episode next week and we’ll see you soon for Season 3!
Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends in today’s episode I’m chatting to the brilliant Michelle Molloy about practice management
You can find out more about dental nursing here
More information about Michelle’s practice management course here and you can also check out a similar course through NIMDTA here
You can follow Larne Dental Centre on Instagram @larnedentalcentre
Thankyou so much to our amazing sponsors Dürr Dental and Lighthouse Dental Company and a special thankyou to Larne Dental Centre and Dr Jillian Saulters for hosting us to record
You can follow Conversations with Dental Friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can find me over there too @homegirlhygienist
See you next week for another episode!
Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends!
This week I’m chatting to Dr Maria Catney however you may know her as someone else when you get to the end of this episode 👀
Maria first and foremost is an amazingly gifted dentist and here are some links to the courses she suggested here
MJDF
Occlusion course
Perio course
Orthodontic Course
However if you are interested in creative writing or just want to find out a bit more you can check out the Romantic Novelists association here
You can follow along with Maria’s writing journey over on Instagram @saoirse_morrigan and if you are interested in perusing some creative writing persuits then I’m sure Maria would be happy to chat via DM
You can follow along with all thing Conversations with Dental Friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can find me over there too @homegirlhygienist or over on TikTok if that’s more your thing @homegirlhygeinist1
Thankyou so much to our sponsors Dürr Dental and Lighthouse Dental Compang and of course Marlborough Clinic Belfast for hosting us to record
See you again next week for another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends
Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends!
This week I’m joined by the amazing Nina Farmer who is a DUAL QUALIFIED Dental and Nutritional Therapist
This chat with Nina as so amazing because not only does Nutritional Therapy enrich your life but it can also enrich the lives of your patients and colleagues too.
To find out more about Nutritional Therapy you can click the link here
If you’re interested in becoming a dental therapist generally you can click the link here
If you’re interested in joining BSDHT or coming to an event you can click the link here
To find out more about the ADI you can click the link here
You can follow Nina on Instagram @nina.integratedhealth and if you love Nutrition you might want to also give @juliettereeves1 a follow because she’s amazing too
Thankyou so much to our sponsors Dürr Dental and Lighthouse Dental Company and of course big thanks to the girls at Megagen for testing our Vitamin D levels
You can find all things conversations with Dental Friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m over there too @homegirlhygienist
See you next week for another episode
Welcome back to another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends
This week I’m chatting to Aoife Lordan, who has just graduated from Dentistry at Queens University Belfast and Lucy Mulholland who’s in final year.
This is a two part special in this episode we chat about A Levels, Applying to University - UCAS personal statements interviews and choosing to do dentistry at Queens University Belfast
If you’re interested in applying for dentistry you can find more here
If you want to find out more about queens university belfast you can find out more here
Thankyou so much to our sponsors Dürr Dental & Lighthouse Dental Company and Marlborough Clinic Belfast for hosting us to record
See you next week for part 2 of this conversation with Aoife and Lucy on Surviving Dental School
Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends! This week I’m chatting to the incredible TCO Shelley Dawson
If you’re interested in training to be a dental nurse you can check out the NEBDN website here
You can find some amazing dental implant training courses below
https://www.nebdn.org/qualifications/post-registration-qualifications/dental-implant-nursing/
https://www.smilewisdom.co.uk/nebdn-certificate-in-implant-nursing/
https://icedentalimplants.co.uk/introduction-to-dental-implant-nursing/
https://www.campbellacademy.co.uk/the-online-dental-implant-nursing-course
If you’re interested in exploring more about treatment coordination
https://dentaltrainingcollege.com/courses-certificate-in-treatment-coordination-course.html
https://www.smiledentalacademy.com/short-course-treatment-coordinator
You can also follow Laura Horton over on Instagram for some more amazing ideas
Thankyou so much to Shelley who you can also follow on Instagram @shelleyd1986
Thankyou so much to our sponsors Dürr Dental and Lighthouse dental company and Marlborough Clinic Belfast for hosting us to record
You can follow us over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and I’m over there too @homegirlhygienist
See you next week for another episode
Welcome back to Conversations with Dental Friends this week I’m sitting down with Jack McHugh Engineer, Industry Expert and Founder of Lighthouse Dental Company which he launched this year.
This conversation is not just interesting from Jack’s perspective of starting a business but also has so many transferable messages if your thinking about opening your own dental practice or launching your own venture
To hear more about Jack’s story you can follow him on LinkedIn here and follow the company on Instagram @lighthousedentalcompany_ire
You can follow friends that invest (formally girls that invest) wherever you get your podcasts.
You can follow all things conversations with dental friends over on Instagram @conversationswithdentalfriends and you can follow me too @homegirlhygienist
Big Thankyou to our sponsors Dürr Dental and Lighthouse Dental Company for sponsoring this episode and Marlborough Clinic Belfast for hosting us to record
See you next week for another episode of Conversations with Dental Friends