Welcome all readers to the first issue of the probe for 2024! Firstly I’d like to thank Jim and his 2023 committee for all their hard work and for what they have achieved in the past year as they have pushed UDSS onto a whole different level in 2023. This year we have a committee filled with talents from all different aspects and I would like to thank them for stepping up and volunteering their time alongside their commitments to studies and life. As President of UDSS, I pledge to uphold
the highest standards of service, to deliver excellence to our students and sponsors alike
The dental school is evolving in different ways as we have currently seen with the adjustments to clinics and lectures as well as the introduction to scrubs It is important that all of the student’s voices and opinions are considered when these changes are made. UDSS represents all students and their views through your DMD year reps. Should any concerns arise, please do not hesitate to reach out to them. They are really friendly!
UDSS recently ran our educational events – Intro to dentistry by DMD4’s and Extraction Tips and tricks by Dr Grady, and our first social event Prime and Bond with both being a great success! I’d like to thank our education reps and junior social reps for their outstanding efforts. Keep an eye out on our exciting 2024 annual dental ball by our senior social reps Sinya Zheng and Jade Tan as we will be releasing details soon!
Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our sponsors, whose generous support makes these events possible! With the introduction of the new sponsorship rep role held by Peter Dignam, we will commit to ensure that our sponsors receive the recognition they deserve and that we fulfill our obligations to maintain their satisfaction. UDSS warmly welcomes any sponsorship inquiries; please don't hesitate to contact Peter Dignam for further details.
Finally, the Executive Team comprising the Vice President (Shreyash Nigam), Treasurer (Jewel Ajimon), and Secretary (Kavindi Thilakarathne) is always at your service, ready to assist with any queries or concerns you may have. Together, let us embrace the promise of the year ahead, as we pursuit excellence and camaraderie within the UDSS community.
Ashton Foo UDSS President 2024
Hi there! We’re Stella and Samantha, your Media Reps for 2024 (woohoo!) We’re so excited and proud to present the first instalment of Probe for the year! It is both of our first time being in the UDSS committee, and we are looking forward to putting to good use our various skills and talents to serve all of you!
As interstate/international students, we can relate to how isolating and daunting it can be starting school and living in a new place without your
family or friends. We believe the best way to create new connections and get the most out of your dental school journey at UWA is to get involved and take up opportunities to try new things! Whether you ’ re interested in social events, sports, volunteering, or educational opportunities - UDSS has an array of events to suit your needs.
Dentistry is a challenging course so it's important that we establish a good work/life balance to prevent stress and avoid burnout. We also need the support of our peers to get us through 4 years of dental school! Getting involved in UDSS events is one way to improve your work/life balance, foster stronger relationships with your peers, and get to know students from other year levels! As such, we strive to provide you with the most up to date information regarding all UDSS events and external opportunities. We will also be releasing 3 more instalments of Probe throughout the course of this year, so do keep an eye out for those
Finally, we know how impactful social media can be in fostering a strong sense of community. So if you haven’t already, follow us on Instagram to stay in the loop! We hope you enjoy this edition of Probe and please feel free to reach out to us if there is anything you’d like to see more of in upcoming editions. Cheers!
STELLA MULLANE AND SAMANTHA TOH Media Reps 2024
DMD2 Rep
DMD2 Rep
DMD1 Rep
DMD1 Rep
Ayham Qawas
We started off the year with the annual UDSS Introduction to Dentistry event on Thursday 25th January A group of DMD4s kindly volunteered their time to present on the different specialties in Dentistry and its relevance to our dental course, as well as handy tips and tricks they learnt along the way. Over 50 students attended the presentation and we received lots of positive feedback! A big thank you to all our presenters: Ranudi De Silva, Josephine Santoso, Chris Zhu, Sinya Zheng, Jim Rae, Peter Nguyen, Helen Quach and Cathy Zhou and to all the students who attended!
Recently, we also hosted our first journal club of the year with special guest Dr Helen Grady who presented on ‘Extractions: Tips and Tricks for the General Dentist’. It was great to see the overwhelming amount of interest for this presentation, with KJ Sutherland being filled to the brim with DMD4s, 3s, 2s and even 1s. Overall it was a fun, engaging, and highly relevant presentation, so we are immensely grateful to Dr Grady for volunteering her time to share her wisdom with us You will often find Dr Grady at OHCWA (in emergency and exo clinic), E-block or Royal Perth Hospital.
It’s always a pleasure to see students staying back after 5pm on a weekday to learn more about dentistry and enhancing their knowledge. Make sure you keep a look out for our next Journal Club! As always pizza will be provided, so please come along with your fellow students, and learn more exciting dentistry If there any topics that are of particular interest that you would like to see, please reach out to the Education Reps Laurence
Prime & Bond turned out great this year! We enjoyed a change of scenery with the new venue (and didn’t get kicked out at 10!). A particularly huge turnout from the DMD1’s and a generous bar tab sponsored by ADAWA made for a great night of mingling between the cohorts. It was a bit of a scramble organising it but the night turned out better than we could have hoped. See you guys at GV Black!
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RAGHAV RAVIKUMARA AND AMIR AMINY (JR SOCIAL REPS ‘24)
OnbehalfofHelen,Carly,Raymond,Jonathanandmyself(Jim),weare thrilledtoshareourrecentfourweeksofdentalplacementinBunbury;an experiencethatexceededallexpectationsandleftanindeliblemarkour journeytobecomingdentalprofessionals.
UnderthementorshipofDr.Khody,eachdaybroughtforthunparalleled clinicalexperiences.Dr.Khody'sdedicationwasevidentashemeticulously allocatedpatientswithdiversetreatmentneeds,ensuringwewere constantlychallengedandhoningourskills Thisnotonlyenrichedour logbooksbutalsobolsteredourconfidenceinhandlingaspectrumofcases.
One groundbreaking concept introduced by Dr Khody was "quadrant dentistry," revolutionizing our approach to appointments This method not only streamlined treatment but also prioritized patient comfort and comprehensive care a winwin situation for both practitioners and patients alike. Moreover, the luxury of having a dedicated nurse throughout appointments felt surreal yet incredibly efficient. This collaborative setup not only expedited treatments but also fostered a seamless workflow, maximizing our productivity within the given appointment time You also didn’t have to worry about booking the patient in with reception for their next visit- your nurse had it sorted before you even thought of it!
Daily clinical debriefs and comprehensive tutorials further enriched our learning experience. From practical theories to advanced techniques such as endodontic rotary using the latest ProTaper Ultimate system introduced in 2023 to mastering surgical extractions and denture craftsmanship, ea equipped us with invaluable insights and skills. Beyond the clinic genuine appreciation from our patients was heartwarming. Token such as home-baked goods, were a testament to the strong patien bond fostered even during our short time in Bunbury
For those inclined to indulge in a little extra sleep, like our future colleague Jonathan ;) , the convenience of the OHCWA house, just 1.2km away from the clinic, offered the perfect respite, ensuring a well rested start to each day.
However, it wasn't just about work our time in Bunbury also provided ample opportunities for camaraderie and bonding. From shared meals to impromptu beach trips, we forged lasting connections and memories that transcended the clinical setting
In conclusion, our recent dental placement in Bunbury was nothing short of transformative. Dr. Khody's mentorship, coupled with the enriching clinical experiences and the warmth of the community, made it an experience we will cherish for years to come
For those who are unsure or unaware of the opportunity to participate in the Bunbury OHCWA placement in DMD4, it is an opportunity that will enrich your student experience and an opportunity that you will be thankful for in years to come. Reach out to us or any of the DMD4’s to find out more!
The ADSA lifeblood is well underway! As future young health professionals, there are many ways that we can do and give back to the wider community, e g donating blood, plasma and platelets is just a couple of wonderful ways that we can do this!
Currently, the team at Griffith University is ahead with 20 donations, UWA is currently 4th with a total of 7 donations. I would like to encourage everyone who are eligible to donate, as it is a good opportunity to make an impact and save lives!
Keeping in mind how busy we can get with study and life, it is fantastic to see how engaged our students are across the country in this great initiative.
Catherine Zhou (ADSA Rep ‘24)
As your Spor ing you some e r!
Huge thanks to our social netball team, Yo Chi, who will be flying the flag for dental students in social sports on Tuesday nights. We hope to see more teams in Semester 2, so bring together your group of mates and take advantage of the $200 UDSS subsidy.
The table tennis competition is also coming up in April, which is always intense and lends itself for dramatic viewing. Start practicing in the common room; there’s prizes for both singles and doubles tournaments! We also have our annual badminton competition on the horizon in early May, organised in conjunction with the UWA Podiatric Medicine Students’ Society. Then in late May, we have our much-loved ice skating event at Cockburn Ice Arena coming up. Whether you have never even seen snow before, or you grew up playing ice hockey (Canadians I’m looking at you), the ice skating event is always iconic and heaps of fun.
Looking forward to seeing you all there, and keep your eyes peeled for a potential inaugural inter-DMD event as well!
Peter and Shenelli (Sports Reps ‘24)
A P R I L
Loupes trade show
Table tennis tournament
M A Y
Dent vs. Podi Badminton Competition
Ice Skating
