The past year has been nothing short of tumultuous. Although we're glad it has come to an end, we would also love to reflect back on the events we've enjoyed over the year, which you will find on our '2020 in Rewind' page! We would like to say a big thank you to all our readers, co-writers, and sponsors for supporting us throughout the year.
We would also like to extend our best wishes to academic and non-academic staff who are leaving the school this year. We are tremendously grateful for their guidance and fantastic contributions to the school.
Whatever happens in 2021, we're positive you will all have the strength and ability to push through, as you have in 2020. Keep up to date with UDSS in the new year with your 2021 Media Reps, Rachael and Joanna, on Instagram (@udssuwa) and Facebook (@uwadss). We wish you all the very best for the holidays and the year to come!
0 4
0 6
0 7
0 8 1 0 1 2
President's Farewell
2020 in Rewind
DMD2 Halfway Picnic
Annual Dental Dinner
Dentist chat for the freshlygraduated DMD4's
Congratulations to the 2020 graduates!
Well just like that, another year is done and dusted! It’s been a unique year, to say the least, with good times and some really difficult ones too. Congratulations to everyone for continuing to work hard throughout the year and make it out the other side.
Despite the madness of 2020, the UDSS still had a wonderful year running events whether in person or online With our first year of Journal Club via Zoom I’m so thankful to Bede and Pauline the UDSS Education Representatives for adapting quickly to ensure we could all still get the most out of our educational events for the year. We also managed to hold some fantastic social and sports events throughout the year, for some a much-needed and well-deserved break Ebony and Lili, the Junior Social reps, helped us all kickstart 2020 fabulously with Prime and Bond, and while we all stayed safe at home for a few months, they helped pick up our spirits with GV Black! To finish off the year and send off the DMD4 students, Emma and Anthony, our Senior Social reps, culminated their efforts into the wonderful Narnia themed Dental Dinner, which was a fabulous night for all!
I also can’t forget to thank the committee members that gave up their scarce time to ensure the UDSS ran smoothly this year. Whether they worked behind the scenes managing sponsorships and finances to keep us going, or curated social media content so everyone knows what the UDSS is up to, or spent their mornings sending off emails to represent their years’ concerns, I am incredibly grateful for each and every member of the 2020 UDSS committee that stood
stood beside me this year For the new UDSS President Ethan and the incoming 2021 committee, congratulations and thank you for choosing to represent the students. I know you’ll all do a fantastic job!
This year for UDSS would also not have been possible without the help of our sponsors Thank you to all of the sponsors that support the UDSS and your efforts in representing and caring for students
I’ve been honoured this year to have a part in enriching the dental school experience for students, regardless of whether it be through extra-curricular events, educational opportunities or student representation To the students continuing their dental school journey, keep pushing through and please remember that UDSS exists for you if you need it
And last but not least, a huge congratulations to the graduating class of 2020. While this year has been incredibly strange and difficult at times, the final year students have persevered and gone on to complete their degrees and time at dental school I wish each and every one of the graduating class the best of luck in whatever they decide to pursue
Wishing everyone a very happy holiday season and New Year.
Signing off for the year,
Chelsea Tye 2020 UDSS President
Annual Dental Dinner
SEPTEMBER
SRSS Presentation by W/Prof. Paul Abbott
JC Presentation by Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen
UDSS T-shirt design competition
ADSA R U OK Day & bake sale
NOVEMBER
Sem 2 exams and end-ofyear break
Table tennis tournament won by Nick Goh
UDSS Love Letters
New UDSS logo debut
Quiz Night
Bounce Trampoline Park
OCTOBER
Welfare x UDSS Food Drive
JC Presentation by Dr David Thean
2021 UDSS Committee announced
New UDSS socks & shirts
AUGUST
SRSS Presentation by Dr Sadaf Sassani
GV Black Cocktail Evening Research Day
JULY
New Head of School and Dean, Prof Hien Ngo
JC Presentation (Zoom) by Dr Daniel Sundaresan
SRSS Presentation by Dr Vanessa Cho
Pool tournament won by Jason Guo
Spinrphex Dental & Oral Health Evening with Dr Patel
Head & Neck Cancer Day
Presentation by Dr Amanda Phoon Nguyen
ADSA x UDSS Soup for the Soul Fundraiser
JUNE
Sem 1 exams and mid-year break
MAY
SRSS Presentation by Dr Anna Buckeridge
MARCH
ADSA Blood Donation Drive
SRSS Presentation by Dr Zohaib Akram
JC Presentation (Zoom) by Dr Vanessa Cho
SRSS = School Research Seminar
FEBRUARY
SRSS Presentations by A/Prof Johan Aps & Dr Kate Shearston
JC Presentation by Dr Jennings-Lowe
Prime & Bond Social Event
APRIL
JC Presentation (Zoom) by Dr Vanessa Cho
JANUARY
Introduction to Dentistry
Presentation by DMD3s/4s
with Claire's doggo, Butter
On the 12th of November, the DMD2s travelled to the one location in Perth known for its picnics none other than King's Park to celebrate completing half of their journey to becoming dentists.
Blessed by the presence of playful pup Butter (thanks Claire), the DMD2s enjoyed an evening of relaxing and devouring delicious homemade (and store-bought) finger food. Thanks to DMD2 year rep, Ethan, for organising the occasion!
made by the DMD2s
Complete with three courses, the highly-anticipated final year video, and the presentation of awards to the most dedicated clinical and teaching staff, the annual UDSS Dental Dinner was an excellent opportunity for 250 of OHCWA’s students and staff, as well as their friends and partners, to celebrate the completion of the 2020 academic year. This year, the event was held at the Westin Perth on Friday 4 December and was Narnia themed to kickstart the festive season. We would like to extend a gracious thank you to our generous sponsors and personal donors for their support.
Emma Turner & Anthony Radziejewski 2020 Senior Social Reps
A huge congratulations to you all, you are now in the privileged position to be members of a trusted profession, but now the real learning begins.
I’d like to share a few words of wisdom that have stood me in good stead so far:
The first thing I learned in dental school was to never badmouth another dentist’s work. You don’t know how that patient presented or what the clinician had been through in that session. We are all trying to do our best for our patients.
The longer you practice, the more likely you are to forget that a trip to the dentist is a big deal for most people. Patients may only attend once or twice a year, or even less frequently if they are nervous. Remember the golden rule: treat everyone as you wish to be treated yourself; hopefully that’s with kindness and compassion.
Always thank your nurse at the end of the day, no matter what you’ve been through, you’ve been through it together. They have the potential to make tomorrow great fun or completely miserable!
Treating family members can be stressful; you are likely to overcompensate and try too hard, unfortunately that’s when things tend to go awry. Instead, consider a reciprocal agreement with a colleague that you trust and treat one another’s families.
Never be scared to ask for help, it will help you grow and prosper into better dentists.
FLOSS :)
Congratulations to the DMD4 cohort of 2020! Completing dental school is only the tip of the iceberg. There is plenty more to learn and discover and it truly is an exciting time.
Wherever you practice, we hope you find a caring and wise mentor to help you through the growing pains of being a new graduate dentist. The learning curve is steep and we’ve all been there before. It is really important to reflect on your learning experiencesboth triumphs and shortcomings, so stay in touch with your classmates whether they’re near or far.
Our advice would be to start by mastering the basics of clinical dentistry. There are plenty of excellent CPD courses available to help refine your clinical skills and improve your confidence. We are sure our paths will cross in the future, so all the best and congratulations again to the 2020 DMD graduates!
Now that you’ve obtained your dental degree and license, your professional life is taking off and as one of your captains I have to warn you it may be a bumpy flight sometimes with for sure a steep climb. You will learn how to navigate though. But remember to respect the rules of the game and to have respect for your colleagues and patients.
Try to only do what you like best. It is not a disgrace if you don’t like pros or paeds for instance. If it’s not your thing, fine. There are plenty of colleagues who do like the things you don’t fancy!
Anyway, I wish you all a pleasant and fruitful career in a profession that will require your full attention and devotion.
Dr. Dent. Johan Aps, akaTo the freshly-graduated: This is probably one of the most exciting times in a new dentist’s career, at the beginning! Setting solid foundations are the building blocks for how you want your future practice life to go. Good habits add up!
My best advice during this time is to set up your networks. They should be as wide as possible: senior dental colleagues, your peers, the Australian Dental Association WA, dental specialists, the list goes on.
If an emergency happens (and it probably will at some point), do you know who to call? Are you comfortable contacting a specialist you know about a case that you might be having difficulty with? Or if you need HR advice? No one person will have all the answers... but it’s probably a good idea to know a bunch of people to ask for help!
For those toying with the idea of specialising: This one is really simple! If you love a particular aspect of dentistry, and cannot imagine doing anything else for your career that you would like as much, specialization might be a path for you.
Don’t forget to talk to the current DCD postgraduates in the program, as they will be able to give you the most current insights!
Congratulations and best wishes!
dramandaphoonnguyen
To the class of 2020!
Congratulations on your graduation and best wishes for your next adventure! No one could have predicted what a historic year your graduation year was going to be.
Enjoy your well-deserved success and good luck as you embark on the next phase of your life.
It may be a small group but there is always someone to help so don't forget to reach out if you ever need.
All the very best!
For feedback and suggestions, contact us at: udss.media.officer@gmail.com https://www.udss.online/ https://www.facebook.com/uwadss
Find us at:
University of Dental Students' Society 17 Monash Ave
Nedlands, Western Australia
All photo credits to their respective owners.