Episode Details

Welcome to What I Wish I Knew by Dental Head Start. This is a podcast where we learn from people that have been there, made the mistakes, learnt the lessons and have developed into the accomplished dental professionals they are today.

It’s your weekly mentoring session.

Hosted by Haydyn Bathurst

In dentistry we learn lots about how bacteria is the cause of all our problems, from dental caries, gingivitis, pulp necrosis and periapical lesions, are all bacteria bad for us? To discuss this question I’ve brought on Senior Lecturer at Melbourne University, Dr Samantha Byrne to discuss all things saliva and the environment that it creates for our microbiome. Very quickly into this episode you’ll learn how quickly this stuff gets nuanced in that there’s not really such thing as a good or bad bacteria. Another is the different ways in which patients may misinterpret advice that we give them. Okay Dr I’ve stopped drinking that lemonade like you told me and replaced it with drinking lemon juice instead? Who knew spit could be so interesting. Let’s get into it!

Dr Samantha Byrne

Samantha Byrne is a senior lecturer in Oral Biology, and Divisional Lead Oral Education and Innovation at the Melbourne Dental School. Samantha has been awarded multiple times for her teaching of Oral Microbiology to Doctor of Dental Surgery and Bachelor of Oral Health students.

She has a keen interest in learning and teaching, particularly the incorporation of practices which enhance student engagement and active learning. Samantha completed her PhD in 2006 where she explored the microbial composition of dental plaque associated with periodontal disease progression. This work was recognised by the Australian and New Zealand division of the International Association of Dental Research with the Oral Biology Award in 2010. She maintains a research interest in the microbial aetiology of chronic periodontitis and dental caries and supervises Doctor of Clinical Dentistry and Bachelor of Science Honours students.