The Unseen Curriculum: Formation Series #9 – The reflection habit that separates good dentists from great ones with Dr Uday Sen

Hosted by Dr Michael Shambira In this episode, Michael sits down with Dr Uday Sen to explore one of the most underrated skills in dentistry: how to reflect properly after a case. For many students and early-career dentists, reflection can become either vague, overly negative, or something rushed through after a difficult appointment. Uday shares a more practical and constructive approach: how to assess what went well, identify what could be improved, and turn clinical challenges into repeatable learning without spiralling into self-doubt. The conversation explores how high-performing clinicians process failure, why difficult cases can become some of our best teachers, and how structured reflection can help young dentists build confidence, clinical judgement, and emotional resilience over time. This episode is especially valuable for dental students, new graduates, and clinicians who want to grow intentionally rather than simply “survive” each clinical day. Connect with us: Dr Michael ‘Mike’ Shambira: @thatdentistmike Dr Uday: @sentist Key moments (00:00) Introduction and Welcome (03:00) Early Career Shaping Moments (08:00) Costs of Chasing Excellence (13:00) Mental Resilience and Boundaries (18:00) Building Discipline and Avoiding Corners (23:00) Documentation and Continuous Improvement (28:00) Targeted CPD and Mentorship (33:00) Managing Expectations and Challenges (38:00) Final Takeaways and Closing Dr Uday Sen Dr Uday Sen is a dentist with a strong interest in Advanced Oral Surgery and Implantology, clinical excellence and education, reflective practice, and helping clinicians develop beyond technical skills alone. Known for his thoughtful approach to case reflection and self-assessment, Uday has developed practical tools to help students and early-career dentists review their cases more constructively, learn from difficult moments, and build confidence without becoming overly self-critical. A special thank you to our sponsors Dental Protection Dental Protection have proudly been supporting the Dental Head Start podcast since day one! The Dental Protection team understands the ever-changing challenges faced by dental professionals and we take our responsibility to members seriously. Our professional protection package helps you practise with confidence, safe in the knowledge that we are always by your side if things go wrong. With over 40 years protecting Australian dental professionals, we have the global stability and financial resilience to be by you A special mention The Esesson Foundation The Esesson Foundation are running two events: their annual gala, and a clinical education weekend — and what makes this different is that every single presenter is donating their time. No egos, no fluff, just really good clinicians giving back. The goal is simple: raise money for healthcare access for vulnerable children. Last year alone, with around $300,000 raised, they delivered over $2.5 million worth of medical and dental care, treating more than 4,000 children who otherwise would’ve gone without. The CPD event alone raised $50,000 last year with 60 attendees — and this year, with more notice and more support, the aim is to double that. It’s one of those rare events where you get excellent clinical education and know every dollar of profit is going directly back into care. Nothing pretentious. Just good people, good dentistry, and a really meaningful cause. Check out the line up below… Enrol in the Clinical Education Weekend here Find out more and get tickets to the Annual Gala here The post The Unseen Curriculum: Formation Series #9 – The reflection habit that separates good dentists from great ones with Dr Uday Sen appeared first on Dental Head Start.