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FREE Webinar

Things I Wish I Knew As a New Grad

with Dr Will Shield

Dental school teaches you dentistry.


It doesn’t necessarily teach you how to build a career in it.


Your first few years in practice come with decisions you probably weren’t prepared for, from choosing the right job and reading an associate agreement to presenting treatment, setting fees, managing difficult cases and figuring out what to do when the job starts taking more out of you than you expected.


In this honest, practical webinar, Dr Will Shield shares the things he wishes someone had told him when he graduated.


This session goes beyond clinical technique and into the decisions that shape your first years in practice.


  • How to approach cases with the end goal in mind

  • Why dental photography should start from day one

  • What to look for before signing your first associate agreement

  • The financial realities of working in private practice

  • How to present treatment options with more confidence

  • Why giving patients more options isn’t always better

  • How to handle a patient saying no

  • Why informed consent should be treated as more than a form

  • How to recognise burnout before you’re already deep in it

  • What deliberate, structured growth after graduation can actually look like

Date & Time Tuesday, 29 September 2026 — 7:00 PM AEST

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Free to attend — all fields required

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Meet Your Educator

Dr Will Shield

Dr Will Shield is a general dentist practising in Cairns, Queensland, with nine years of clinical experience. He's currently completing the Fellowship in Restorative Dentistry (FRD) through RIPE Global, working toward full mouth rehabilitation as a core part of his clinical practice. Alongside his clinical work, Will has a strong interest in how AI and digital tools are changing dentistry, and is a committed mentor to new graduates and dental students — guest lecturing at James Cook University and sharing clinical education content as @drwillshield on Instagram. His approach is grounded in "Learning on Purpose": the belief that growth after graduation has to be deliberate, not accidental.
Photo of Dr Will Shield

Certification Details

Course Title Things I Wish I Knew As a New Grad
Educator Name Dr Will Shield
AGD Subject Code 770
GDC Development Outcome(s) C

Awarded to Live Event attendees, or attainable with the replay.

FREE CE MASTERCLASS

Anterior Composite: Shape, Polish & Light - Practical Strategies for Predictable Aesthetic Success

with Dr. Sam Cope

 

Anterior composites rarely fail because of the material. They fail because of shape and light.

Small errors in line angles, contour and surface texture can make restorations look dull or artificial, even when shade and bonding are correct.

In this masterclass, Dr Sam Cope will share a practical framework for controlling shape, polish and light reflection to create natural, predictable anterior composites across different systems.

Clear principles. Repeatable decisions. More consistent aesthetic results.

By the end of this masterclass, you will be able to:

  • Identify why anterior composites look dull or unnatural

  • Control light reflection through shape and surface design

  • Improve polish and finishing for long-term aesthetics

  • Achieve faster, more consistent outcomes

 

📅 March 19th – 7pm GMT

Your timezone is:

Quick heads up: This live masterclass will run on Google Meet instead of Zoom.

Register now: 

“Early in my career, I believed aesthetic success came from using the ‘right’ composite or layering technique. Yet despite good bonding and accurate shade selection, some restorations still looked dull or unnatural. The turning point came when I shifted my focus from materials to shape, surface texture and light interaction. By simplifying my approach and understanding why restorations looked wrong, my results became far more predictable and efficient. This lecture reflects those lessons from practice and teaching.”

~ Dr. Sam Cope

composites 2.001 (1)

Meet Your Educator

Dr. Sam Cope

Dr. Sam Cope is a UK-based cosmetic dentist and international educator with a strong focus on minimally invasive aesthetic dentistry. He works in private practice delivering smile makeovers using Invisalign, whitening and composite and porcelain restorations, and is a current educator at RipeGlobal.

Sam has lectured internationally, acted as a clinical tutor on postgraduate restorative programmes, and has a background in physiotherapy, bringing a structured, evidence-based approach to both clinical dentistry and education. His teaching focuses on simplifying complex aesthetic concepts into practical, repeatable systems for everyday practice.


Sam Cope profile image 2025 - square dark (1)

 

Certification Details

Course Title: Anterior Composite: Shape, Polish & Light – Practical Strategies for Predictable Aesthetic Success
Educator Name: Dr. Sam COpe
Location: Online
Delivery Method: Lecture
AGD Subject Code:
GDC Development Outcome(s): C
Awarded to Live Event attendees, or attainable with the replay