Brisbane QLD - Stephen Shepherd BDS (Sheffield)

Age

40

Previous job in the UK:

I came out here immediately after finishing my degree without any work experience

What prompted you to come to Australia?

It became clear to me during my studies at Sheffield that the way that the UK dental system was not something that I could possibly enjoy working in. And I heard that in Australia you were qualified as soon as you finished university to practice in private practice.

I had never been out to Australia before. I asked around from people who had been and worked in Australia and the opinion was unanimous that Australia was a great country to live in and practice dentistry in. My referees told me that the Australian mentality was far more laid back than the UK.

Also, my aim was to come out and live in Australia. I knew that I wanted to be trained in the Australian system of practicing dentistry. Getting a year’s experience in the VT would hold me at a disadvantage, as the system is totally irrelevant in Australia.

What were the steps you took to come to Australia?

Some of my clinical tutors recommended that I get in touch with DJS and ask advice on moving to Australia. I got a personal response from DJS and it all turned out to be a pretty easy process. I started discussions with DJS in mid third term third year. By the end of the fourth year, when most of my colleagues were seeking VT work in the UK, I had decided that I would be moving out to Australia to work. I qualified in June 2008, and arrived in Australia in July 2008. Immediately after receiving the slip indicating that I had passed my exams, I sent this on to DJS, who subsequently completed my visa registration and then I was on my way!

Who did you come to Australia with?

With my wife. She was able to come out on my 457 visa as a dependent. The visa did not require any real work or effort on my part. Everything was sorted by DJS including my first job. I didn’t have any stress going into my final year as my job was already sorted.

How long do you think you will stay in Australia

I don’t ever want to leave! I am going to get my permanent residency as we are planning to stick around.

What is the earning potential like?

I am currently earning double or triple what I could have earned in the UK doing my VT year.

What was your first job when you came out to Australia

When I arrived in Australia, I had to find my path and get exposure to different practices to understand what was the norm. This is the beauty of working with DJS. I was able to try a couple of different practices before settling into the one that I liked. I was able to work 4 days in one practice and 2 days in another, with one of the practices having many pensioners and the other with more working couples. I got great exposure to lots of different groups of people and was able to find which practice worked best for me, gaining from a wealth of different experiences. It also increased the number of mentors available to me.

Describe your current role

Working as a General Dentist in Brisbane (on the East Coast of Australia), 5 minutes from the beach, 20 minutes drive from the city centre. We are living in a riverside apartment. I am working about 12 hours a day, entirely out of choice, as working that many hours gives me fast-track experience to develop. Not a bad salary bonus as well. We do everything from pediatrics with inhalation sedation through to dentures, root canals and crown and bridge. As a VT in the UK, it would be very unlikely that you would have exposure to this level of work, especially crown and bridge. In this respect, I am pretty lucky!

What else drew you to Australia?

My referees also said that on a professional level, in Australia, everyone was on the same level. From cleaner to Principal Dentist, everyone was treated as human. I have found this to be true.

If you are interested in having an Australian experience like this one, contact Dentist Job Search at www.djs.com.au / info@djs.com.au