After treating a patient named Anna, Sharonne Zaks saw the power relationship with her patients differently. She developed a new branch of dentistry to help care for survivors of sexual assaultSharonne Zaks grew up in a family of dentists, and when she too became a dentist, she developed an empathetic relationship with her patients, never judging them even if they'd avoided the dentist for years.After some years, a patient named Anna profoundly changed Sharonne's understanding of a patient's experience in the dentist's chair.She realised that for those who've been through a sexual assault or trauma, the extreme powerlessness of being treated at the dentist can be highly triggering.Sharonne undertook study into the area, and began a new regime to treat survivors in her own practice.She then began explaining what she'd found about the power dynamic between dentist and patient, to her own profession.Further informationWatch Sharonne's video about finding a dentist you can trustSee all Sharonne's videosTo binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, singers, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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