Trained at the University of Adelaide, Prof Ironside is a board registered Specialist in Prosthodontics with a passion for high quality dental care. He is also passionate about teaching and research with a particular emphasis on Fixed Prosthodontics, Implants and TMJ dysfunction. Prof Ironside is committed to encouraging his dental colleagues to use microscopy in their daily practice to allow them to see what they don't see and deliver better treatment outcomes for their patients. He is also involved in teaching Fixed Prosthodontics to the students at Charles Sturt University.

His master’s research centered on posterior composite resin and his doctorate from Sydney University looked at the loads required to initiate fracture in the bi-laminar dental ceramic system known as In-Ceram. The study found that the cracks initiated in the feldspathic surface layer. The study also found that the load required to initiate fracture was dependent on the thickness ratio between the two layers and the supporting surface.

He has lectured around Australia and New Zealand plus Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States and has several publications in international refereed journals.

Prof Ironside is also very enthusiastic about photography and helping people to become better photographers.