What do you enjoy most about dentistry?

 

What I love most about being a dentist is the connection with the patient and my exercise of empathy. It is very satisfying to see them leave the office with a better understanding of their oral health and with a healthy, beautiful smile. My goal as a dentist is to provide comprehensive, quality dental care to my patients and to educate them on proper oral hygiene. I strive to help patients maintain healthy and beautiful smiles through preventive and restorative treatments. I also aim to be a leader in the field of dental care, staying up to date on the latest research and techniques. I am especially passionate about pediatric dentistry and the role it plays in helping children develop good oral hygiene habits for life. I feel I can have a positive impact and contribute to the overall well-being and long-term oral health of a patient through early detection, proper diagnosis, and preventive treatment from the beginning.

 

I thrive on making patients comfortable, being supportive and non-judgmental, and making them feel at ease because I share their concerns about everything relevant to oral health, from eating to talking and smiling. I find the greatest joy in helping my patients to maintain or rejuvenate their self-esteem, promoting and augmenting their quality of life. The most important way to show empathy is by actively listening to the patient’s issues, validating their concerns, and building trust so that the patient can communicate more effectively because of being an active participant in their treatment. I look forward to building long-term patient-dentist relationships.

 

I remember clearly one of my patients was in their early twenties when they visited me for a consultation, the upper front teeth were unaligned as well as decayed, with increased mobility. She was extremely apprehensive about coming to visit me because she was afraid that the treatment might hurt, and she was also afraid of needles. I made her comfortable by explaining how I am going to do her checkup and that she should feel free to share her concerns and expectations with me. I assured her that I would provide the proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment to the best of my abilities.

 

After the consultation, I told her dental braces were not a feasible option because the teeth were not savable, and the better treatment would be extraction of upper front teeth and replacement of them with a bridge. Initially, she was adamant that she did not want to take out her teeth and as a girl, I understand her concerns over the fulfillment of her social and work commitments without teeth, so I explained each stage of the treatment plan.

 

Eventually with a lot of explanation and understanding from my side she trusted me, and we took out her teeth and gave her a temporary bridge. We then started working on her permanent bridge. The day her treatment was completed, and she got her permanent bridge she was extremely happy and satisfied with her appearance and smile, and we developed a good dentist and patient relationship. Devoted to lifelong learning, I hope to always continue to grow professionally in dentistry, especially through the advancement of technology. I look forward to always staying active and up to date with research as I see that as a necessary and integral part of excellence in dentistry. I anticipate reading myself to sleep at night for the rest of my life, staying fully abreast of effective treatment options since this is what I find most thrilling. Continuing education courses on different topics, hands-on workshops to learn new skills, and exploring the ins and outs of related specialties can help one continue to grow as a dental professional.