- Prosthodontist and Leading Clinical Practitioner
1Take us through your career path after BDS? How did you reach the point where you are today?
After completing my BDS from Tamil Nadu Government Dental College in 2002, I ran my private clinic for two years.
My first clinic was started in 2002 with a massive investment of 1.5 lakhs. I had about 15000 that I had saved from my CRRI Stipend and another 50000 that I had won as prize money in a PC gaming competition. The remaining money was a loan from my parents that I am yet to repay. For about 2 years, all I used to do was go to my clinic in Nungambakkam at 8 am (morning) and sit and play video games, until such time when a poor patient would walk in and commit the cardinal sin of disturbing my recreational activity.
I had no goal and zero motivation to get out of my comfort zone. After trying his damn best to get me to prepare for PG Entrance and failing miserably, my late father had to sacrifice his position as the dean of a Prestigious dental College in Chennai and join as a Professor at Annamalai university to get me a Seat at Prosthodontics in 2004
I shut my clinic to concentrate on academics. Well, not really. I just was too lazy to bear the burden of having to run a clinic in Chennai and do a PG at the same time.
After completing my MDS, I joined the same institution as a senior lecturer and worked there for seven years (2007-2014).
My first Salary was Rs.21000. The years 2007 to 2012 were what I could only call the most fun and comfortable period of my career. Trust me- There is no better feeling than sitting at the same table in front of which I had stood for hours to get a Border moulding approved. Meanwhile, I also resumed my private practice in Chennai. But, due to my distant job and lack of attention, my clinic could never become profitable. There were days on which we would make Rs. 2000 in the clinic and celebrate as if we had just made 2 lakhs.
Nothing can damage a person more than the false sense of security that a guaranteed monthly salary gives. There is no motivation to better yourself or step out of your comfort zone.
In 2013 due to circumstances and events that were out of my control, I was very rudely woken up from this false sense of security
Overnight it became impossible for me to continue in the job that I loved and had sacrificed a lot for. This was,
Lesson No 1 in my career- If you do not learn to use your job, Your job will use you and discard you once your usefulness is exhausted.
Out of Pure Desperation, I started preparing for the license exam (HAAD) for Abu Dhabi. In 2014, By pure dumb luck, I cleared my written exam and interview on the first attempt and got hired as a specialist at a renowned hospital in Abu Dhabi. I quit my job, shut my clinic, and moved to Abu Dhabi. My First Salary in my second job was a measly 4.5Lakhs a month plus incentives. This was,
Lesson No 2. In my career – You have to move out of your comfort zone to grow in your career.
Within 1 month of joining my new job, it became abundantly clear to me that I will not be able to survive in my new job by only doing Prostho work. In a very short period of time, I had to learn to handle RCTs, Complex implant Rehabilitations, Difficult Third Molar extractions etc. These are procedures that I had only seen someone else do from a distance and had never even attempted to do myself.
This was also my first job in the Private sector. The thing about the private sector is that one is made acutely aware of how much He/she is worth. Just having an MDS or BDS does not entitle one to a guaranteed monthly salary and job security. No one will nurse your ego like in a college job. It is a fair but Cutthroat environment. For me, it was like being thrown into the deep end of the sea without a life jacket. I could either learn to swim and survive or sink and perish. To cut a long story short, I somehow managed to survive. Every clinical skill I have today as a Dentist was either learned or the foundation for it was laid during the three years that I spent in Ahalia Hospital in Abu Dhabi. In fact, the seed for my “Dentistry without Compromise” Philosophy was laid during these 3 years.
The three years I spent in Abu Dhabi was worth much more than the seven years in academics.
All Good things come to an end. In 2017 I made a hard decision to leave my Job (at that time I naively assumed temporarily) and come back to India as my father had passed away and my mother was alone. I had every intention of going back to Abu Dhabi eventually.
Some months later, when I felt comfortable with my domestic scenario, I reached out to my then-employer to ask them if I could join back in my old job. I was very politely informed that my services were no longer required as I was replaced with someone else at a lower salary.
At 40 years of age, I found myself unemployed. I was not willing to join back in a college job because I could not imagine myself going through that soul-crushing experience again. I did not want to start practice because I simply did not have the confidence that I could practice the same quality of dentistry that I had practised for the past 3 years.
Out of pure desperation, I started hunting for a job in Abu Dhabi. Trust me when I Say this, many of you will not understand the true meaning of hitting rock bottom until you are forced to roam the streets of Abu Dhabi, knocking on the doors of every hospital, clinic and medical centre you can find on Google maps, only to have yours hopes crushed by repeated rejections. I was a former Associate Professor of a prestigious teaching institution. Just a few months back, I was making 4 to 6 lakhs a month. How did I let myself Fall so far and so fast?
Career lesson No 3 – Never Bet the Future of your Career and Livelihood on the presumed Kindness of Strangers
This is the part of the story where the hero rises like a Phoenix from the ashes. Unfortunately, this isn’t that kind of a story. I was truly and completely broken.
This is not the story of an all-conquering hero, who brushes off all failures and pushes forward to spectacular success irrespective of the odds. This is the story of a very ordinary man and how he has managed to survive despite hitting rock bottom.
I came back to India with my tail firmly tucked between my legs. A few months later I joined as the Clinic head of one of the clinics owned by the corporate dental Chain Dentys. This company was later acquired by Clove Dental. I spent a total of 8 months in this Organization. These 8 months helped me rediscover my confidence in myself as a clinician and a leader. I eventually left because I had put up with a lot of bull shit in my life to retain myself in thankless jobs. I had very little tolerance left over to put up with any more bull shit. My final salary in the very last job that I will ever work – Rs 65000 after tax
In September 2018, I invested all my life savings and started my current Private practice. These days I have no idea how much I will make every month. But what I make is mine, and I am not answerable to anyone. No Hod, No HR, No Zonal Head to give or deny me leave or tell me the kind of Dentistry I should do. I work when I want and how I want...... This is not my destination, but just one more stop in my never-ending journey.
Career Lesson No 4 – Never Look for a Job, Look for new Experiences, Don't build a Career, Build a Legacy
2What are the roadblocks/challenges or hardships faced? How did you overcome them?
Initially, when I set up my clinic after my BDS and MDS, I lacked the passion and organizational skills to run a clinic.
In my academic career, the politics at the college became toxic for me, and I quit soon.
But today, my patients are the ambassadors of my practice; I want to deliver the best possible treatment to them. Giving discounts and resorting to cheap promotional tricks will perish my reputation in the market.
“Dentistry without compromise” has helped me attract patients who seek the best treatment, irrespective of the cost.
3What message do you have for budding young dentists at crossroads as they read this? Many are worried about their future career prospects as the field is becoming highly competitive and challenging.
Saturation in the dental field is evident.
Young dentists everywhere are frustrated and trying to take decisions in haste.
Remember, even dentists in developed countries such as the US and Australia undergoes this phase.
Don’t lose hope and focus on building a career by broadening your skills.
Even after completing an MDS in one speciality, try to learn the work of other specialities.
Learn and work under someone before setting up your practice. Keep your eyes and ears open to learn from others.
We must be willing to learn all the right things from others keeping our egos aside.
Develop a practice which you are proud of and would prefer visiting if you were a layperson.
This write up consists of some excerpts from Dr Satish Alavandar’s interview with Dentistry Insider. The full interview can be read here - https://dentistryinsider.com/stories/the-tipping-point
