- Senior Orthodontist and Professor
1Can you start by taking us back to your early education days? How did you join BDS, and how was the BDS journey for you?
From my younger days, I am connected to dentistry because my father was a dentist and there was always an influence from him. Though I initially tried medicine, I eventually got into the stream of dentistry. In my first year, I honestly didn’t know and was not linking the course. I thought I had made a wrong decision in life but things turned around when I started seeing patients during my clinical years of BDS. I started thinking dentistry was a noble profession as I started treating patients. I completed my BDS from 1986 to 1991 at Annamalai University.
2Take us through your career path after BDS? How did you reach the point where you are today?
After my graduation, I joined as a BDS staff in the Endodontics and Oral Surgery Departments of Ragas Dental College. Soon, I was posted as a staff in the department of Orthodontics without my liking. But soon, my entire outlook towards orthodontics changed when Dr N.R.Krishnaswamy (NRK) joined as a new staff in the department of Orthodontics. Soon, I set out to pursue my master's in Orthodontics from the Government Dental College, Chennai in the year 1993. After my master’s graduation, I joined the teaching profession and have been in this ever since. Teaching is a responsibility and we ought to take it up in a holistic way. My greatest joy is when the students I taught come back to me to look up to me despite reaching great heights in life.
3What are the highest points/peaks so far in your career? What are the roadblocks/challenges or hardships faced? How did you overcome them?
In Dentistry, unlike in medicine, people come to you mostly in non-emergency situations. This means they would open up about various issues in life to you. For me, my patients are like close friends and family. Some people call me up after several years to talk about their health problems and get my opinion before going to their doctors. Your patient’s confidence in you shows the impact you have created in their life.
The peak of my career includes growing as an academician and also taking up higher positions in the Indian Orthodontic Society (IOS). From being an executive member, I was elected as the vice president of IOS when we took various initiatives including creating manuals for Orthodontic Private Practitioners. Currently, I serve as the Vice Chairman of the Indian Board of Orthodontics (IBO). I have also presented internationally at various conferences and published widely in various national and international journals.
But more than all this, the love and gratitude that my students show and the confidence that my patients show in me are my biggest achievements.
Challenges-wise, the profession is becoming more and more commercialized. So, we must stick to our conscience while taking decisions.
There are also professional hazards like back pain that I face from practising dentistry for several years. By focusing on posture correction and core strengthening exercises, we need to take care of this. Practising sitting and standing dentistry alternatively is also a great tip that I received to take care of my back pain. We shouldn’t overburden ourselves with physical work. And I would like to give a word of caution about health to all dentists.
4What 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.
It is fact that the field is getting saturated. There is no denial about that. But it is not a profession that has gone away. Everything is relative. Hard work and perseverance are essential to success. Young dentists, I would advise you to stick on to dentistry. If it is not reciprocating financially, pursue other smaller interests for additional income. Dentistry is still a noble profession. Don’t give up on it as a whole.
Another thing that I have noticed is dentists tend to start in a grand style and thereby overburden themselves with loans, EMIs etc. Start in a small way...
If you have a hand for dentistry, an eye for passion and a heart for purpose, dentistry will reward and you will succeed. Cling onto that Hope.
5What plans and goals do you have for the future? What are your dream projects and aspirational career plans?
I wish to do some mission work and serve the community whenever the time arrives for that.
Dr. Ashwin Mathew George, MDS. DNB.
Prof- Department of Orthodontics,
Saveetha Dental College and Hospital.
Vice Chairman- Indian Board of Orthodontics.
