Building my skills in dentistry

I need to acknowledge many who helped me at each step in my career. The picture above is of my mentor Dr. Achuth M Baliga and my guide Dr. Samuel Shadrack. Thank you 

Starting with the college where I joyfully gained my initial knowledge 

   I still smile when I remember how a friend misheard the professor, say spray as PRAY and give the injection in the Pedodontics department and started praying in front of the patient before giving the injection.

 Here is where the massive amount of basic dentistry knowledge was learned. The internship time was spent in rotations, where I also ran a college newsletter in dentistry and organized a college festival. I stepped out of college all excited at the prospect of joining the workforce. 

 Starting from managing a single chair practice at Shweta Dental clinic in Bangalore, India, then joined Manipal Hospital initially as an observer and then as a junior resident doctor at Manipal hospital under the able guidance of Dr. Achuth M Baliga and Dr. Samuel Shadrack. I consider my mentors and guides, for it is from them that I’ve learned the maximum in Dentistry. They guided me through composite fillings to root canal treatments, starting with humble scaling on numerous patients. Here, I learned/saw all aspects of dentistry, from extractions to surgeries like apicectomies. 

Before leaving India, I worked in Dr. Thukral’s clinic in Poona to learn about lasers and get my diploma in it from the Vienna university's society of oral lasers association.

I left to do my Master in oral biology at the University of Louisville, USA. . Where I met many international students, saw the unselfish commitment the teacher had towards a hard-working student.I learned dental research under Dr. Sven Ulrik Gorr. who on leaving for the University of Minnesota as Dean, a higher position, gave me three options

 join him thereafter few months of his settling down, 

complete my master’s in oral biology and take my degree, 

or carry my credits and apply for a Ph.D. at the Integrated Program of Biological Sciences (IPIBS).

 Dr. Thomas Geoghegan then, the director of IPIBS who took my 9th and final interview. (My friends were confident, as I had done well that semester, that I would be accepted in the Ph.D. program and were in a mood to celebrate with a pizza treat.) Dr. Thomas Geoghegan conveyed the good news to me while I was holidaying in India. I miss him, as he passed away with pancreatic cancer last year. 

I worked in medical research labs, on aging and spinal cord research for six months., A year was spent doing dental research on salivary glands, then I finally joined Dr. Paula Bates lab. She was my mentor for two and a half years, where I worked on drug development for cancer.

 I came back to India after seeing different angles of research and earn my master's in Biochemistry and molecular biology.

On my return to India, seeing my dental experience at Manipal hospital and research abroad, a dental college friend, Ashita Bhatia recommended me to a dental company 3M and I joined as their dental south India technical head. The best way to be back in the dental field. I learned about aesthetics and cosmetic dentistry, new materials and lectured all over India, and got to work with some of the top dentists of the world, the key opinion leaders, or KOLs of 3M. Here, I learned how dental corporate function and did a little bit of dental research in their laboratory in Bangalore. 

Then, I left it to pursue my dental goals by working in Johar dental and laser clinic to refresh my memory in lasers. During my tenure with3M ESPE,  I worked at another batchmate's clinic California dental and aesthetics center where I rehoned my dental skills especially in  Prosthodontics, and as I did over 200 crowns while there in a month. 

Soon the opportunity to have my own practice at GG hospital presented itself. I learnt  how to manage a clinic myself under the blessings of the owners Dr. Mohan Velu and his wife Dr. Mrs. Rajalaxmi Velu, the nurses and staff, who treated me like their family.

After five years at GG, l approached the head of department Dr. Sharon Diaz and Dr. Achuth M Baliga at Manipal hospital to work under them . It will be my good fortune to learn all aspects of extractions, surgery, Implant under the mentor ship and guidance of Dr.  Baliga and Dr Sam. The former is considered one of the top dentists in India and as per Quora is No. 1.

I admire their skill, consistency, perseverance and hard work attending to patients day after day.  Today I am content at the start of my own clinic in Defence colony Bangalore where I hope to help.and heal people, and so serve humanity in my own small way.

Many unnamed but always acknowledged people have helped me in this journey of mine. I can't thank them enough for their love and support. May we all be so blessed.

Stay safe Stay healthy.