Creating Perfect Smiles

In a chat with Citadel, DR PRASHANT GUPTA (MDS Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics) speaks about his journey of becoming a successful doctor and points out the lack of awareness about MALOCCLUSION (misaligned teeth) and ORAL HEALTH in India.

- Nishad Shinde

Tell us about your growing up years…

I was born in a small town in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and then shifted to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. My childhood revolved around my family and my friends, as is the case with most growing kids. As for academics, I was studious, yet participated in extracurricular activities, which helped me to build my self-confidence. Most importantly, I am grateful to my parents who helped me to become a doctor. Had it not been them, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy my childhood days.

How did this profession happen to you?

While I was pursuing graduation, I made up my mind to become an Orthodontist. Also, I was inspired from my seniors; I used to see them treating patients with care. I too, wanted to treat patients with love and set a good example for my juniors.

Despite having a wide range of career options, why did you choose to be a doctor?

As a teenager, I had a dream of becoming an Indian Air Force pilot. But somehow, it didn’t fall in place, so I had to give up on my aspiration. Nevertheless, I was not demoralised. Instead, I went on to pursue my second dream of becoming a doctor. Also the fact that there were no doctors in our family pushed me to pursue and achieve my dream. Right from the first, I was focused on taking up Dentistry, because it created interest in me, drawing my attention towards it. Having seen patients with serious medical ailments getting cured was also one of the motivating factors that made me sign up for the field of Medicine.

What made you zero in on specialising in your area of expertise?