Introducing Peter Nguyen and his dentistry journey

Rob: Welcome to the National Virtual Expo. I'm Rob Malicki, coming today from Garigal land in Sydney. Welcome to this session on getting into dentistry and getting the most out of the industry. I think you'll really enjoy this session if dentistry is one of the careers you're considering. We've got a fantastic guest, Peter, who's going to tell you all about his experience. He's got a great story of how he ended up in dentistry, all the way through. If you've got questions as you go, make sure you drop them in the chat. If you're watching this on the replay, jump on the CYU Discord - you'll find the details in the session description. And if you're a parent, we have a Facebook community just for you. Without further ado, let's get into this session with Peter Nguyen. Welcome to the National Virtual Expo. Thanks for joining me.

Guest: Hey Rob, good to see you again, man.

Rob: It is really good to reconnect. Last time you and I were chatting was a couple of years ago for the Choosing Your Uni podcast. I think it's great to reconnect for this session on getting into and getting the most out of dentistry. Now you've actually been through the uni dentistry journey since we last spoke. You've been out there for a couple of years. How are things going?

Guest: Yeah, it's been a couple of years and honestly it's been a huge learning curve. But in general I just love everything about it. Love the day to day, love the decision that I made. I'm really happy where I am at the moment.

Rob: I was just saying off camera that you do awesome content about dentistry, and I originally came across you through Instagram, talking about your journey through uni and studying dentistry. But what's surprised you most about having gone through dentistry and now being out there doing this thing full time? Any surprises now that you're in the workforce?

Guest: Great question, Rob. I'd say the biggest surprise for me as a working dentist is just how much we have to bridge the gap between what patients know and what we've learned, and how much we just have to explain things in a more simple way. That's the biggest one. I think when you're in dental school, you learn all these huge terms. You learn so much in such a short amount of time. And then when you're treating the community, you have to explain things in a really understandable way. That's probably the biggest switch I've found - really switching my brain back to who I was before I became a dentist and what I would have known, and connecting with a patient at that level.

A day in the life of a practising dentist

Rob: Tell me about the work day to day.

Guest: Another thing I've learned is just how much it revolves around the people you're treating, rather than the treatment itself. You're not just treating teeth as a dentist - you're treating the human being that has those teeth, and that's a whole different ballgame. At this stage of my career, I love it. I love connecting with people and being able to help them with their health. Day to day, this week I'm working four days. I worked five days last year and cut down to four because it's a lot of emotional energy, having to put my best foot forward and be very comforting and welcoming for every new patient. That took its toll on me last year. I've cut down one day to focus more on content. But in general I'm working nine to five across two different practices, based in Melbourne.

Rob: It must be quite fatiguing. I never would have imagined that emotional energy going in. But there's also the physical element too, right? It's a really active, dynamic job.

Guest: Yeah, 100%. In this climate of the rise of AI, it's kind of a blessing in disguise that it's both mentally and physically strenuous - it's a lot harder for AI to replicate well. You're using super fine motor skills when you're drilling tiny millimetres of tooth. If you're a bit heavy-handed, you've suddenly exposed the nerve, which is not where you want to be. But on the other hand, it's not just fine motor skills - if you need to do something that requires more force, like an extraction or a surgery, then you're going to have to be a bit stronger. Knowing when and where to apply your soft skills versus your stronger skills - that's a challenge that took me the whole first year to get used to. And on top of that, the mental element of creating a really comfortable and welcoming environment for every single patient so they feel at ease, because going to the dentist is not the most fun experience for most patients.

Rob: That's true, isn't it. A lot of people have that kind of psychological anchor of fear when they go to the dentist. So your first job is almost just to reassure - make people feel calm in this space. Explain, overexplain, re-explain what's going on.

Guest: Yeah, 100%. Initially it was pretty hard for me to deal with, but nowadays I just see it as an extra anchor to connect with someone, because I can start to delve into why they're anxious and really reimagine their perception of the dentist, which I find is actually quite a privilege. But initially it's hard to deal with when you've developed a workflow and then every single patient says, "Oh, I hate going to the dentist, I don't want to be here." Having to win them over is something I've learned to navigate. It still gets me sometimes, but in general it's a fun challenge, and it is a privilege to be working with them.

How Peter decided to pursue dentistry

Rob: One of the things I love about your work is that you're a great communicator. And folks, if you're looking along and you really want to see what it's like - not only to be a dentist now, but going back through Peter's journey through uni where he's documented it all - you can just go back through his feed and get this amazing snapshot of what it's like to study and work in dentistry. Can we back up to the start of your journey? How did you decide to become a dentist?

Guest: Thanks for that shout out, Rob, and likewise - you're an incredible communicator, and I was familiar with your work even before I got into dentistry, which kind of leads me to where I am. So, I initially wanted to do dentistry quite early on. My dad's a dentist, and so he was my first role model. For a couple of years he actually told me not to do dentistry. He said, like the things you mentioned before, it's physically strenuous, it's mentally really hard, and his back's breaking and he's tired all the time. So he really turned me off. But as I started looking into it, I realised how it is quite a good profession. And he was right - it has been really physically, mentally, and emotionally difficult - but I think it's genuinely worth it to know that as a profession I am doing good for the community, and it gives me that sense of purpose. Also, it's quite a comfortable salary - you do get paid pretty well for what you do. Those two things together, plus the fact that I really liked what the profession had to offer, and it's also going in an exciting direction. You don't have to be a general dentist doing the same thing day in, day out. There are new technologies that help us - things like loupes, things you can use to avoid hunching over all the time. There are new technologies to help improve posture and health, and with newer technologies it's a lot easier to complete treatments to a higher standard.

Rob: And then it's about getting in, right? It's probably one of the hardest health professions to get into, just under medicine.

Guest: Yeah, exactly. Out of high school I didn't get in - I applied but didn't get a high enough ATAR. I just missed out, I think. And then I had to go through the undergraduate pathway where you do three years of a non-related degree and then qualify from there. So I did science at Melbourne Uni. After two and a half years you have to claw your way into dentistry, which is how it felt. There are different pathways, but I think the good thing about that pathway is that it really cements your willingness and your drive to consider: is this something I actually want to do? In year 12 you might just have all these options if you do really well, so you choose dentistry and then realise it's maybe not quite right. Having an extra few years was kind of discovering more about myself and my true motivations for why I wanted to do it. It definitely made sure that once I got in, I didn't take it for granted. So I did my three years at Melbourne Uni, had a good time, but there was definitely this underlying stress of knowing I'm not actually in yet. What am I going to do if I don't get in? But very fortunately I did well enough on the gamsat and with my grades during undergrad to get a spot in WA for dentistry.

Rob: People might not realise when they're looking at this that it's very common for people in dentistry, medicine, even veterinary studies - some of these really competitive degrees - to move interstate to do the programme. So it was quite an adventure for you to head out west.

Guest: Yeah, as a Melbourne boy I'd pretty much never been to Western Australia before. I literally just thought it was a country town. But once I got over there I loved it. I actually just got back from Perth last week. It's probably one of my favourite places in the world, to be honest. The weather is amazing, I made some incredible friends, and the education I received was excellent. I'm very happy with the dental school and how they ran things. Obviously every dental school has its pros and cons, but I had a really good time with supportive staff who nurtured me through the programme. I made some lifelong friends and gained a kind of new home. I always look back at my time in Perth with a smile on my face.

What dental school is actually like

Rob: What was it like to actually study dentistry? Did it paralyse you in some way? It's quite a rigorous programme - a lot of contact hours, not just lectures but practical work at the same time. How does that all work out?

Guest: This is an interesting point, because I was working as a dental assistant even before I got into dental school. So I worked as a dental assistant, and then continued working as one all throughout dental school. Having that firsthand look at what it was like day to day to be a dentist, and then going to uni to study it, was kind of like learning things backwards - going back in time to see how dentists developed those skills. It was pretty surreal, I'll say that, seeing how they developed skills on models and thinking, "I just learned this procedure last week, and now I'm doing it on a real patient." It was a pretty crazy mental battle. But that's how you learn. At dental school there are always supervisors holding your hand along the way. It's a very intense programme where you're learning really high-level theory - very specific, very intensive study material - and then doing it straight away, whether it's on a model first and then on a real-life patient. It just gets you really comfortable with being uncomfortable, which is really good. I'd say it's one of the best bang-for-your-buck degrees because you get a lot out of it.

Rob: I really want to emphasise what you're saying there. Nothing truly rewarding - and I don't just mean in studies, I mean in life - is super easy. When you work for something you want and push yourself, you actually get that sense of achievement. So the fact that it's hard to get into and it's a taxing degree - these are good things that make it fulfilling at the end of the day, aren't they?

Guest: Yeah, 100%. Once you do something enough times, it does start to become manageable. Looking back even at this time last year, things that used to scare me or that I found frightening - once you do them enough times, they become something you look forward to because you've mastered them. You get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Working as a dental assistant - a smart strategy for aspiring dentists

Rob: You mentioned being a dental assistant through your three years of undergrad and then also when you got into dentistry. That sounds like a really clever strategy - firstly, the vicarious learning, watching a professional do their work every day, but also building up your resume. How did you get into that?

Guest: I was quite lucky - I just assisted at my family's practice for the first three years while I was in Melbourne. That was really good, though at that point I honestly didn't really know what was going on. I knew I had to give the dentist certain materials or chemicals they could use for the next procedure and I knew the steps, but I didn't actually know why they were doing it. Then once I was in dental school I was like, "Okay, now I know why you did this and what this is important for." That's how I got into it. And then once I got into dental school in Perth I couldn't work at my parents' practice, so I had to apply for another job. Having that experience definitely helped me get the job I wanted. I ended up working for a quite high-end practice over in Perth that did a lot of complex procedures - not just average everyday dentistry. I don't think I would have got that job without previous experience as a dental assistant. Even the first few months was really hard to adapt to the pace and the procedures at that practice. But yeah, working as an assistant is invaluable. It's not so much the technical things you learn when you're assisting - it's more about how the dentist talks to the patient, how they make the patient feel, and how they explain to the patient why they need what they need. Being able to articulate that in a way that is really digestible for the patient is such a skill, and it's something I'm continuing to develop as I grow in my career.

Traits that suit a career in dentistry

Rob: What kind of person would be well suited to this career?

Guest: Good question. I think the biggest thing is you have to be a leader. You're essentially leading your own little micro team. You also have to be able to manage your emotions quite well, even when you're stressed - because when you're stressed, everyone in the room can feel it. If you can't keep yourself calm and trusted, I don't think it's the best profession for you. Being patient and managing your emotions is really, really important. And being a resilient person - it's pretty hard to get through dental school, and once you're a dentist you're going to be struggling early on while you're finding your feet, and being able to push through that really matters. Someone who likes to communicate and connect with people - that's definitely underrated in a dentist. You're only as good as you can communicate, because you could be the most skilled clinician in the world, but if you can't show the patient that you are, it doesn't really matter - they're not going to proceed with treatment. It's about making the patient feel that they can trust you. And then technically, if you enjoy working with your hands, that's always going to help. Most procedures involve very small movements, so if you like surgery or working with fine, precise things, that's going to help a lot. You're using your brain and your body at the same time, so if you enjoy that, it's perfect.

Rob: And I guess the flip side of that is if those things don't appeal to you, it's probably not the right path. And if you're not okay with blood and bodily fluids, that's worth knowing going in.

Guest: Yeah, you'd be surprised, but yes - blood and bodily fluids, there's definitely quite a bit of that. And if you don't like interacting with people, it's probably not for you.

Content creation as part of a dentistry career

Rob: Let's touch on the content side of things. This is how we ended up meeting. How did you get into content creation?

Guest: It's a good question. Making videos and doing graphic design is a very creative aspect of my life that I didn't want to give up just because I was pursuing dentistry. I got into it just through making videos. I've always been really creative. I love having something tangible to represent myself - whether that's through graphic design, photography, or videography. I found that making videos was a really good medium for me to express myself in a creative way and broadcast that to whoever wants to watch. I mainly use my phone, actually, but I love being able to push my phone to create really cinematic videos that you would normally see on a video camera. I love the editing process, playing around with colours, making everything look stunning, working on font pairings - that kind of thing really inspires me.

Rob: It's really beautiful content. I never thought I'd be watching dentistry videos and enjoying them as much as I do. You're actually sharing this journey through uni and day-to-day life, and it's given me a massive appreciation of the work that dentists do. Has anyone come in as a patient yet and said, "I know you from Instagram"?

Guest: It has happened a few times. Not very often - I think most people watching my content are young people, and young people don't really love going to the dentist. It's more when you're in your forties or fifties that things start to pop up. But it has happened a few times and I always appreciate that. It's really surreal realising that this random person has been watching your content, but it makes me really grateful that my content has an audience. And I guess the other thing I didn't really plan for is that there's a big dental community on Instagram. What they tend to do is post cases, which is stunning to me, but for the general public you wouldn't really care about how beautiful a margin on a tooth is. Because there are a lot of dentists on Instagram showcasing their work, it wasn't too weird for me to slot into that space, but my content is a nice break from the purely tooth-related content - it's still kind of related to dentistry, which was a nice niche to slot into.

Rob: And this is what I'm saying - if you're here and you're interested in dentistry, you really need to check out Peter's content, because it really gives you the flavour of what this job is about: helping people, the lifestyle, all of that. That's why I'm super grateful for you joining me here at the National Virtual Expo.

Advice to a younger self: what Peter would do differently

Rob: Just by way of finishing up - knowing what you know now, having gone through the whole process, fought to get in, done the whole programme, and now with a couple of years of experience under your belt - if you could go back in time and whisper in the ear of young Peter, what advice would you have about the journey ahead?

Guest: It's hard because I'm so happy where I am in life. I don't regret anything and I'm really grateful to be where I am. But if there's one thing that could have maybe catapulted my career, it's this: I see a lot of younger dental students, and even uni students generally, creating content about their lives. And then there are some who are actually reaching out to high-profile dentists and creating content for them. I just think that's a genius way to make connections and friendships and be able to provide a service. It's a symbiotic thing where everyone gains - a lot of practices want marketing, they want a young voice, they want a finger on the pulse of what's at the forefront of culture. As a young person, you can give that. Even for me, working for two years now, I wouldn't always feel like I've kept up with what's really popular on Instagram, on TikTok, or whatever the newest platform is. Having someone who's a breath of fresh air to help out with that side of things while I focus on being a good dentist - that would be really valuable. So that's my recommendation: reach out to a dentist you look up to and try to find a way to be useful for them in a way that suits you. For me that would have been making videos, but whatever you do, I'm sure there's a way you can give something. And beyond that - everyone says enjoy your time while you're there, and I definitely knew that going through, especially because I'd fought quite hard to get into dental school. Once I was there, I really made a big effort to be present throughout the whole time, make as many friends as I could, and know that these days weren't going to last forever, but they were going to be a really good period of my life. I have no regrets in that regard.

Rob: Peter Nguyen, thanks for joining me at the National Virtual Expo. It's great to have you here, man. I love what you're doing.

Guest: I love what you're doing too, Rob. I can't wait to see how everything goes. It's good to see you again.