SPEAKER_06 0:00

Okay, welcome back everyone. We're in um the warm Durban. Um at a Congress actually, a dental congress. So this is probably the one time in the year in dead in Durban where there's probably the most oral health practitioners in the country at one space and one time. Uh our next guest, you probably already know her if you follow anything dental or even non-dental on social media and things like that. Dr. Rohini Bissal. Thank you so much for joining us.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

Oh thank you so much, guys.

SPEAKER_06 0:35

Yeah, welcome.

SPEAKER_00 0:35

It's a pleasure to be here.

SPEAKER_06 0:37

There was there's a story I have about you, a personal one. Um long ago, not long ago, maybe two two, three years ago, you might you probably won't remember this, but yeah, I was at one of these congresses, but it was in Cape Town, and I've got a colleague that works with me in the UK. Uh his name is Alistair McKelvey, who works at dental protection. And in my jobs, from time to time I write articles about ethics and professional whatever issues. And so there's one article that I wrote I was very proud because it got published in in a magazine called The Dentist in the UK. So it's actually got published in the UK.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Amazing.

SPEAKER_06 1:14

Yeah. And so I told him, okay, Alistair, you know, you're coming to Cape Town for this Congress. Uh, do me a favor and please will you actually bring a hard copy of the magazine for me.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:25

So I can have it, you know, as a f for for for m memento's sake, right? So he brings it, and then m I'm sitting at one of these booths getting ready to present, and I'm paging through it. And then I turn to one of these pages, it's a full page advert, and there's a woman on on the on the pic uh on the page. It had nothing to do with dentistry, I can't remember, but it was and I was like, I know this person from somewhere.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:49

And then it clicked because I follow you on social media, I'm like, no, this is Dr. Bissell, but it what what is going on? So I took a photo and I said spotted and I sent it to you.

SPEAKER_03 1:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:58

So how does that happen? How how is your photo in all random places in the country and in the world, overseas even?

SPEAKER_03 2:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:05

And also, I think recently you just posted that you spotted yourself somewhere. It was a momentum advert or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

It's very odd. So a bit of a story. Uh while I was studying dentistry, so I I think I was in second year or third year, I decided, okay, um, let me stop modeling. So I was in Cape Town, I studied via UWC, and um, I just approached agencies and then applied and so on. And those shots that you see me spots it at is purely images that I've taken while I was modeling, during my modeling career. And it's really funny because a lot of a lot of the pictures are also dental related. One of my colleagues in the UK, he used my pictures for one of his websites. But essentially, it's just via modeling. People go on this website, they buy the images, the stock images, and that's how they source the images and they use me as a face of whatever brand it is. So yeah, it's it's really it's it's interesting that I still get spotted nowadays, and it's kind of heartwarming because it's a part of my life that that was kind of my side hustle. So, you know, when you're studying, you want to make extra money on the side and so on. So that was the way that I also grew in my modeling career as well. And it's obviously it turned out to be this way.

SPEAKER_04 3:18

And if I can ask, how does that work? Do they pay you per um like viewing or once it's the shoot is done?

SPEAKER_01 3:26

I wish it did, but unfortunately there's no royalties. Oh, okay. But you do get paid for the shoot and for the usage and so on. So yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 3:33

Oh, that's interesting. But isn't it a bit jarring? Like what if you spot yourself in a in in like something that you don't want to associate yourself with? Do they tell you what you could they're gonna use it for?

SPEAKER_01 3:44

See, unfortunately not. So with regards to the images, it is very professionally used. So it's only professional companies that are able to purchase your images and so on. So if they get- I mean the the images that I've taken is very professional related in a suit or whatever it is, there wouldn't be anything that would go against anything.

SPEAKER_06 4:02

You know this or you hope this?

SPEAKER_01 4:04

I I like to hope that I sign the contract for a reason, right? So it protects you as a model from any of the Well, hold on.

SPEAKER_06 4:11

I I work with lots of doctors and dentists, and one thing I know, yeah I'm I'm I'm guilty of this myself even is like we don't read everything we sign, right? Like so I hope you're ready to get an attendee to go through. Now I'm making you uh a bit nervous.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

But look, it's it's beauty because like because being in the modeling industry for such a long time and then pageantry and so on, you tend to become very much so used to what is out there. So it's not just me shooting for that specific company that uses the images. I've done a lot of other shoots that have obviously the same sort of you go through the contract and so on, and also I was with an agency at the time. So being with an agency and not a freelance model obviously does protect you a little bit more because they obviously they they protect you from an agency point of view. So I think from that perspective, especially when I chose an agency to work within Cape Town, you gotta suss out the I was a DNA modeling agency, so they're quite a reputable one. You've got to make sure, because look the industry as a whole, the the how not the social media, or I would say the what would you call it, the the arty sort of industry.

SPEAKER_05 5:24

The creative side.

SPEAKER_01 5:25

The creative side. It's not the most glamorous as people may see it to be. There are certain things that can be a little negative to your reputation and so on. So you've got to be very wary with who you associate with and what you're shooting for. And I've always been cognizant of that, knowing that I am studying a professional degree at the same time. But I think one of my biggest things was also for myself to break barriers, to be like, I don't want to just be a dentist, I don't want to just be cooped up into one specific thing because I do have a creative side of me. I mean, when I was in school, I studied drama. I thought if dentistry didn't work, I'll probably go into acting or something like that. So it was me fulfilling that creative side of myself. Um, but doing it in a way that is professional and I would say elegant and classy and so on. That that's what I want to go for. So I guess that's where the modeling comes into it. And obviously, yeah, you've you've spotted this.

SPEAKER_06 6:20

Fascinating, yeah. It's cool. I think you might have even you're probably on billboards and things.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Uh yeah, there was once I was on the cow, the cow train train or like a bus in Joburg, and then my sister, while my sister was in Joe Burg, she's like, she's like, oh, you're on the bus, you're on the cow train. They were advertising for cow train and so on. There's once where I'm in clicks, and then I'm I'm advertising for a pain medication where it's like I'm I'm showing like I'm in pain. So, you know, when everybody goes to clicks and then they see me on there, it's it's quite interesting. You know, when you spot yourself, it's always like, oh, I remember the beaties of those. Like, you know, it's not just the image that you see, you remember what happened behind the scenes, how we got into position, and and also the feeling you need to create to bring about those images. So it's very special, and I'm I'm very grateful for for that.

SPEAKER_06 7:03

So you're used to this thing of people tagging you and saying spotted here, spotted there, everywhere.

SPEAKER_04 7:07

Oh I mean, it's I don't know, it's either cool or it's creepy, but I guess if you know what it's going to be used for, then I mean on the flip side of that, I recently came across something that was taken off me without my consent. Okay. It was posted in a in a group uh for advertising purposes. I think in one of our previous uh episodes with somebody else, at one of our cousins, it was also we discussed this. But yeah, consent is super important, not just in dentistry, it's what whatever it is. But that advert with you like, you know, cringing in pain for clicks.

SPEAKER_03 7:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 7:44

Did they ask you to um to like perform a certain like role?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

So you get a bit of a brief.

SPEAKER_04 7:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

So, okay, this is what we we want, different expressions, we want different types of, you know, images. And then when you put it online, clicks just happen to buy the image. So it depends on what companies are looking for those things. I know it's it's very odd because you know you think like, okay, why am I in this? But it's also the photographer that wants to capture these images because it's also part of their portfolio.

SPEAKER_04 8:13

Of course, yeah. And then they obviously.

SPEAKER_01 8:20

I think if if I think about it, it was possibly a good seven, eight years ago that I shot these images. So when I see it, I'm like, now I'm like in my 30s. So it's it's still odd. Um, but content back then isn't as hyped up as it as it is now. Everything is content.

SPEAKER_03 8:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

Everything is put out there, which you know, sometimes I also get a little, I mean, I I've I I I've been on social media for years now. But sometimes I just look at it and I'm like, you gotta be so cognizant of also what you put out there. Because before I used my Instagram as a scrapbook in dentistry, showing people this is what I'm taking in impression and so on. It was sort of like a little diary for me. And now it's turned into a space where it's attracting businesses. And businesses are utilizing it now to get their brand out there, which I think is brilliant. But at the same time, you, because I've been in this creative space, I find that you've got to be so much more aware of what you associate yourself with and how you also portray yourself as you can't just use it as a diary and just post whatever you want to do now. You gotta be so careful what you say and what you post.

SPEAKER_06 9:27

So one of the talks that I give in my day job is is about social media in in the professional context for doctors and dentists. And I always say this when I'm going to speak to the guys or girls, is that I'm so grateful that when I was young, social media was not mainstream and was in its infancy because I used to put a whole lot of crap out there. To be frank.

SPEAKER_03 9:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 9:49

I used to talk a whole lot of nonsense and I I chalk it down to firstly social media being a new thing. Secondly, I was like a teenager at the time, 17, 18, 19, young. Even in early 20s, I feel like and I never thought about what I'm putting out there. And I don't know if you ever get this, but to me, one of the features of these social media platforms is those memories feature where it shows you something that you've put up like 10, 15 years ago. You're like, oh my goodness, I cannot believe I said this, or I typed like this. And some people will have typed in small characters and big characters and little rojis, yeah. And all those, like, you know, puppy uh speak and all that stuff. Yeah. And then I just delete it because I'm like, I cannot believe I did it. But I think I say to myself, I'm so grateful because I probably would have still done that now if I was young now. I would have done that. And there's so many more people on social media now to see that.

SPEAKER_01 10:40

So I think that op also opens up a topic which I really feel passionate about, where yes, I do agree that, you know, sometimes when we were younger, I mean, I did the same thing. Uh it's still probably on my Instagram when I when I scroll right on to 2016. But I do think that it's one thing knowing that yes, you've done those silly things and so on, but also owning those silly things. That it was a part of your life. You weren't doing anything wrong. It makes you as who you are and it grows you as a person. So when you look at that, you own it.

SPEAKER_04 11:09

That's what As long as you haven't offended anybody.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

Yeah, no, for sure. Like, I mean, obviously you have to look at the content and so on. But like if you're just having fun and you're just living your life, you you're just living life with your friends, your family, and just showing things that make you you, I think it's beautiful. I mean, I look back at things where you know, I look at it and my my first thing would be like, oh man, I was so silly. But at the same time, if that wasn't me, I wouldn't have grown into the person I am now. So it kind of molds you, it makes you reflect. And I as I was telling you before, like I love reflecting. I love reflecting and going back and seeing what made me who I am now. And the thing is, you constantly want to improve and you want to be like, okay, fine, this is my vision for this year. This is what I want to do and achieve. And yes, social media makes it easier because when you go back, you can see your progress as well.

SPEAKER_04 11:57

Exactly. And it's it's your brand. I mean, it's what you do is is kind of showcasing your lifestyle in its entirety. It's not just dentistry. Yeah. You do post a lot about wellness and um and centeredness. When did that come about? Did you is that something recent that you've come up like found yourself embarking on?

SPEAKER_01 12:20

So spirituality has been a huge part of my life and and sort of like a moral compass for me for many years. Um when I say many years, I mean I grew up in a household where the religion was Hinduism and so on. And um obviously I respect my religion a lot. And then when I headed to Cape Town and I was alone and I didn't have anybody there, I found that me just connecting with myself through prayer, through meditations. I think the meditations are something that really, really helped me. Um learning from various incredible mentors that I still hold close to. I mean, Bob Proctor, there's Joe Dispenser, all these people that share wisdom and share life via their experiences. And the one thing I love about Joe Despenser is that he has a scientific backing about whatever he does. And when you go into that realm and when you experience it for yourself, it's something that is very hard to explain. And I find that it's very grounding and it's one of the biggest things that I use as for any decision making in my life, the way I embark with anything that goes on in my life. And I think that for me personally, having that grounding and having that connection to a higher power is so important. So again, I've had that for many years. I haven't really said much about it out there. I know I do bring it in here and there, but I think that it also just makes us see life so differently, where we're all one. Um and it also just breaks down that level of oh, you need to compete with other people. It's it's it's more yourself, you know, it's it's more of the internal process.

SPEAKER_06 13:58

So I'm gonna expose myself here and and be vulnerable in public.

SPEAKER_00 14:02

I love it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 14:04

Again. Stop it, yeah. Um I'm uh I'm a recovering cynic, slash grumpy person, slash uh, you know, one of those types, right? It depends who you ask. Uh so where like when I see people sharing things online, yeah. If you if you spoke to me like five years ago, I'd say, oh, that person, they they overdo it, like they overshare what's wrong with them, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 14:33

Why I say I'm recovering is that I've realized that it it it it takes a level of self-confidence, um self-sureness, um I can't think of the other words, but self-esteem.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 14:53

To put these things out there the way you do because you do share quite openly uh a lot of things. I'm sure there's things that you don't share deliberately, but I've learned that that's actually something to admire because if you if you spoke to me five years ago and said, look at you, you know, your type of person that shares things online. And I I know this might sound bad, but I'm saying it, right? Sure. I would have been like, ah, that person overshares. Like I don't and I don't get it. But I do get it now. I mean, otherwise I wouldn't have started this podcast where we share things quite openly. Um I don't know, I don't think I have a question about that, but maybe just a comment. Do you ever think to yourself, like, am I overdoing it? Am I oversharing? How do you deal with that? Because I'll tell you, sometimes I do. Uh even with my podcast and things that I've started putting out recently, I'm like, should I have said this? Should I have not? What would so-and-so think about this or that person or this person? You know? Yeah, what do you think?

SPEAKER_04 15:46

Well, well, before you answer that, like I I can vouch for what he's saying because that's what I I joked about and I said depends who you ask, because to some degree I still think he's quite a cynic. Um and judgmental.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

But the closest people are uh I mean you know. Yeah, no, of course, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 16:03

It depends. Yeah, we're like we've we're family. Um but even when it c when it came to my social media and and the things that I I was doing, I'm very cynical of myself. I'm very judgmental of myself because I create content. I've got tons and tons of content. We were talking about this earlier, but sometimes I feel like I'm comparing it to a previous post that I made, or I'm comparing it to someone else's that's done the same thing. And I feel this is not worthy of posting. Sure. Like I don't want to post this. And then recently I I kind of self-introspected where I had a close friend that was was leaving to go somewhere, and I made this post that was very emotional and it was vulnerable for me, but I wanted to share it with people. And um, yeah, I thought I might have overdone it. People thought he died, but he just moved overseas and he started coming back a lot. So people thought, Well, what was that about? Yeah. But yeah, to reiterate what he's saying, like you know, how does it actually do you go through a process when you decide what you want to post and when you want to post? Because I mean I'll give the listeners and viewers some form of uh context. Every morning I think you post something, um and it's a lot to do with with wellness. And and I look at it and I read it myself because I want to kind of resonate with okay, this person is in a whole nother another city, woken up at this specific time looking at the ocean, and it's it's like nice, you know, to know that someone else is out there that's on a journey that you can relate to.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Oh, I love that. Well, thank you for that because it's always lovely listening or hearing that somebody appreciates those simple things. And I think coming back to what you said about vulnerability, it's something I feel so deeply about. Vulnerability is strength. People think it's a weakness. And yes, you you are going the more you post, the more you are out there, you're going to put yourself out there to be judged, to be disliked, to be liked as well. But honestly, what grounds me is knowing that I myself am being authentically me. I'm not trying to put up a facade to please anyone, to do anything that's for the likes, the views, and so on. That that's never been my modus um with anything. Even when I when I when brands approach me and so on, I'm like, this is it, this is what I do, this is my reach and so on, take it or leave it. I'm not going to do something that is not authentically me. And I think when we share with journeys, we share with struggles, even. And I think recently I did share one of my struggles. I was in hospital earlier this year, and and I completely went off social media because it was a tough time in my life. But when I came back and I posted about that, I felt as if people also see I'm not just this unicorn in a bubble that believes in sunshine and rainbows. Yes, that is a part of me. But I go through my struggles and life happens. And I think people who also go through struggles can see that and relate to that. And you know, my struggles are also valid. Everyone goes through their struggles. I mean, we could be going through our internal struggles right now, today, but we we have to show up, we have to do what we need to do, and that's life, right? So again, vulnerability, huge strength. And I will continue to do that. And even yesterday, for example, I was, you know, I went home to my family and so on and spent some time with them. And I I always do this last year as well. Day one of Soda, day two of Soda. But I knew my reel could have been better or edited better. I didn't really care though. Because I was like, I still want to put it out, I still want to get it out there because it is what it is. You know, I again, it doesn't matter. Things don't need to be as crisp and perfect. Sometimes there is so much of value in the imperfections. And I think that's something that I would always want to, especially for the younger. I I'm very passionate about younger people and trying to motivate them and showing them that you don't have to be perfect all the time, you don't have to wear the specific thing or be on point all the time. I mean, put your hair up in a messy bun and go out there for a drug and do whatever you need to, and that makes you you. You know, and I think that that is something I will continue to do and continue to however I use my social media. So yeah.

SPEAKER_06 20:22

And are you also like me where you you're comfortable with at the end of the day, they're gonna be people that d just dislike you for whatever you put out, even there'll be people that like you and support you. So you're gonna do what you want to do.

SPEAKER_01 20:33

Exactly.

SPEAKER_06 20:34

As long as you're not hurting people.

SPEAKER_01 20:35

As long as you're not hurting people, and as long as you're just being real and authentically you. You're going to find your people. Again, back to spirituality. What you put out there, what you attract, you're going to attract your tribe, regardless of whatever anybody tells you. It may take some time or whatever, but when you're constantly in that realm of just being you, you're not pretending to be anybody else. I mean, imagine you're pretending to be somebody that you're not. Then you attract something that you know is not going to resonate with you. You have that feeling that this is not gelling well, and you ask yourself why. It's because you weren't being real to yourself.

SPEAKER_06 21:10

Well, speaking of spirituality in our culture, you know, in our culture the the the people say that too many people will put eyes for you. You don't worry about that.

SPEAKER_01 21:17

I mean, here's my black dog.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Yeah. No, I'm kidding.

SPEAKER_06 21:21

Yeah, yeah. No, that's cool. Yeah. Must just turn salt, as Yak said. A lot of the time.

unknown 21:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 21:28

So so we didn't even talk about you you know what the name of this podcast is, right? Why did I become a doctor? Yeah. So that figure. So, yeah, who in their right mind grows up and says, I want to be a dentist, huh? Well, but but before that, you you and why? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:43

Um you grew up in Durban.

SPEAKER_01 21:46

I did, yes.

SPEAKER_04 21:47

So you want to tell us more about that?

SPEAKER_01 21:49

Where and so growing up, um, family home was in Rossborough, Sea View, around that area.

SPEAKER_04 21:56

Where's that?

SPEAKER_01 21:57

So it's close to Queensboro.

SPEAKER_04 21:58

Okay, so like Pine Two. Area. No, no. No, no, wait.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

It's close to Bluff.

SPEAKER_04 22:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:03

So Saudi Moor, the the driving sensors there, the Sutrian Road driving. Wait a minute.

SPEAKER_04 22:08

So I grew up in Peter Maritzburg and the commute between Peter Maritzburg and Durban. As we're getting down on the N3, there's I think it was a Queensborough turn off. There's this huge, like white hotel-looking structure. There's actually memes made it out. I I can't I don't know, but it's over a bridge. Yeah. Like an interchange. And I actually saw a meme recently.

SPEAKER_03 22:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:31

And it was for Peter Marisberg people because it said, Growing up, we always wondered what was this palatial-looking structure.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Love it.

SPEAKER_04 22:39

And I'll find that meme and I'll share it with you.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

Sure.

SPEAKER_04 22:41

But is it around that area?

SPEAKER_01 22:43

No, no, no. It's a little more internal. How do I explain Rosborough? It's close to the bluff sort of area. So it's it's around there. But again, we just use Queensboro as a landmark because a lot of people are like, Rosboro, I've never heard of Rosboro. But it's literally right next to Queensborough. Okay. Yeah. So that's where we grew up. Um family built a house there when I was in primary school. Um and then we uh that was my family home.

SPEAKER_04 23:06

You said we, it's yourself in your school.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

My mom, my older sister, and myself. So it was just the four of us. And um grew up there, went to school, Dublin Girls High School. That was my high school, Penzance Primary was my primary school. Um I'll tell you about the story of why I became a dentist, uh doctor dentist. Um it also has to do with I was in primary school at Gordon Road Girls. Um, and then I switched over to Penzance Primary for a reason though. And then I went over to Dublin Girls High. But again, I'll I'll come back to that. So grew up in the community um and then left to Cape Town to go study. So studied in Cape Town. And yeah, I I think my childhood was very much centered around just the four of us. I mean, we had our cousins and so on, but we were very close-knit family. So family was literally everything still is now. So yeah, very, very close.

SPEAKER_04 23:58

I know Yashu probably wants to get a bit more granular with me too about your journey into finding out like why did you want to become a dentist? Like what led you to to going down that road. You wanna elaborate that on that at this juncture so we don't forget.

SPEAKER_01 24:17

Sure, sure. Um yeah, since we mentioned it. So growing up, I my self-confidence was not the greatest. Purely because I was bullied really badly at school. I had terrible teeth. Um they used to call me Bugs Bunny. I used to get kicked under the table, um bullied where things were said to me and I didn't fit in. Um I think this there was a certain group of it was a girl school, certain group of girls that just targeted me because of the way I looked, the way I speak, the way I just was. I didn't feel I fitted in. Um then I left that school and joined another school.

SPEAKER_04 24:55

For that reason. For that reason.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

And it really, really affected me growing up. Um and then I went to another primary school, much happier there. Um, really felt as if I was seen and heard. But also during that time, I went and I got braces. So that was a very transformative journey for me because that corrected my smile. It it literally, when I say it changed my life on a level that I didn't think it would, I I literally looked at myself in the mirror. You know, you go for that six-weekly checkup and so on, you change your elastics and so on, although, and you see the changes. And I just couldn't wait to get the braces off. And I remember the day I got my braces off and I looked in the mirror, I honestly felt like a different person. And you know what they say when you smile more, you release more endorphins and so on. And I was just such a happier person. And because it did that for me, I wanted to look more into the career and dentistry as a whole, and how can I do that for other people? And that's essentially how it started.

SPEAKER_06 26:02

You're not the first guest to tell us that um a dental story changed their life and made inspired them to do it. We had uh uh Avish Jagatpal, Dr. Jagatpal on. Uh he's a prostodontist specialist. You know him, right? You always see him at these congresses and things. He had a similar life-changing experience with a dentist. Uh you you yours was orthodontist, right? Yes. Was your orthodontist?

SPEAKER_01 26:21

Um that was Dr. Valley in Moscow. Is it Ismail?

SPEAKER_06 26:25

Ismail. Yeah, well, shout out to Dr. Ismail Valley. Yeah. Cool. See, he probably doesn't know this.

unknown 26:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 26:33

But if it wasn't for him, you wouldn't be what you are today and where you are today.

SPEAKER_01 26:37

For sure. And I I remember even after I qualified, I went and shadowed him for a bit as well. Cool. Just to see how the ortho world works and so on. So it was I'm glad I also got that experience with him.

SPEAKER_06 26:47

Yeah. Sweet. Well done. Shout out to him. Yeah, you're not going to become an orthodontist one day.

SPEAKER_01 26:52

I'll stick to my aligners for now.

SPEAKER_06 26:54

Okay, okay, cool. Well, yeah. So so so speaking of aligners, I'm actually I've got aligners on right now.

SPEAKER_02 27:00

Oh.

SPEAKER_06 27:00

And um yeah, they've kind of changed my life in the in the sense that I'm now on um OMAD. You know what OMAD is? Never heard of it? Yak? No. One meal a day. I also didn't know. Ah. Uh because I'm I'm just such a lazy person that uh You don't take the ball. No, no. So like well, maybe the viewers won't know, but you'll definitely know because you you're a provider. But you've got to wear them at least 22 hours a day. Correct. And after you eat, you've got to floss and brush teeth. And you know, so if I eat the more I eat, the more I'm gonna have to floss and brush my teeth. So I'm such a lazy person that's just like I'll I'll do it, you know, morning and evening only. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:35

But uh you're a provider as well for liners. But don't you find it's almost like a um like a happenstance that, especially with our female patients, they kind of say that it's led them to actually losing some weight. 100%. Uh because of, as he's saying, you know, the inconvenience of like taking it out and brushing and whatever it is kind of reduces their snacking and their meal times.

SPEAKER_01 27:59

A lot of my patients have said that. They're like, no, I'm gonna go on a diet now. So yeah.

SPEAKER_06 28:02

Yeah, it's become a lifestyle. I've lost weight. I've lost weight. Um, it's genuinely. And um to your line it because of your alignment. Yeah, yeah. I've lost like KG's worth.

SPEAKER_00 28:11

Jeez.

SPEAKER_06 28:12

So the fact that you haven't noticed is is not not promising, but okay. Um, but so was it easy getting into dental school, or were you were you like one of those six A students and I want to say I was six A student. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:26

But I got in. So I'm I'm Did you get six A's? No, I didn't. No, no, no, I didn't. No. Well that's why you don't want to say it. Yeah, I do. I mean, I'm open to that. Like, I mean Well done.

SPEAKER_06 28:38

I knew that that was like a segue. Yeah, yeah. Oh, by the way, I got six A's. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:43

Um yeah, so essentially just literally, I think honestly, I look at it as a God's plan. Of course I worked hard. Of course I had to look into how what the credentials are to get into dentistry and so on. And, you know, God willingly, I I'm glad I did get into it. And even the dental journey, uh, being at UDUBs was, oh gosh, I loved it. I absolutely loved my university career. So I think that made it easy. I had a really good bunch of friends, um, which helped the process as well, and even the lecturers and so on, there's a few of them now that I just respect so much because it helps you in your career and molds you. You look at professionals now uh when you're studying and you're like, one day I want to be like Dr. So and so. And then now you're like, oh my gosh, you're my colleague. And it's amazing to to actually have that feeling. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 29:28

Were you the first dentist in your family? Were any your parents? What are they?

SPEAKER_01 29:31

Um my parents were more into business, mom's into more of the cosm uh cosmetology and so on. So yeah, in my immediate family, first dentist.

SPEAKER_06 29:39

Yeah, I think mm um me too, maybe. We've got a lot of like doctors and stuff.

SPEAKER_00 29:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 29:45

Might have also been uh also the first lawyer apart my dad. But anyway, okay, it's about you, not me. So yeah, you so you got into dental schools, you didn't have to struggle to get in and do other things and what you're doing. And did you apply for dentistry?

SPEAKER_01 29:59

That's well, dentistry, and then I also I also wanted to go into genetics as well. So microbiology, and I was also always quite curious about genetics.

SPEAKER_06 30:08

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:08

Stuff like that, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 30:09

So you you weren't one of those that applied for medicine and then dentistry and then I just wanted dentistry. So you knew. I think. Oh, good. And did you sh that's hectic. But no regrets.

SPEAKER_01 30:19

No regrets.

SPEAKER_06 30:19

How was dental school? Any difficult moments, anyway.

SPEAKER_01 30:23

I just don't understand why I was doing ki physics and chemistry again. Okay. So I think that was just uh gosh. And then I think the one was what was it? Pharmacology was where you just sort of have to remember all of the dosages and so on. So that just like messed with my brain all the time.

SPEAKER_04 30:39

Okay, that it that is kind of relevant. Come on.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

No, it is, of course it is.

SPEAKER_04 30:42

I mean, physics and chemistry. Do you also have to do physics and chemistry? Is that part of you guys' syllabus?

SPEAKER_01 30:46

Yeah. I think it was probably different for you.

SPEAKER_04 30:48

It was yeah, we didn't have we actually went straight into anatomy and Oh gosh, next time let's just go study where you study.

SPEAKER_06 30:54

Chemistry, um, in first year. Um it was a six-month, it was a semester course for us, and mm I failed. I got twenty-seven percent. It was the lowest mark I've got in my life. I had to do it again in first year.

SPEAKER_01 31:10

No, first year humbled you.

SPEAKER_06 31:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 31:12

And um I t I told the story. So there's a neurologist named Dr. Raven Kisten.

SPEAKER_03 31:21

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_06 31:21

And him and I were in in the same class. Um, and he went to school d as a diligent person does, and the marks were out on the board, not just board or whatever it is. Sure. And he calls me and I'm still half asleep at Riz. And I wake up, he says, Hey, uh, the marks are out. Um, do you want to know what you got? And I'm like, Um, yeah, yeah, half asleep. He says, 'Are you sure?' I said, Yeah. It's like, okay, you got 27, so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:47

Um, yeah, but we all go through things like that in university. I mean, university is such a jump from high school. I mean, you think you got things figured out, but you you it it it really humbles you, it pulls you, and again, it makes you it's part of your story.

SPEAKER_06 32:01

So six years, six A's to failing. Six A's to failing. I mean, was it a battle for you or did you also breeze through meds uh dental school?

SPEAKER_01 32:09

Uh I wouldn't say I breeze through it. There were definitely difficulties and hurdles. Um, but again, you just gotta I at least I've I think there was um she's now a colleague of mine. She was two or three years ahead of me where she just helped me out with giving me, I mean, she gave me her lab code and books and whatever. So I utilized that to also just help me with my studies. So I'm also grateful that I did have people there to support me and help me out as well. So definitely grateful for that. But yes, you do have hurdles. I mean, even with practice and stuff, you're not gonna just know how to do a filling in your first goal. You you've got to literally apply yourself and do it multiple times to get it right. So I'm very open, I mean, even till this day, I always feel I can be better. And I think that's that's also what helps you. You know, you're not gonna be the best, but you can always strive to be better as well.

SPEAKER_06 32:59

So you were never there thinking, what am I doing here? Did I make the right dis wrong decision? Or it was like From a decision making no.

SPEAKER_01 33:06

I've never doubted myself in that way. I think it's yeah, I I don't remember.

SPEAKER_06 33:11

And what did you like because I know a lot of us when we're in dental school, a lot of people think, okay, I want to be a maxillofacial surgeon or want to do this or that. Did you have any of those inclinations then?

SPEAKER_01 33:20

Or look, not really, because I really didn't have anybody guiding me in my family with regards to even like specializing and doing things like that because nobody had that back. I mean, my parents, for example, grateful that they even pushed me to university. I've I've I've seen my family grow up and struggle and so on. So it wasn't just a bunch of roses and everything handled on a solar plate. The fact that my parents literally sent us to university was a huge thing, you know. So it was just taking it one step at a time, essentially. Yeah, and figuring it out.

SPEAKER_04 33:49

And I think, you know, from from our culture and our background, we're still guilty, like from a generational perspective, of having expectations, not just getting into medicine or dentistry or uh um law or whatever it is, but even then to specialize, to become the best at it, not just getting there's always like one expectation after the other. And as you said, uh rightfully so, you you came from a background where there was no expectation of you to have to achieve that. Yeah. So I mean, I see it through your social media. You you're proud of your work, you're proud of being a dentist. And I mean it's great. You put your your work out there and it's it's nice to look at because some people also like from a um it's just completely off topic, but a lot of people are scared of like peer review things. People won't post stuff because they're afraid of what other people are gonna think about themselves. And it translates more so to dentistry and who you are as a professional that from your personal life as well.

SPEAKER_01 34:58

I think a lot of what translates into our career is our personal life story and who we are as a human being. And I think that is a ripple effect to everything we do in life. I mean, yes, initially when I started posting about the work, I mean, I was in the first year of private practice and I was already putting before and after pictures, not not knowing, okay, my colleagues are gonna review this. And that was never even in the back of my mind. I just thought, oh, look, I did a whitening case. Oh, the teeth are like whitener before. That was literally all I saw, and I was proud of it. I didn't look at whether the patient had levels of recession and got obviously, you know, we don't we don't want to go through that. But I I honestly just was happy that I did that for my patient and knowing that the patient is happy is the most important thing for me. Because I could do a composite bonding overneer for a patient, and my colleague would be like, oh no, maybe you could taper a little bit more in, or why don't you use a bit of translucency on the edges and so on? The patient is happy. That's the most important thing. Getting judged by your peers is one thing, and I'm always open to critical criticism and um criticism in general. But again, my biggest goal is to make the patient happy. I'm the one sitting and having the discussion with them. What do they want? Show me a picture if you have a picture. Let's see the best we can do. And that's it's the effort that you put in with the patient and you make them comfortable and you gain their trust. Yeah. And that's the most important thing. It's not just straight on doing the work.

SPEAKER_04 36:30

No, of course.

SPEAKER_01 36:31

There's so much of background feelings and emotions that go in and exactly.

SPEAKER_04 36:35

And that's the thing. I mean, we're not posting for a journal or anything like that. I was asked on a podcast, another podcast recently, like, why don't you post uh any of your work? Because if you look at my my practice social media, it's more fun, it's more like it's it's a lot of dark humor as well that we that we do post about, but nothing too clinical. We should really focus on that a little bit more. But my answer was I don't also want to create expectation because the other side of it is that patients, you know, if we do that, we're also guilty of that, where we'll look at something pre-existing on social media and we'll have this expectation that we create for ourselves that I want that and this person can have it, then I will probably be able to get that. And then it it creates a false expectation for ourselves and also for the from the practitioner. Because then we go in with a whole different set of variables and we expect that same result.

SPEAKER_01 37:28

But don't you think also from from what you just said, which I think is very important, in your consult, what I always tell the patient, your smile is exceptionally different to everybody else's smile. And you go through that and you break it down for them so they understand before you even touch their teeth, you're not gonna get what you see on another person's smile. So that's important patient education.

SPEAKER_04 37:50

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 37:50

Starts there. Um but again, value.

SPEAKER_04 37:53

That's why I don't like whitening.

SPEAKER_06 37:54

Because there's so many variables. Yeah. I mean, Yak said his page is dark dark humor, a lot of it. And uh yeah, that just shows that he's authentic because Yak is dark and he's humorous.

SPEAKER_02 38:04

So that's him.

SPEAKER_06 38:06

I had to I couldn't have to slip that in somewhere. Um look, and also as professionals, you know, on the point of putting things out there and knowing that your colleagues are gonna be looking at it. As professionals, we we we're critical people, like in general. Like we I think we've been trained to be be critical because we want we're striving for excellence all the time. So there's always that risk that I might be looking at my colleagues thing and thinking, oh gosh, what uh why would you post that, you know, kind of thing. Yeah. But you kinda have to professionally, because that's your job, right? As a tanny. No, it's not my job. No. My job is just to observe and and guide. Um so if I had to for I mean, I and uh also maybe being a man, um I've got that inner urge to mansplain things. I'm also a recovering mansplainer where I don't I I'm saying I don't give unsolicited advice. So I wouldn't say to you, so if I see you posting something, Raini, unless you ask me to do this, which you can ask me now, if I see something that might give you some risk, I'm not gonna go out of my way and say, hey, Doc, I love your post, but by the way, you shouldn't have done X, Y, Z.

SPEAKER_03 39:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 39:09

Because I don't want to be a mansplainer and give unsolicited advice. But I do that unfortunately to my wife and my family. So that's why in the family I'm like the grumpy negative person because I just give them unsolicited advice all the time.

SPEAKER_01 39:21

But look it's for their benefit. So I guess being in that that realm, it helps.

SPEAKER_06 39:26

Yeah. So what's your two questions?

SPEAKER_01 39:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 39:29

I'm gonna frame them positively. Although deep down inside I want to ask it negatively. What's um your favorite thing about dentistry and what's your least favorite thing about dentistry? And when I say least favorite, what do you hate about dentistry?

SPEAKER_01 39:42

Oh, okay, gosh, that's a that's a tricky one. I was definitely not prepared for that one. Um what I love about dentistry, I know it's gonna sound so cheesy.

SPEAKER_06 39:53

Okay. No, sound cheesy then.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

It's literally just making another person smile.

SPEAKER_06 39:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:58

Purely because the industry is stressful. I don't think people understand how much of stress the career can I I I've learned this over the years. I think the last couple of years being in dentistry, when I first started off, it was a breeze. It was much better. But as you grow and as you become more specialized in in the work that you do, it can become more stressful. You take on every patient's anxiety when they're sitting in that chair. And I have tons of patients, I'm sure you guys do too. Patients literally come in and they're like, I hate the dentist. And they tell it to you face on. And I know they don't mean it in a malicious way or you know, it's nothing to do with you as a person, but it's still kind of if you're having a bad day as well, can hit the bit deep, right? We're human at the end of the day, you know? Um, so I think it's uh for the negative thing. I think that's that's one of the things where I think the career or dentistry as a whole is associated with anxiety and fear and negativity. And trying to translate that in the chair with a patient can sometimes get quite difficult, especially if the patient is a very difficult patient, or unfortunately, they've had really bad experiences. I think it's just holding that space for them, being patient with them, but taking the time to do that so they have a better experience. But again, that takes time. And you can't you can't blame the patient either. So I think it's more so sometimes when they just have a bad experience and they come through and try to have a better one.

SPEAKER_06 41:29

So it takes time and it takes patience, right?

SPEAKER_01 41:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 41:32

Um when we talk, especially to dental students when we go and give these talks on professionalism after dental school, right? Yeah. I always say, excuse me, it's easy to be professional when everything's going right.

SPEAKER_03 41:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 41:44

But in dentistry, the nature of the business is that a lot of the time people are in pain and it's difficult interactions with humans where you're putting your hands in somebody's mouth and hurting them sometimes, right? And they're afraid. And then they're difficult. And that's when there's a risk of you as the clinician being unprofessional. Like I I I hate the dentistry. That's why I got out as soon as I could. Sure. Because I found myself being unprofessional towards patients. Like patients would come in and say to me exactly the same thing. Every dentist knows this. Patient comes and say, I hate the dentist, right? And I'll never forget some patients used to say to me, Doc, it's my first time at the dentist. Uh and I was so, you know, young, cocky, unprofessional, I would say, Oh, this is my first time seeing a patient. And then just to make them a bit riled up and then they'll put on us. So um yeah, dentistry is difficult, and that's why I got out. Uh so I I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_01 42:38

I love the realness of that though. I I actually love that you are able to say that because again, everyone's journey is so different. And it's so valid as well, being a dentist and verbalizing that because I think it's so necessary for even patients to know that this is also what we go through as well. I think it's so important.

SPEAKER_06 42:56

Well, it's easy for me to say that now because I'm out, right? But I'm I'm pretty sure there are lots of dentists out there that feel exactly the way I'm uh verbalizing. But you know, you can't really say it, can you?

SPEAKER_00 43:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 43:06

Yeah. But gosh, it guys, let's shed some light on the situation that took a dark turn.

SPEAKER_01 43:10

You like you like dark stuff, so yeah, no, but not right now.

SPEAKER_04 43:13

I mean we're in Durban. But um, you know, on the on the flip side of that, you might not know this, but you and I have actually quite a lot of overlapping patients. Because a lot of my patients um up in Bedford View have uh homes in where you practice. And they they often, you know, during December or whatever, they go down and they they see each other. And just recently, actually, I someone someone came and and she gave us feedback. And the feedback was that the the demeanor that you and I have are quite similar, actually.

SPEAKER_03 43:48

Oh, I got that.

SPEAKER_04 43:49

And I mean it was positive. This is a person that we um you know extensive treatment was done on her and uh she came in for like correct. Directive stuff, and we we basically had to change the way that she saw us as a profession because she had a lot of work done previously. And we we we achieved that to a certain degree because we gave her a better smile, and moreover, more so above all of that, because I mean I have a philosophy that most people can do dentistry, it's it's terrible. I don't say this to many people, but not many people can or have the emotional quotient to be able to connect with someone to allay their fears. And this is something that she said, you know, we have in common because she saw you for something temporary and urban. And I think that is probably what attracts you to dentistry as well. Because if you had asked me that question at what attracts me, I'm not attracted to dentistry, I'm attracted to the person behind the tooth that would enable me to have a conversation or to just to connect or allow me to, you know, be who I want to be, which is a a patient-centered person rather than a problem-centered tooth. Am I correct in my artificiation?

SPEAKER_01 45:12

Yes. I I love how you articulated that, and that is so true. And thank you as well for that feedback. I I'm really happy about that as well.

SPEAKER_04 45:19

Yeah, well ask her to leave you a Google review.

SPEAKER_01 45:22

No, that I think it's so important because it is how you make a person feel. Yes, they're a patient, but it they're also a human and a person. And if you can gain that trust, and if you can give them what they also envision for themselves and make them feel comfortable in their own skin and teeth, all right? Like you've won, I feel, you know?

SPEAKER_06 45:44

Yeah, I'm gonna agree with both of you. And in hindsight, I think that's why I left dentistry is because I I realize at that stage that it's more than just technical ability.

SPEAKER_02 45:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 45:55

It's it's you have to connect with the patient. And I I would have been a bad dentist because I wouldn't have connected. I I didn't have that in me to do that. Like it takes it's a big skill to be a successful dentist. You guys need to give yourselves more credit, and the successful ones do. A lot of people you know, they think it's it's all like fluffy and and you know, we just want to be technically sound and do the most exquisite textbook things, but that's not what counts. Patients don't care about textbook. They want to feel treated and cared for and connected with.

SPEAKER_01 46:29

That's so true. No, I do 100% agree with you with that. And I'm glad that we can slowly just change the narrative of dentistry where they don't see it as you're going into this room and then there's just like all these dental equipment and it's just it's like a horror movie. It's really not that anymore. And I'm so glad that we can do that for patients. I think it's great. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 46:49

So yeah, let's let's let's circle back to social media. How's that that way? Is that like is it a full a side hustle, a full-time thing? Do you generate income from it?

SPEAKER_01 46:57

Or is that a full-time thing?

SPEAKER_06 46:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:00

I would say it honestly just happened. Um, I I honestly can I just be very raw and authentic here. I don't like being seen as an influencer.

SPEAKER_03 47:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 47:08

I think there's just so much of negativity behind just being called an influencer and so on. And that's not my purpose here. I literally, again, just grew my social media by sharing what I do in life. You know, it was literally my diary. And then people saw it as, okay, maybe let me send you this product and post about it and so on. And yes, it's been a bit of a side hustle for me, which I, you know, it's it's it's great. But again, everything that I do, I needed to make sure that it's authentic as possible. As much as a company would send me a brief and tell me, okay, this is what they want, da-da-da-da. You're like, listen. And used to also sort of amalgamate in what I am as a human as well. So I think it's it's great that that is an opportunity. And you know, I'm very grateful for that. I didn't see it really didn't plan to to become a content creator, influencer, whatever it the term may be, but it happened. Um and if it happened, I'm gonna own it and I'm going to do my best in whatever it is.

SPEAKER_06 48:04

So they send you stuff and then and you get paid for these things. That's that's cool.

SPEAKER_01 48:08

Well, sometimes. It depends on the brand.

SPEAKER_04 48:10

Why don't you do these things? Well, well, I actually did something recently that I can't uh I'm not allowed to mention the name, but I didn't get paid for it. Yeah. But they took me on a very intense, like almost mini expedition thing. Amazing. The problem with that though is that the specific company that we did this shoot for, six months later, um, a very famous mountaineer uh used this product and it kinda it led to uh fatality because of the product malfunctioning.

SPEAKER_00 48:43

Oh dear.

SPEAKER_04 48:44

And he called them out. This this person that demise was part of his team, and then you call them out. And um I mean it's it's a tracking device basically. Um but then I like in retrospect, I'm thinking about it like the campaign hasn't launched yet. This product was out there in the market. And then I I was thinking to myself, like, you know, like you like every day today, people are not gonna know about this.

SPEAKER_06 49:08

Yeah, stop disclosing too much. I don't want to get us sued, okay. But the point is, the point I was making is you must do this. This is quite cool. And back to you, Ruini.

SPEAKER_01 49:17

That's awesome though. That's that's great.

SPEAKER_06 49:19

You gotta be like you gotta be wary.

SPEAKER_01 49:20

I mean, like, geez, like imagine if you did post about it, though, and then that that happens.

SPEAKER_04 49:25

I did kind of that I shouldn't have.

SPEAKER_01 49:27

Okay. That's fine. Yeah. Okay, so comes with a good and bad.

SPEAKER_06 49:31

And it's like all sorts of things.

SPEAKER_01 49:32

It's is it dental stuff or some of it is dental, some of it is oh gosh, different random brands that are more I mean, like wellness stuff or like why do they come to you?

SPEAKER_06 49:45

Don't be humble. I mean, why do they come to you? Like, is it because you have lots of followers? Is it because you're influential?

SPEAKER_01 49:52

I it's just such a I don't know how to it's so hard to to answer this question. I would like to hope and think that when I do work with brands, I form a relationship with them.

SPEAKER_02 50:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:05

And that's I mean, there's a jewelry brand I've been working with for years. And we've formed such a healthy relationship with each other where that's more important to me than me just having these once-off campaigns and so on and they just treat you like a client. Um so I think it's also the way you approach it as well. Yes, there are other brands that are just like business and they have PR teams that communicate with you and so on, cool. But I like to think that whenever I post up content or whenever I do work for any brands, I would like to think I I do it in a way that makes them happy, but also makes me happy at the same time. So when I do post it, I'm living up to the standard I also want to maintain and as well as make the brand happy as well.

unknown 50:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:49

But also, there's so many brands that do approach, right? And I don't accept all of them because it doesn't resonate with me and my content that I post up. So it's not even about the money and so on. And I think that's what I hope influencers and content creators also listen to. This is because you can't just take everything just because it pays the bills, or if it doesn't correlate with your content and what you you can easily see that as well. So you don't want to also risk your brand being questioned as well. Um I mean, there are, I I do agree, there's a lot of facets to a human being, and there's a lot of facets to me which I try to show the world. But if somebody's gonna come up to me and tell me to promote something that doesn't interest me at all, I have no knowledge about that, what's the point?

SPEAKER_06 51:34

Yeah, exactly. What's your biggest platform? And do you know how many followers you have on each platform and things like that? Honestly, I I do look look look, I'll be honest with you.

SPEAKER_00 51:43

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_06 51:44

We I started a TikTok for this this channel. And every now and then I go to Yak and I'm like, okay, we've hit 900 followers. Okay, we've hit a thousand. Yeah, yeah. I I track those things. I'm I'm amazing. I'm weird like that. Yeah. But that's good because that shows it.

SPEAKER_01 51:57

I wish I was more I was more on point with that. Okay. As you are. I just I I just don't have the time to do it. And also I think I just get a bit fuzzy. But uh, TikTok and Instagram.

SPEAKER_05 52:06

It is.

SPEAKER_01 52:08

I have a YouTube account, but I don't really use that much. But it's just those two things.

SPEAKER_06 52:11

Well I know you've got a you've got I looked this morning. Uh you've got like 55,000 followers on Instagram. TikTok, is that more or less?

SPEAKER_01 52:17

Uh it's it's more.

SPEAKER_06 52:18

More. Yeah. Like a lot more.

SPEAKER_01 52:20

108. 108.

SPEAKER_06 52:22

Okay, yeah, but who's counting? 108. Uh very specific number. Uh huh. But I'm not counting. Okay, cool. Very holy number. Okay, but that exp that explains it. The brands want exposure. They come to you. Everybody's gonna want you to put their thing out there. You've got to be discerning about it.

SPEAKER_01 52:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 52:35

Um that's cool, man. It's really cool.

SPEAKER_01 52:37

Uh look, again, it just happened. I mean, during COVID, we were all making those funny viral videos, right? That's how it started. Like literally 2020, if COVID happened, we weren't going to work. I mean, what are you gonna do? Sit at home and make videos. I mean, there's one video I made in COVID that reached like 1.5 million from a random video that was an audio on TikTok.

SPEAKER_03 52:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:56

Just like if you don't want to die from COVID, you just like stay at home, stay at work or go to the hospital and basically it's something so silly, right? But it just went viral and yeah, that's one 1.5 million views.

SPEAKER_06 53:11

Uh just got me thinking, you're a woman on the internet. How's the creeps out there?

SPEAKER_01 53:14

Oh, very creepy. Yeah. Incredibly creepy. What do people say and do and Oh did you really want to know that? Yes, I really do.

SPEAKER_06 53:21

It's not every day I get to speak to somebody who's got a video that's got a 1.5 million views. So tell us.

SPEAKER_01 53:26

You get the creepies out there. I mean, there's a lot of people that I don't even know if I should mention this now, but Well, don't mention names, but what are they saying? No, no, it's it's it's these fake accounts that that are on TikTok that pretend to be me and a person got scammed. And they're messaging me and they tell me, oh, you scammed me. And I'm like, no, I didn't. But again, the only thing with TikTok that I have an issue with, again, I shouldn't I don't know if I should be saying this, they don't regulate, so they don't really they don't really have a good safety backing for their users. Um I still utilize it wherever I can, but I I just find it a little how can I say dangerous because they literally used AI, I'll show you the video later, and it's me mimicking what they want me to say by using, and it it looks as if I'm saying saying what I'm saying. I think we need to create awareness about this because the guy was literally like, hey, this is my name. Don't really rest assured that this is me. And they've just taken a video that I posted about something completely different, but I'm my lip is saying what they want to do.

SPEAKER_06 54:25

It's called deep fakes.

SPEAKER_01 54:26

Exactly.

SPEAKER_06 54:27

Deep fakes, yeah, it's not TikTok specific, it's any platform.

SPEAKER_01 54:31

And the guy believed it, got scammed, and my face is there. Yeah. So it does get a little, and I mean, even me approaching attorneys about that, apparently there's no rules for social media trying to protect users of and that that also was just such a dampening because you work so hard to get to a point of creating positivity with your social media, and then you just get this that just can dampen it.

SPEAKER_06 54:52

So um Well, I'll put you in touch with some good social media lawyers if you've got issues, but it's scary.

SPEAKER_01 54:58

It is scary, it's exceptionally scary, especially as a female as well.

SPEAKER_06 55:01

That's why I said as a woman.

SPEAKER_01 55:02

Um as a woman, you you you have to be so wary. Like even when I go out and so on, I never post real time. Okay. Um, especially if I'm driving alone and so on. I will always make sure I'm in a safe place and post when I'm at home. Because I do believe that there has been instances where somebody actually followed me. Yeah. And it was quite scary. So I have to be very wary about those things.

SPEAKER_06 55:23

Um you put your car and your number plate out there, and I think she's brave.

SPEAKER_01 55:28

Yeah, you know, you know, back in the day when I first got the car, I was just like, oh, it's cool. Not realizing that it could be a red.

SPEAKER_06 55:35

It's a red Porsche and it's got your name on it. Oh dear.

SPEAKER_01 55:38

Thanks, thanks, Josh. There we go. Now it's on the podcast.

SPEAKER_06 55:41

I'm comfortable to say it because uh you put it out there. Yeah, it's there. I would never otherwise.

SPEAKER_00 55:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 55:46

Yeah, so no, it's fascinating, you know, putting things out there. And um I always wonder from both sides, you know, there's there's positives and negatives, there's gonna be creeps out there, there's gonna be people that come to you and say, Doc, you are you've inspired me to do this, or you've inspired me.

SPEAKER_01 56:01

That's exactly what I focus on.

SPEAKER_06 56:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 56:04

And that's literally why I still do what I do. I could have easily been like, let me shut down my social media accounts and just go completely off the radar purely because of the negativity. But when somebody comes to me, especially if the young ones just like they melt my heart. A young female coming to me and telling me, you inspire me. Tell me more, can I come shadow you? If it's one person, that's enough, honestly. It's it's just again, focusing on the positive, focusing on what you're doing to the world. And if you can change it in a little, like small, little minute space. I mean, that's that's it for me.

SPEAKER_04 56:39

Are you are you aware of those stats, like for from a follower perspective? What's your demographic? I'm assuming it's probably a lot of young Indian females that do follow you.

SPEAKER_01 56:48

It's a lot of young ones, yes. Um, you do get the creeps that are over 50-60, of course, yeah. Yeah. But again, focusing on the the young females and even young males. I mean, this there's a young male that's contemplating dentistry and he's keeps on messaging me about like, okay, tell me more about this and whatever. And I'm willing to help because that's why I'm here. I'm not gonna just like not be willing. And and I think that's what I'm passionate about as well. So if whoever I can help, I will. Um, but yeah, I think with regards to TikTok, it's like all around the world. I think because you know, when certain videos go viral, it goes to different parts of the country. I mean, when I was in Mauritius, the one you're just posting in Mauritius, you get a whole lot of followers from that country.

SPEAKER_04 57:26

The Mauritians love to like follow people, even with me. Like when I post up. But then I lived in Mauritius. So Oh, there we go.

SPEAKER_01 57:33

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Yeah, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_06 57:35

Yeah. I'm feeling left out. Uh nobody uh follows me and nobody says anything nice to me. Okay. Well, this is just me on the phone. We're holding you up, yes, it's all good.

SPEAKER_00 57:45

We'll follow you.

SPEAKER_06 57:45

Retweet me and stuff. Uh please. Um don't forget to like and subscribe. All that stuff. Please, guys. Yeah. I'm a recovering negative cynic person, so please make me feel better. Okay, cool. Um Yeah, no, I just want to clarify something because you mentioned you mentioned the creeps who are over 50 and 60. I think you meant it in the context that there are creepy people that that are old that approach you. Not because they're 50 or 60, they're not the the fact that they're older and follow you doesn't make it. I don't want it to come across. I knew exactly what you meant, but it might come across.

SPEAKER_01 58:19

From a young female perspective, I am getting older. But it it isn't comfortable when I see somebody my dad's age. Or you know what I mean? It just is it doesn't settle well. But I think at the same time, when you look at the profile picture, this is a completely different topic, which I also feel very passionate about.

SPEAKER_06 58:34

Okay, just tell me, tell me.

SPEAKER_01 58:36

When you see a man who sends you or even comments very publicly on on your post or whatever, and they have a female in their profile picture with idea could be their wife, I lose respect completely.

SPEAKER_02 58:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 58:48

I think that's one of the things I I I either like don't respond or block them or whatever, because I don't feel that's right as well. People need to know how to utilize their social media. But the more that this happens, the more you realize that it's a it's a scary and a strange world out there with regards to people thinking they can just have a look at at other people's stuff.

SPEAKER_06 59:08

And do you respond to DMs and things in general?

SPEAKER_01 59:11

Um in general I don't, to be honest with you. It's more of a protective thing. Unless it's business related or work-related or brand related, I will. But again, if I need to help out with with you know young professionals and stuff like that, yes. But if it's just, hey, how you do no. I I honestly don't. I don't think I don't have the number one, the time frame, and also don't want to engage with strangers. Um and that's where it can get quite scary because the person then will think they're your friend and then pitch up to the practice or follow you home, which I've learned the hard way with that as well. And that was something I decided never again.

SPEAKER_06 59:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 59:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 59:48

All right. Well, uh Yak's camera's overheating, so we must wrap. I I would I I would milk the subject because it's fascinating to me for another. You didn't have to mention the camera, you could have just said we need to wrap it up.

SPEAKER_05 59:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 59:58

I'm just trying to I'm trying to put it out there that you know we we need better equipment, Yak. Um No, but so we always ask this question as like a closing question.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:07

Sure.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:08

You know, if somebody comes to you, if a young person approaches you online and says, Doc, um you've inspired me. Uh uh I think I want to do dentistry and become a dentist. Um, do you have any advice for me? W what would you say to them?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:24

Firstly, you gotta have a passion for dentistry. You gotta know what dentistry comes with. It's not just what you see from either my posts and thinking that it's gonna be hunky-dory and so on. There's a lot that goes into it. So that's literally the first thing I tell the patient or person, sorry. Um and ask them why. I wanna know your why before you making that comment and so on. And then you gauge and then the conversation then flows from there.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:50

I want to be rich. I want to make I want to drive a portion of the other.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:52

Dentistry doesn't make you rich. It's it's more your mindset that you as a person have to emulate in the world and how you want to approach things as well. Um again, I I I don't see myself as being it's so hard for me to say these things, but like a rich, successful dentist, whatever people may think it is, it takes a lot of hard work. I have my struggles. Um and again, I am open to verbalize the struggles if need be. But it isn't all you see. Social media is curated in a way where you will show people what you want them to see. It's not your whole life. So just don't be scammed into thinking that's that that's what it is.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:34

I love that answer. I want to find out your why and then we take it from there.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:38

Exactly.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:38

Okay, cool. Yeah. Yeah, any closing comments? Raini, anything?

SPEAKER_04 1:01:42

Yeah, that was very similar to my answer that I gave. Like, you know, uh people need to have an informed decision-making process and uh it's the why, it's the it's the purpose. And well, my philosophy is, and I'm gonna say it now in closing here from my side, but you gotta have a nine to five in order to, you know, discover your hobbies. And eventually through those hobbies you'll find a passion, and eventually your passion will replace your nine to five. But thank you so much for coming on our show and uh continuing to inspire all the people out there that wanna either get into dentistry or just be better.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:20

So thanks for my side.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:21

Thank you, Yak and Yah.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:22

Thanks so much. And do me a favor, inspire your people to follow me, also, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:26

Of course. Please, please do follow Yafin Yak and their beautiful podcast.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:30

Why did I become a doctor? And you can subscribe, it's free. I've never said this on any episode before, but I think it's apt in a social media context.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:36

For sure.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:37

Please subscribe, guys. Like you might watch this all the time and you're not subscribing, so do that. Do that, please. It helps, it helps the channel.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:44

Or or don't. We'll cut that in editing post. Okay, thanks, Rain. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thanks so much, guys.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:54

Thank you.