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As a boy in Tlhabane, Rustenburg, all Dr Odirile Moloi wanted was a gold filling — because everyone at school had one. But the locum dentist who saw him that day didn't drill. She picked up a mirror, showed him his teeth, and told him they were beautiful. He walked out without the gold filling he came for — and with a calling he's followed for over two decades.

In this conversation, Dr Moloi traces his journey from a township childhood under Bophuthatswana, through dental school at Medunsa, to building a referral-based endodontic practice in Pretoria. He speaks openly about the matric suspension that nearly derailed everything, the taxi ride to Pretoria without a cell phone to write an aptitude test, losing both parents and his younger brother, and how grief taught him to stop apologising for living fully.

Dr Moloi is a co-founder of OMERI — a dentist-led CPD platform built on the mantra "Making Endodontics simple and accessible to all." What started as informal study groups and WhatsApp discussions has grown into annual conferences, now in their eighth year, covering everything from root canal treatment to implants, aligners, and ethics. He also teaches endodontics to undergraduate and postgraduate students in the odontology department at the University of Pretoria.

But this episode isn't only about teeth. Dr Moloi is a vinyl DJ and collector who grew up surrounded by LPs — inherited records, rescued records, records cleaned and preserved by hand. He talks about why vinyl forces you to be intentional, why music came before dentistry in shaping who he is, and what it means to carry a bag of records to a set instead of plugging in a USB.

There's a moment towards the end where co-host Dr Yak Lindy shares something deeply personal — a scene at an airport before the South Korea trip that made him rethink what was missing in his own life. It's the kind of honesty that makes these conversations worth having.

Co-hosted with Dr Yak Lindy.

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by guests do not necessarily represent those of the podcast or hosts and do not constitute professional advice. Always consult with qualified professionals for medical, financial, or career decisions.

🎙️ Why Did I Become A Doctor shares honest, unscripted conversations with doctors, dentists, healthcare professionals, and other inspiring individuals who are shaping the future of healthcare and beyond.

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