This month, we shine the spotlight on Dr. Sharan Atwal, general dentist and Invisalign provider at Sturgeon Creek Dental in Winnipeg, Manitoba. We discuss how continuing education has evolved her practice, what excites her most about practicing dentistry, and her advice for emerging dentists.
Tell us about your journey into dentistry and how you came into practice at Sturgeon Creek Dental?
My journey into dentistry started at a young age. A childhood accident in the playground opened a revolving door at the dental office for me. As the years went by, I realized that I could see myself as a dentist, and by high school, I decided that dentistry was my career path. I graduated from the University of Manitoba dental school in 2004, and have not looked back since!
How has partnership with dentalcorp impacted the way you practice?
Partnering with dentalcorp has changed the way I run the day-to-day operations at my practice. I can now come to work, focus on the delivery of patient care with my team, and not get bogged down by practice management. In fact, it has allowed our entire team to truly focus everything we do on patient care. There’s a certain comfort in knowing that we have the support of dentalcorp to guide us through the administrative aspect of running the office.
What excites you most about practicing dentistry?
Giving our patients the smile they’ve always wanted is tremendously exciting and rewarding for me. Whether it’s restorative dentistry or Invisalign, seeing a giant smile on a patient’s face following their treatment never gets old.
What’s the best part about being a dentist?
The best part about being a dentist is making a positive difference in someone’s health and well-being. Knowing that you’ve taken the time to listen to their concerns and worked with them respectfully to ad-dress those issues is immensely gratifying.
What does excellence in patient care mean to you?
Excellence in patient care is truly listening to your patients and always putting their well-being first. Empathy goes a long way in building trust with them. When you see them year after year, you know the relationships you’ve established have the foundation of that trust.
What’s the best part about being in the dentalcorp network?
The best part about being in the dentalcorp network is the collaboration that comes with it. This was even more the case than when the pandemic first hit. With so much uncertainty, our network had the comfort of having dentalcorp to lean on. It was like having a trusted sibling to lean on. We are grateful for all the support provided. Even now, it’s reassuring to know that we have a network to turn to for every facet of dentistry. There’s a great sense of camaraderie across the network.
What are some of the ways you stay on top of the latest trends and technologies in dentistry?
Continuing education has always been a cornerstone in evolving my dental practice. The courses taken over the years have changed how I perform certain procedures and the materials and equipment I use. Technology is changing at such a rapid rate in dentistry. It’s important to understand the trends and evolution of dentistry, and continuing education courses provide a great foundation for staying current.
What do you think has been the secret to your practice’s sustained success?
I genuinely believe the key to our success is our hard-working team. We’re incredibly fortunate to have such amazing team members who come to work every day putting their best foot forward. We not only look after our patients, but we also support one another’s as well.
Tell us about some of the ways that your practice gives back to the community.
Our practice gives back to the community by supporting various local organizations and events. Some of our dentists participate in open-wide events where dental services are offered to low-income communities.
What advice do you have for emerging dentists?
I believe that there’s a real place for mentorship. As an emerging dentist, an experienced mentor can provide invaluable guidance and advice. The pearls of wisdom from someone who has experienced success and failure can be immensely helpful.
