Recently, an aspiring dental student reached out to us with the hope to ‘shadow’ Dr. Muruga in his practice to get inspiration; if dentistry would be the career path for him. Teow Sze Yi, a 19-year-old who just completed his South Australian Matriculation shadowed Dr. Muruga and got more then he had bargained for and a life changing experience. Written below are the insights he shares in his exuberance of finally be certain of his career path.

Making up my Mind to be a Dentist - This is my Story

by Teow Sze Yi

As someone who is interested in pursuing a career in dentistry, I decided shadowing a dentist would provide me with a clear picture of a dentist’s career. Prior to meeting Dr. Muruga, I had spent the last few weeks emailing various dental clinics to see whether or not I could sit-in on their practice. Of all these, only Dr. Muruga replied. Understandably, the Dr. initially rejected my request due to the current Covid-19 situation, however, he was willing to take the time out of his busy schedule to at least sit and chat with a potential dental student. This alone spoke volumes about the Dr’s character and personality.

What I thought would be a 15-minute chat turned into a 3-week long shadowing opportunity in which the Doctor evaluated me on whether or not I fit the profile of a future dentist. His level of care and thoughtfulness towards a total stranger and non-patient startled me, but as I soon learned, this is how he treats every individual he comes across. Dr. Muruga’s philosophy is that as the teeth and mouth are parts of a human body, he would not only look microscopically at a patient’s oral cavity but evaluate them as a whole person in terms of diet, fitness and overall health before deciding the best course of action.

Typically, he would get to know you in his light-hearted and ‘uncle’ personality. Being a psychologist, he is an expert at opening people up; which is why he is able to build such good rapport with every sort of patient that comes in, even young children. I have never come across an incident where a patient felt awkward or uncomfortable with Dr. Muruga as he is not only a great conversationalist, but he also promotes a spa-like treatment that helps to provide a relaxing environment which no other dental clinic offers.

Dr. Muruga is a veteran dental surgeon who has been working for over 40 years, so it is safe to say that his treatments are safe, effective, and reliable. Not only that, but he is also an orthodontist and still regularly sees many orthodontic cases. Once, a patient requested a drastic implant treatment. Although it would have been costly, Dr. Muruga advised them to do a cheaper and safer treatment as the implant was unnecessary and would do more harm in the future. Dr. Muruga tells me that he is old and no longer needs money, but I can tell that he continues practicing dentistry as he wishes to help others and prevent them from making mistakes that could be detrimental in the future.

The staff at TDS has also been with the Dr. for many years and as such, they are skillfully trained. They also share the doctor’s friendly aura, and it can be seen that they are in line with the doctor’s mission of providing a high quality of care for each patient.

My time with Dr. Muruga and TDS although brief, has been a tremendously valuable experience. I have learned so much about patient-interaction, clinic organization, work-life balance, and many other lessons in my few weeks here. Dr. Muruga has not only inspired me to continue on my journey towards dental school but has also made me a better individual as a whole, which is an experience I firmly believe that every patient will come across when they get to know Dr. Muruga.