"Every patient carries with them their own desires, burdens and worries, as well as their own unique viewpoints, histories and individual personalities."
- Dr Robert Percy Burgess, Dental Registrar, Dental Surgery at Woodlands Health
Can you summarise your job in one or two sentences?
I currently practice as an Endodontics registrar, which is a subspecialty of dentistry which deals with the root canals (nerves and blood vessels) of the tooth. Endodontics aims to treat infections related to the root canals, which can occur due to many reasons such as decay, cracks, trauma or developmental defects.
How long have you been in your current role?
I have been a dentist for coming up to 11 years now, and have been with Woodlands Health Campus since 2019 when I began my postgraduate training in Endodontics.
What inspired you to pursue a career in healthcare?
In all honesty I wasn’t really inspired at the start to pursue a career in healthcare -- Fresh out of school and without much job experience, it was tough choosing what I wanted to do, let alone picturing a future career in any field.
That being said, my love for healthcare is something that has grown steadily over time. It’s really a joy to see patients get well and to get the opportunity to see them leave in a better state than when they first came in is truly a privilege.
What’s a skill or quality you’ve developed in this role that you’re most proud of?
One quality I've developed over the years is to be a good active listener. Every patient carries with them their own desires, burdens and worries, as well as their own unique viewpoints, histories and individual personalities.
I’ve found that I can best tailor my discussions and treatments with my patients when I get to know them well, and that involves making the effort to listen. This works both ways as I’ve also been able to learn many new things outside of healthcare from my patients through our conversations.
Could you share a memorable moment from your healthcare journey?
A memorable moment was when a patient I treated back in 2017-2018 came to see me again at Woodlands Health Campus after finding out I had completed my postgraduate training. It was humbling to know that they still trusted me with their dental care after all those years.
What’s your personal approach to going the extra mile for patients or colleagues?
I focus on putting myself in my patients' shoes and striving to learn from my colleagues. For example, I’ve incorporated aromatherapy scents in the treatment room to help patients relax and used massaging devices to ease the pain of injections.
These small actions can feel very inconsequential but they do add to the whole experience and help patients to cope with the already stressful experience of being in a foreign healthcare setting.
How do you keep yourself motivated to deliver great service every day?
I stay grounded by appreciating the opportunities I have, whether it’s caring for others or working with a supportive team. I remind myself to remain grateful for each chance I get to make a positive impact.
How do you handle difficult situations while maintaining good service?
In my opinion, most difficult situations I come across tend to arise from conflicts and misunderstandings when an individual or party feels that their needs were not met — many of these situations stem from reasons such as assumptions, misunderstandings or even poor communication.
When a difficult situation like this arises, I personally try to gather information from the stakeholders involved, such as the patient(s) and fellow colleagues, so as to not have any assumptions or misunderstandings. Once that is done, I try to reassure the parties involved that their concerns are heard, and to formulate a plan to best address each person’s needs.
What advice would you give to someone new to the team about service excellence?
The essence of service excellence is about making our patients and those around us feel cared for.
In the fast-paced day-to-day ebb and flow of healthcare, let’s not forget to take the time to listen, reflect and make consistent changes to continually improve our patient care.
