Interview with Dr. Shivi Gupta, San Diego (USA), Award winner in the Digital Patient Communication category

Dr. Gupta, immediately after receiving the Smart Integration Award, you completed a two-day training and networking program. What were the most important professional insights you took away from it?

It was a great opportunity to network and to collaborate with like-minded, innovative dentists worldwide. Our exchange naturally focused on award category topics such as digitalization, infection control and the cooperation between lab and dentist. We discussed ways to enhance the patient experience and to deliver optimal clinical results. It’s exciting to know that we can help build and shape the future of digital dentistry.

Dentsply Sirona’s expert program also promotes international networking among women in dentistry. Have you personally succeeded in expanding your network in recent weeks – and if so, how?

Yes, over the past few weeks I’ve started connecting with some of the Smart Integration Award Nominees and it’s a wonderful network to be part of. It’s a group of talented women who are excited about technological advances in dentistry. You can see and feel this passion when you are interacting with them. We’ve come together to share ideas and our vision of how to provide more comfortable and efficient dentistry. The training program also promoted networking among us women in dentistry. Social media has been an instrumental platform which removes geographic distances and allows women from all over the world to engage with one another.

Why do you think it’s important to empower women in dentistry?

Women are empowered. Things have definitely shifted over the last few decades, not only in dentistry but for women as a whole. There are now more women graduating dental schools than ever before, the ratio of male graduates to female graduates has changed drastically. Women are excited to be part of this profession and to step into leadership positions. We are excited to be role models to our peers. We are excited to be able to curate a well-balanced life inside and outside of dentistry. We really can have it all. It is important for young women to see this and to know there are other ambitious women out there helping pave the way. My niece is in university and wants to be a dentist. She is motivated and has ambitious goals for her career. She sees what a fulfilling profession dentistry can be. She has shadowed me and sees that building her career can be fun and be tailored to exactly what she wants. There really are no limits.

At the Smart Integration Award 2021, you convinced the jury with case descriptions in which you achieved high esthetic and functional treatment successes with a completely digital workflow. What development potential do you see in digitized dentistry? What could become even better, simpler and more intelligent in the future?

I predict 3D printing in dentistry will continue to experience a global surge in popularity. The current printing applications are already extremely advanced and industry leaders are finding new and innovative ways to make workflows even faster. In terms of a better and simpler future, it would be great to see various platforms come together to form a universal hub. I use several different programs on a day-to-day basis for interdisciplinary cases. Currently each platform has a separate log in and patient tracking system. It would definitely improve the workflow if platforms such as Sure Smile and Atlantis could be streamlined under one big umbrella. What does your personal professional future look like? What will change as a result of the Smart Integration Award and the Smart Integration Network? I am excited about the future. I look forward to continuing to educate dentists who are not only introducing digital dentistry to their office, but also experienced clinicians who are looking to take things to the next level. I was recently appointed as resident faculty at CDOCS and as an educator it’s important for me to stay on top of new technological and clinical advances. There are so many fascinating things happening in dentistry right now, and there has never been a better time to be part of this profession.

It is an honor to be part of the Smart Integration Community. It’s a great reminder that there are clinicians out there just like me, wanting to constantly raise the bar and offer the very best to our patients. I look forward to connecting with and expanding this intelligent and dynamic group.

Dr. Shivi Gupta won the Smart Integration Award 2021 with her description of a completely digital workflow with which she achieves high esthetic and functional treatment success.