The Dentistry Industry In India Is Growing As More Individuals Seek Dental Treatments To Improve Their Oral Health And Appearance. Women Have Been Making A Significant Impact In This Market; Such As Dr Monali Tamhankar, The Director, Owner And Chief Endodontist At Ceramco Dental Clinic. She Has Completed Her Undergraduate And Postgraduate Degrees In Conservative Dentistry And Endodontics At Sdm Dental College In Dharwad, Karnataka. With Her Expertise And Passion For Dentistry, She Has Been Revolutionizing Dental Treatments In India, Providing Her Patients With Top-Notch Care And The Latest Technologies. She Is An Expert In Smile Design Makeovers, As Well As Performing All Types Of Root Canal Treatments, Including Surgeries. With A Master's Degree In Operative Dentistry And Endodontics, Her Focus Is On Enhancing The Appearance Of My Patient's Teeth And Creating Beautiful Smiles That Bring Them Great Joy. Dr. Tamhankar's Success In The Field Has Been Inspiring, Especially For Young Women Who Aspire To Make Their Mark In The Dental Industry. Let’s Hear More From Her In Below Interview Snippets.

Tell Us About Your Early Education And Any Prior Work Experience You Have In The Industry. What Made You Decide To Pursue A Career In Dentistry?

I Completed My Schooling In Saudi Arabia Because My Father Worked There, And Being Exposed To The Medical Field At A Young Age In That Country Piqued My Interest. Having A Natural  Talent For Science And An Interest In Becoming A Plastic Surgeon, I Had To Choose Between Pursuing A Degree In Mbbs Or Bds After Finishing High School. I Ultimately Chose Dentistry Because It Offers A Great Balance Between Work And Home Life. I Have Completed My Undergraduate And Postgraduate Degree In Conservative Dentistry And Endodontic Studies At Sdm Dental College In Dharwad, Karnataka, Which Is Among The Largest Dental Colleges In Asia. My Primary Work Involves Treating Patients Who Are Experiencing Pain, And My Area Of Expertise Is In Root Canal Treatment. I Have Discovered That Being Able To Communicate With Patients In Their Own Language Helps To Alleviate Some Of Their Pain And Establish A Connection With Them It Helps A Lot That I Can Fluently Speak And Understand Seven Indian Languages. Through My Extensive Experience In My College Life Working With Countless Patients, I Was Well-Equipped To Pursue A Career In Private Practice When I Graduated.

Introduce Us To Ceramco Dental Clinic. Tell Us About The Various Procedures And Techniques The Clinic Specializes In. Ceramco Dental Clinic Was Founded In 1984 By My Husband Dr. Uday Tamhankar. We, Then Together Worked Hard And Opened 11 Branches Of Clinics In The Whole Of Mumbai. Our Main Dream Was To Have A Large Centre Where People From All Over The World Can Come And This Was Fulfilled In 2017. Ceramco Dental Clinic Is One Of The Biggest Private Dental Clinics In Mumbai With 21 Dental Chairs And 25 Of The World's Latest Technology Available In-House. The Clinic Specializes In All Fields Of Dentistry And Has Advanced Equipment Such As A Cbct Scanning Machine, Intra-Oral Scanning Machine, And Painless Anaesthesia Technology Called ‘The Wand’. They Also Offer Nitrous Oxide Sedation In Their Pediatric Department.

Describe The Most Important Challenges You Faced As A Healthcare Provider. What Areas Of Patient Care Are You Mostly Focused On?

As A Senior Endodontist In Mumbai, One Of My Biggest Challenges Is To Treat Patients Who Have Had Failed Dental Treatment And Require Retreatment. Many People Come To Ceramco From All Over The World With The Hope Of Saving Their Teeth. However, Thanks To Our Latest Technology And Technical Support, We Are Able To Achieve Miracles And Provide Painless Procedures With Our Highly Advanced Infrastructure. Our Main Focus Is To Maximize The Work In Minimal Sittings To Ensure A Comfortable Experience For The Patient.

Tell Us About Some Of The Significant Turning Points In Your Professional Career. What Has Been Your Success Mantra?

I Have Reached A Significant Milestone Of Treating 50,000 Satisfied Patients At Ceramco Dental Clinic In Borivali, And Another Milestone Is Safely Working During The Covid-19 Pandemic With The Help Of My Support Team. Despite The Pandemic, We Provided Treatment To Over 1,000 Patients While Taking Extra Precautions Such As Using N95 Masks, An Aero Box, And Extraoral Suction. We Believed That As Doctors, It Was Our Duty To Help And Serve People During These Difficult Times. My Key Success Mantra Is An Ethical Treatment Modality That Is Honest, Clear, And Upfront In Every Way. One Of Our Key Goals Is To Give People In My Country Access To The Newest Technology At A Fair Price So That Everyone May Benefit From It.

"Our Main Focus Is To Make The Latest Technology Available And Affordable To Ensure A Comfortable And Painless Experience For All"

Tell Us About Your Life Outside Of Work. What Additional Activities Or Interests Do You Enjoy When You Have Free Time?

At The Age Of 41, Post My Second Child, I Embarked On My Fitness Journey And Created A Fitness Program Named ‘Mom To Wow’ For New Moms. I Put My Heart And Soul Into Everything That I Do, Whether It's Engaging In A Badminton Match Or Having A Swimming Race, With My Family. This Dedication And Passion Also Reflects In My Professional Life As A Dentist, Where I Am Entirely Devoted To My Work. However, I Also Make Time For My Extracurricular Pursuits As I Believe That We Have Only One Life, And It's Essential To Live It To The Fullest.

What Tips Would You Offer To Prospective Women Leaders And Entrepreneurs Based On Your Own Experience As A Business Leader?

 I Absolutely Disagree With The Notion Carried By Many Women That A Work-Life Balance Is Not Their Cup Of Tea. I Really Believe That A Woman Is The Only One Who Is Physically And Mentally Capable Of Juggling Multiple Tasks While Maintaining A Positive Attitude.

Dr. Monali Tamhankar, Director, Owner & Chief Endodontist, Ceramco Dental Clinic

Dr. Monali, A Super Woman By Definition, Successfully Does The Fine Balancing Act Of Being A Devoted Mom To Her Kids And A Leading Specialist In Her Field Of Dentistry. She Is One Of The Top Endodontists In Mumbai Who Has Also Specialized In Cosmetic Dentistry And Mini Implants From The University Of Leeds, Uk.