We are familiar with the adage, “Beauty is being comfortable and confident in your own skin.” But in the world of selfies and social media, where everyone has an opportunity to be a celebrity, the universal desire to look extra good seems to be firmly entrenched. You may think that cosmetic procedures can cost thousands of rupees for nuanced features. But these surgeries not only make one beautiful, but also help in building a better image, raise your confidence, improve mental health, and encourage positive changes. Thanks to the doctors who are helping us live our life to the fullest. We are delighted to recognize one among such outstanding surgeons, Sanchaita Kohli, Director, Division of Facio- maxillary Surgery, RG Aesthetics – India’s leading plastic surgery centre.

Dr. Sanchaita is qualified in Dentistry & holds a master's degree in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. She carries more than a decade of training and experience at the prestigious Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences. Women Entrepreneur magazine engages in an exclusive conversation to deduce more about her journey.

What are some important features of your expertise as a leader in healthcare?

As a leader, I believe that the best results are produced by the team only when we become the change that we  want to see. For instance, to ensure accurate outcomes, I shouldn’t accept even a one percent error in my surgeries. Showcase my best behaviour to make sure that my team emulates the same.

A leader in healthcare needs to be a visionary. We should step up and talk about how to make things more efficient, faster, accurate, and accessible to everybody. I have always been a person with a vision, always trying to make things better. Moreover, I feel that a leader should always think about the large-scale impact that their work is producing. I started mass social media campaigns to de-stigmatize cosmetic surgeries and facial feminization surgery, and it's very important for a leader to address such issues and propel social impact.

Take us through your early journey. What drew you towards the field of healthcare?

Growing up in a doctor's family, I imbibed strong compassion and great respect for health. It was natural for me to aspire to be a healthcare professional. When I gained real exposure to patient care, it was very fulfilling and gratifying to be able to treat patients and see the outcomes.

After my education in dentistry, I completed my master's in oral maxillofacial surgery from Maulana Azad Medical College. Worked with the same hospital for over seven years in different roles. Having treated a number of patients with a wide variety of conditions, I also conducted a lot of research and published many scientific papers. In 2020, in collaboration with RG Aesthetics, I started my own practice. Launched my own division of oral maxillofacial surgery and gradually grew my practice on an international scale treating different conditions: oral cancer, facial trauma, facial/jaw deformities, and facial feminization surgery.

Tell us about the various challenges you encounter as a healthcare practitioner in India. How do you overcome the roadblocks that you face?

Despite practicing in a fast-growing society, it was quite surprising to encounter ageism and sexism in the initial days. It was really hard to make my mark in this field because it's not just the patients that question your qualifications or your credibility but also your own seniors in the field. Another challenge is a lack of awareness about oral and maxillofacial surgery. Even a lot of hospitals hadn't heard of my surgical specialty at that point. A lot of patients were getting wrongful surgeries done by different surgeons because they were not aware. India has so many brilliant doctors and a really good healthcare system, but a lack of awareness was a big problem.

"The world needs more Women leaders, creative Thinkers, and visionaries; You are definitely one Among them"

Apart from that, the healthcare industry is too competitive rather than collaborative. We need to come together, collaborate and work on patients together as a team. Much better work can be done if multiple minds come together, bringing their varied backgrounds and complementary experiences or skill sets. I could overcome those issues with the guidance of my mentor Dr. Rajat Gupta and the support of my team. Effective social media campaigns to spread awareness about my specialty have also helped bring great change.

What advice would you give to young women and girls who also aspire to foray into the field of healthcare?

Having integrity and grit to pursue my dreams has been my mantra. No matter what you want to do in life just keep at it. Find your passion and let that drive you. The world is going to underestimate you, but accept the fact that there will be hardships and setbacks along the way. If you have passion, belief, and grit; you'll have all the weapons that you need to prove them wrong and get ahead. It's not going to be an easy journey, but once you are there, it will be so fulfilling.

Dr. Sanchaita Kohli, Director, RG Aesthetics

A gold medalist in MDS Oral and Maxillofacial surgery. Sanchaita is also a certified ATLS Provider by the American College of Surgeons. She is experienced in rapidly and efficiently handling patients with emergency trauma as per international standards. Certified in managing patients of craniomaxillo facial trauma by AOCMF, Switzerland. She is one of the few surgeons to perform Total Joint Replacement for Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) in India. Pioneered advanced facial feminization surgery in India and specializes in minimally invasive facial surgeries.