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Dr Dhruv Gupta: 'Emergencies Are The Focus In My Practice In The Era Of COVID-19

by — Last updated: 2020-04-25 in Ear, Nose, Throat, and Dental problems

SteadyHealth is proud to feature dental surgeon Dr Dhruv Gupta as our Doc of the Month! Maybe you've read his articles; now, let's find out how his practice is coping with COVID-19, and why he abandoned his cricket dreams to become a dentist.

Dr Dhruv Gupta has been shedding light on the complex — but, as he frequently says, definitely not necessarily painful or scary — world of dentistry for SteadyHealth readers for years now. Whether you've got questions about root canal treatments or fractured teeth, implant dentistry or getting your child used to dental visits, Dhruv has answers.

The best part? Dhruv's no-nonsense writing style, sprinkled with a dash of dry humor, makes it easy for anyone to get the info they were after at a glance.

That's why we're proud to feature Dr Dhruv Gupta as SteadyHealth's Doctor of the Month. Yes, that means we get to peek beyond his words and surgical mask, and find out a little more about him — including how his practice is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

'I was intrigued by dentistry after being a patient myself'

Dhruv completed his Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 2008, after which he went right back for his MDS in periodontology. That makes him an expert in periodontal (gum) disease, oral inflammation, and implant dentistry. Within the field of implant dentistry, guided surgery is his true passion.

Dhruv currently owns and runs two practices in New Delhi, India, with his endodontist wife — so it's fair to say that he lives and breathes dentistry! But it wasn't always like that. 

"Most children probably don't grow up dreaming about becoming dentists," he says, "and I have to admit that I was no different. I wanted to be a professional cricketer, but quickly realized the limitations of my talent! I became intrigued by dentistry when I underwent dental treatment in my teens. I liked the setup and the experience I had as a patient, which triggered me to do some more research into the profession."

He stayed the course. "I was lucky to gain admission into SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, India — considered one of the best colleges in Asia. The surgical part of dental work appealed to me far more than the esthetic aspects, and that is what I decided to base my career on."

"I completed my master's degree in periodontology and now concentrate on dental implants for the bulk of my practice. I currently have two practices in New Delhi, one in Safdarjung Development Area and the other in Mayur Vihar-1."

Dhruv's first passion stuck around, too, though! "I never did abandon cricket, and continue to play a game every single Sunday!"

'The focus of dental implants has switched from survival to comfort'

I don't know about you, but where I live, dental implants have only really become popular in the last decade or so. The SteadyHealth team was curious to hear how Dhruv's specialty of implant dentistry has evolved since he first started practicing — and what he thinks the future holds. 

Dhruv explains: "Dental Implants have been the focus of my learning and practice for a fair bit of time now. During that time, I have seen dental implantology evolve from focusing on the survival of the implant to the comfort of the patient. A dental implant that functioned for a good duration of time, say 10 years, used to be considered successful."

"Now, however, the focus of dental implants is on the quality of use, esthetics, soft tissue support, and constantly pushing the boundaries of what was once thought possible."

As for the future? It's likely to be exciting for dentists as well as patients! As Dhruv shares, "I have no doubt that the focus of dental implants the world over is going to shift to digital planning and then pinpoint execution. The technology exists and is being used already, including by me, it just has to get more prevalent."

'The COVID-19 outbreak has hit everyone hard'

With the world in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone will want to know how this new virus is affecting dentists and dentistry.  Dhruv has already shared his guidelines on protecting dentists and patients from COVID-19, but we also want to know how he's coping — especially considering that India put of the world's more stringent protective measures in place.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has hit everyone hard," Dhruv says. "For my practice, that means a focus on dental emergencies at the moment as social distancing protocols are in place. We are currently addressing tooth pain and dealing with severe infections, rather than with the replacement of teeth or other procedures that can be postponed."

How will the coronavirus change the world? Dhruv speculates that "the long-term implications of the pandemic are going to be many" He adds that: "The world is going through something that very few of us would have experienced before and would not like to again in our lifetimes. Perhaps the most obvious change is going to be an increased focus on infection control and improved awareness among the general public."

As for dentistry, Dhruv thinks it will take time to see permanent changes. "Dental and medical science do not move very rapidly by design, and any new innovations because of this pandemic are going to take time to trickle down. Tele-consultations are definitely here to stay, though."

'The idea that dentistry is acutely painful prevents people from seeking treatment'

Dhruv often has to debunk myths about dentistry in his articles. There are many, but if he had the power to erase one — but just one — common misconception about dentistry or dental care from everyone's mind, Thanos-style, with a single snap, what would he choose?

"This is an interesting question. Perhaps the biggest misconception around dentistry that I would like to erase is that it's always painful. Dentistry is no different from any other medical field. Some pain or discomfort is a part of the job, but it doesn't have to be terrible. The notion that dentistry is acutely painful keeps more people from seeking treatment and actually avoiding pain than anything else."

Dhruv wouldn't just like everyone to know that not all dental procedures are painful, however, but also that you — as a patient — hold a lot of cards in your hand when it comes to your own dental health. 

"A very simple piece of knowledge that I would like everyone to have would be that the maintenance of teeth is easy and only requires consistency. Brush regularly, see your dentist every six months and avoid terrible eating habits. Your teeth will function even if you live to a 150 years of age!"

A spotlight on some of Dhruv's best articles 

Would you like to hear more from Dhruv? Browse through his most interesting articles, courtesy of SteadyHealth's editorial team!

  • Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth