Barry | Greymouth, West Coast

“It’s regarding my career. There was an option of choosing veterinary or dentistry, so I chose dentistry, but later on, I missed not going for veterinary, but now I’m happy being a dentist, and I love it.

I love my job, and I love my career, and helping people. There’s a purpose in it, and putting a smile on everyone’s face. So, that’s a lesson I learned from the regret.

I moved to Greymouth four years back, approximately. I like the location, and I love the people, and now I have my own office, I’m having fun working, and helping people, and giving back to the community. 

We do offer free service on particular days of the year. We advertise for it and we treat patients who need essential work, or emergency work, or fillings. We can see the patient’s story, where they’re coming from. Meeting new people and fixing their issues, and putting the smile back on their face. If they have any issues, I fix it and put the smile back on them. That’s rewarding, and that gives me happiness.

I grew up in India. South part of India. It’s Chennai. That’s a big city. Then, I moved to New Zealand and studied in Canterbury, then moved to Otago, did more study, and worked all around New Zealand and Australia. I’ve settled in Greymouth, now. I love this place compared to working in other areas of the world.

The role is like any other profession, just being a role model in helping people, and a holistic approach to the clients, or to the patients, and that way they can look after their oral health, because oral health is the gateway of the whole body’s health. So, that’s one of the important parts of health.”