A professor and HOD in Public Health Dentistry in a college, Dr. Kailash has a wealth of 20 years of experience in the field and also runs his private practice. He is also a Nodal Officer for government schemes at the college’s hospital. Although he initially wanted to pursue a career in core medical science, destiny led him to dentistry.

Dr. Kailash Asawa is a Professor and Head of the Department of Public Health Dentistry at Pacific Dental College and Hospital, Udaipur. He completed his BDS in 2000, and his post-graduation in Public Contingency from Darshan Dental College in Udaipur in 2007-2010 batch.

Dr. Asawa  is also working as the Deputy Superintendent of Pacific Dental Hospital and also takes care of administrative and managerial aspects of the department. He is also a Nodal Officer for government schemes like the Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana, running in the hospital.

Busting myths about the Public Health Dentistry Department, Dr. Asawa says that people from the dentistry field feel that it is a non-clinical branch which is not true. He adds that Pacific Dental Hospital has a fully functional Comprehensive Clinic and all the treatments of the patients are done in the department. He adds that the institute has a team of clinical staff, Endodontists and Prosthodontists training PGs and interns to perform all kinds of general dentistry procedures like root canal treatments, placement of crown and bridge, simple extractions, etc. The department also regularly conducts activities like diagnostic, treatment, and awareness camps throughout the year.

Dr. Kailash Asawa also shares that the college is not only training students in dentistry but also working on their personality development, communication, and managerial skills which will be helpful in their practice in future.

Adding to the list, Dr. Kailash shares that they also conduct monthly denture camps in which they deliver dentures to needy patients within 24 hours. These are conducted in rural areas where patients are screened and made to stay overnight for the treatment, the expenses of which are provided by the institute. In a nutshell, Dr. Kailash says that public health is a broad domain in terms of research, clinical work, and learning managerial and organisational skills.

Dr. Kailash Asawa shares that he was also engaged in an activity- the largest oral cancer screening through a device called Velscope for workers of Wonder Cement Plant in Nimbahera. For that camp,  their department of Public Health Dentistry was listed in the India Book of Records for screening the highest number of patients for oral cancer in a single day at a single venue. In a single day, the department examined over 3000 patients with a team of 60-70 doctors.

Besides working at Pacific Dental College, Dr. Asawa has also been running his private practice in the evenings for the last 20 years. His private clinic operates under the name ‘Shivam Dental Care’ in Hiran Magri, Udaipur. Dr. Kailash’s establishment provides each and every type of dental treatment right from consultation, checkups, radiographs to root canals, crowns, bridges, implantology, fixed orthodontics and even the maxillofacial trauma.

Reflecting on his early days, Dr. Kailash says that he hails from Kelwara near Kumbhalgarh. He completed his schooling till higher secondary at Central Academy Senior Secondary School, Udaipur. Thereafter, he passed the medical entrance exam in Kota and was later admitted to the BDS stream. On that note, he shares that he always wanted to pursue core medical science, and not dentistry, but destiny had dentistry in store for him. His education has been limited to the Rajasthan state and he has  moved out only for conferences.

When asked about his role models, Dr. Kailash shares that he got the inspiration to join this profession inspired by his father who is a specialist in TB and chest diseases and he had grown up seeing him work in hospitals and treating people in rural areas as well. He also looks up to MS Dhoni and admires him for his cool and calm demeanour even in adverse situations. Considering them as his role models, Dr. Asawa wants to work for himself and for the betterment of society.

In his free time, Dr. Kailash likes listening to music, particularly the motivational and patriotic songs of A.R. Rahman which acts as a stress-buster for him.

In his message for aspiring dentists, Dr. Asawa says that some medical students feel that dentistry has no scope. On that note, he enlightens them that every field has become competitive in the present times. “Work hard in the initial years of your career”, says Dr. Kailash. He advises dentists aspiring to have their own clinics to be very calm, have good communications skills, and deliver their treatments well.

Adding on, Dr. Asawa cautions aspiring medical professionals that the initial years will be full of struggle and asks them to be prepared for those challenges, while working hard sincerely. He says that it is a matter of the trust that patients will have in you after several dedicated years of your practice.

In the end, Dr. Kailash advises the newcomers to join this profession with proper motivation and not succumb to peer pressure and parental pressure. He says that all we need is to have interest, curiosity, and dedication to excel in any profession. And in the event you get stuck, seek help from their colleagues and consultants.