By Lorena Franchuk
Grabbing a chocolate bar as you leave the dentist may seem somewhat counterproductive. But at Dr. Eileen Jang‘s dental office in south Edmonton, sugary treats are there for the taking.
The tooth doctor is a firm believer in making a visit to the dentist as pleasant as possible. If chocolate sweetens the deal in cementing a good dentist-patient relationship, she’s all for it. “I would give out new cars like Oprah Winfrey, but my budget only allows for chocolate bars,” jokes Dr. Jang. “The candy is a hit, even though patients laugh with suspicion that there is an evil motive behind them.”
This dentist has a good reason for treating her patients with a special touch. “I hated going to the dentist,” recalls the soft-spoken Dr. Jang, explaining her mom dreaded any time little Eileen needed to climb into a dental chair. “I remember screaming and biting the dentist’s finger. I was ‘that’ kid.”
With 40 years in dentistry behind her, Dr. Jang is committed to making an often stressful and sometimes uncomfortable visit as best as it can be. “I try to make sure patients are treated in a way that they will be ‘forever patients’—patients who will never be afraid, and thus forever visit a dentist,” she says.
When you listen closely, you begin to recognize parts of yourself in these patients. There’s a connection made.
In 2006, Dr. Jang opened her own clinic, Pearls Dental Clinic, after working as an associate dentist for 23 years. Today she oversees a clinic staff of 14, including an associate, Dr. Ryan Lau. “Every team member has a great attitude,” says Dr. Jang. “There’s accountability and responsibility, and we have a supportive work environment.”
Dr. Jang believes it’s that camaraderie between both staff and patients that makes Pearls so successful. A dose of humour helps as well. She loves to joke and finds it a great medium to learn more about her patients. “I’ve been very fortunate to meet many wonderful people through my work. Everyone has a unique story to tell,” she adds. “When you listen closely, you begin to recognize parts of yourself in these patients. There’s a connection made.”
Dr. Jang’s outgoing demeanour seems to come naturally. She’s adamant that wasn’t always the case. Growing up, “I was not one of those who would make heads turn when entering a room, not even if I was actively on fire,” she quips. “So, I learned to sing, dance and tell a few jokes to be less introverted.” She has also dabbled in magic and has done charity shows for community events.
Singing, dancing, joke-telling, and even a little magic helped bring her out of her shell.
Having a sense of humour also helps patients relax she says, “I have seen how caring and a playful heart can change the world around me. Although dentistry has evolved to be more comfortable, the fear is still there. If lightheartedness can take the sting away from a bad day or a bad case of the fears, things will go super well for the patient and for me.” In addition to her sense of humour and the chocolate bars, Dr. Jang has also incorporated arcade games and massage chairs into her clinic to take patients’ minds off the dental treatments.
Working on smile makeovers is her favourite part of the job. “Whether it involves just one tooth or an entire dentition, the satisfaction shown in the patient’s reaction leaves me with the best feeling.” Dr. Jang says one of the biggest challenges she faces is time, “It’s never the work that’s stressful, it’s fighting the clock so I don’t run late for patients.”
Out of the clinic, however, speed is in her blood. The mother of three loves fast cars, motorcycles and running.
Forcing herself to come out of her shell has proven to be a winning formula for Dr. Jang. She encourages new dentists to be confident and create their own path forward. “Go in with courage when performing procedures, knowing you can trust what you were taught in dental school,” Dr. Jang advises.“ Take your time to grow into your role as dentist extraordinaire so that you will enjoy being in this great career for the long run.”
And what’s her take on the future of dentistry? “More digitization and artificial intelligence to help predict problems earlier than with our own eyes,” she anticipates.
— This article appears in the November/December edition of the ADA Connection
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