An Interview With Dr John Roberts-Thomson
Dr John Roberts-Thomson recently joined our Chermside practice in sunny Brisbane. An experienced dentist with a particular interest in oral surgery and root canal treatment, we caught up with Dr Roberts-Thomson to find out more about his path into dentistry and what he enjoys most about his role.
Tell us a bit about your background and how you got into dentistry
Dentistry wasn’t always on my radar. I was actually initially interested in medicine, but a mentor of mine suggested dentistry and I’ve never looked back - I’d recommend it to anyone.
My background is in biomedical science and research, having graduated with first-class honours before embarking on my dentistry journey down in Melbourne. I’m originally from Brisbane, but studied and worked in Victoria for six years and have now finally returned to my roots to settle down.
What do you enjoy most about your role as a dentist?
I love how each and every person is different, with unique problems to identify and solve - it’s like a fun puzzle, but the puzzle is people’s teeth, and there’s a new puzzle every day!
Dentistry is a practice that’s both intellectually stimulating while also being very practical and hands-on, so I love the dichotomy there too.
Do you specialise in a particular area of dentistry? What do you like about this area?
Two of the areas I particularly enjoy working in are oral surgery cases and root canal therapy. I find these are the areas where if you have a knack for them, you tend to focus and expand further into them because it’s both enjoyable and challenging at the same time.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I like catching up with friends and family, exploring parks and reserves, as well as going to catch some sunshine and a wave up the coast on weekends.
Finally, what advice would you give to someone who may be considering a career in dentistry?
Every day in dentistry is different, so there’s minimal monotony and, honestly, you’ll never have a dull moment. I find dentistry very rewarding and challenging, and would definitely recommend it to anyone inclined.
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