Welcome to another interview with MedBound Times. Dr. Nidhi Arora of MedBound Times had the opportunity to engage in an exciting conversation with Dr. Drishti Parwal.

Dr. Drishti Parwal completed her bachelor’s degree (B.D.S.) from ITS Dental College and Hospital, Greater Noida, India (Admission Batch: 2017). She is also a content creator and social media influencer.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background as a dentist and content creator as “Doc_Dramatic on Instagram and YouTube?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: I am Dr. Drishti Parwal, a general dentist and I have recently completed my graduation. I am a content creator, and I started my Instagram journey a year ago and my YouTube journey a few months back. Both of these SM accounts are aimed at making dental students and dentists laugh and enjoy being a dentist.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: What inspired you to become a dentist, and how did you combine your profession with being a content creator?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: As a dental student, I always used to think that whatever I am going through, good or bad experiences, it's just me. But then after watching memes about the same things I went through, I realized that it's not just me, but many people out there. So I thought, why not share my experience in a funny way. Make it known that this can also happen, but in a funny way, so dentists out there won't feel alone and be burdened. Just laugh it off, 'cause that's life.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: What are the most common misconceptions or myths about oral hygiene that you frequently come across? How do you address them in your content?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: The biggest misconception about dentistry is that we only deal with 32 teeth, but as a dentist, we deal with so much more. We deal with all the joints, glands, muscles, spaces, and, obviously, both sets of teeth that are present. There are other misconceptions too, like that extraction can cause loss of eyesight, scaling weakens the teeth or milk teeth are not important or it's better to get the tooth extracted than have a root canal done. I try to incorporate these in a funny and creative way in my content, mainly reels and shorts, and write the actual facts in captions after going through all the studies that have been done on the topics.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: How important is oral hygiene for overall health, and what key messages do you try to convey to your audience regarding this relationship?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: There is a saying that "Oral cavity is the gateway to overall health." And I feel that it's a reflection of your overall health. I want my audience to know about this and take better care of their health.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: What strategies or tips do you share with your audience to maintain good oral health on a daily basis?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: Anything and everything that can cause harm to oral health, I share it. Things like how frequently you snack harm oral health or how sticky things cause more harm or how leaving plaque on your teeth can cause damage or how brushing twice a day is not a foolproof way of avoiding tooth decay. Often what people know is not the entire truth and that's where I come in. I try to describe things in detail so they have more in-depth knowledge. Be it about day-to-day things or something else.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: Can you discuss any challenges or difficulties you face in creating content about oral hygiene and dental care? How do you overcome them?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: The biggest challenge that I face while making content about oral hygiene is that people don't know the technical terms that we use as dentists. They won't understand if I start telling them that this is a class 5 caries or a class 2 caries. These words are for us dentists to better understand the problem and make a treatment plan accordingly. But for people, it's just some gibberish. I try to explain things in the easiest way possible. I try to use layman's terms if possible or show pictures/drawings that will help them relate more. I try and come up with a story, just like we do with kids, so that they understand.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: As a content creator, what impact do you hope to make on your audience, especially regarding their dental health and understanding of dentistry?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: My content mainly focuses on telling about the experiences of a dentist. So the impact I want is that no one should feel like they are the only ones facing it. They should know it's a common thing, and this too shall pass. I want my content to give courage to dental students, a good laugh to dentists, and make them feel nostalgic.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: How do you engage dental students through your content? What kind of advice or guidance do you offer to aspiring dentists?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: The advice that I give to the majority of dental students is that don't regret after you have decided to become a dentist. The day you regret is the day you will stop loving dentistry. Enjoy the process. Be amazed by every new thing you learn. And dentistry is just not about reading books. It's 50% hand skills and 50% theoretical knowledge. You can't be a good dentist by just being a bookworm. I might sound rude when I say this, but this is what they need to hear to give their time and heart to dentistry.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: Could you share a success story or an instance where your content made a positive impact on someone’s oral health habits or decision-making process?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: People reached out to me to gain insight about their oral health through Instagram. Forgetting their fear, they shared their problems. People reaching out to me is the biggest success, I will say. Other than that, many dental students who were struggling with their studies messaged me about how they felt de-stressed after watching my reels. This brings joy to me.

Dr. Nidhi Arora: What are your future plans or goals as a dentist and content creator? Any new projects or areas of focus you’d like to explore?

Dr. Drishti Parwal: I just want to be known by a larger audience. So more and more people know about me. They can listen to what I have to say and not be scared of the dentist. I want more dentist / dental students to just scroll my page “Doc_Dramatic”, relate with me, and feel at ease. There is always going to be a little bit of drama in life, so, why not just be a little more dramatic and share my stories? As of now, I am not working on any new projects. But if I ever start working, you will know.