Dancing Dentist!
A path only I can walk is one
I cannot always ask others about
it can feel frightening at times.
Even when I walk alongside others,
there are moments when I feel
I am heading in a different direction.
But in those moments,
I choose to move forward with trust in my own path.
To understand myself,
and to walk together with who I am.
Dancing Dentist | Kim Su-wan
Q. The title “Dancing Dentist”
feels like a combination of contrasting identities.
What drew you to dance as a hobby?
I have been interested
in dance since I was very young.
However, following my parents’ wishes,
I focused on academics during my earlier years,
so I didn’t have many opportunities
to formally learn it despite my strong interest.
After entering university,
I finally began learning dance through a club.
In that environment, we were free to explore
our own style and even create our own choreography,
which made the experience very meaningful for me.
Most importantly, dancing makes me feel the happiest.
It gives me a sense of truly being alive.
Q. If time were infinite,
what would you most want
to try or experience?
I would want to spend that time
in meditation and inner practice.
To rest fully, and simply exist as myself
without pressure, without urgency,
and with complete presence in each moment.
Q. If you were to describe
yourself as a style of dance,
what genre would it be, and why?
I would describe myself as “choreography.”
Rather than being a fixed genre,
choreography is about creating
movement freely according to music
and expressing one’s own style.
If I were to compare myself to water,
I think I have a flexible nature that adapts
depending on the vessel I am placed in.
In the same way, I feel I can shift
and transform freely according
to different types of music.
Because of this adaptability and fluidity,
I believe “choreography” best represents who I am.
Q. On Instagram,
your posts often include words that comfort
and heal the mind. Have you ever personally
experienced healing through such writing?
I actually tend to post the very words
that have helped me heal in the past.
Sometimes, they are excerpts from my own
journal entries messages I once wrote to myself
that I feel I need to hear again in my present life.
Rather than seeking comfort alone,
I am more drawn to ideas that shift
my perspective and refresh my thinking.
Recently,
I was especially inspired by the idea that
“people with strong biases tend
to focus more on categorization.”
It made me reflect on whether
I might sometimes use categorization
to justify my own biases.
For me, healing comes from revisiting
and breaking these internal frameworks
questioning them again and again,
and allowing myself to think beyond them.
Q. As a dentist,
what is your personal sense of pride?
This is actually one of the most difficult questions
for me to answer, but the first thing that comes
to mind is that I try not to blame the patient.
Especially when the outcome is not ideal,
it can be the easiest thing to shift
responsibility onto the patient.
However, I consciously avoid that approach.
Instead, I make an effort to encourage
and acknowledge patients
throughout the treatment process.
Over time, patients begin to gain confidence
in themselves and feel a sense
of pride in their treatment journey.
Although it may seem small,
I believe this approach is what differentiates
my practice and reflects my personal
philosophy as a clinician.
Q. You seem to have a bright and positive energy.
Where does that motivation come from?
I think it comes from
how I handle negative emotions.
I tend to let unpleasant situations pass
without over-focusing on them,
and I try not to hold onto things
that drain my energy.
In my view, one of the things that
can make daily life feel unhappy is being
unaware of unresolved negative emotions.
That is why, whenever negative feelings arise,
I try not to avoid them,
but instead face them directly,
resolve them, and move forward.
I believe this process helps me maintain
a more stable and positive mindset.
Q. What is the most recommended
daily habit for maintaining healthy teeth?
Above all, the most important habit
is properly rinsing the mouth.
If brushing immediately after meals is difficult,
simply rinsing the mouth thoroughly can already
make a significant difference in reducing
bacteria inside the oral cavity.
This small habit alone can be very helpful
in maintaining better dental health.
Q. Do you have a memorable or rewarding
patient experience from your practice?
Recently, I met a patient
who left a strong impression on me.
She had severe dental anxiety
and usually insisted on only seeing
the head dentist for treatment.
On that particular day, however,
the head doctor was in surgery,
so I had to take over her care.
She was extremely tense holding
my hand tightly and showing clear signs
of fear and discomfort.
During the consultation and treatment,
I continued to speak with her calmly
and try to reassure her,
and I could gradually feel
her anxiety begin to ease.
As a doctor, it was a very rewarding
and meaningful experience for me.
