There are people who are chronically afraid of dentists. This is not difficult to explain: once the technology of treatment was less patient-friendly, and doctors (what a sin to hide) could not worry too much about pain relief. Sometimes one mention was enough for a lifetime to then be afraid of such encounters as fire. Fortunately, medical technology is changing, and medical professionals are helping us take care of our health. Victoria Furman told us about the work of an orthodontist

«I remember at the age of ten, like all girls, I was fond of weaving and embroidery. My mother, looking at my painstaking work, joked: «You will be a dentist». This is probably the first time that the idea of self-realization in such an important and painstaking work has appeared. And an example for me was a friend of our family – a doctor»

«It was very difficult to enter the university: a crazy competition, exams, which I had been preparing for all year, worries and expectations of results, fears that I would not pass the competition. During my five years as a student, I enjoyed my studies, and the «horror stories» about the medical university bypassed me. The main thing was to study diligently, but this is the attitude of medical students to study»

«I chose an interesting and important specialization – an orthodontist. Everyone wants to have a good smile, and people turn to us when they want to straighten their teeth, fix their bite. Dentists also refer to orthodontists to prepare patients for prosthetics. Having the «right» teeth is not just aesthetically pleasing. This is necessary for a normal diet and ultimately for overall health»

«I still remember my first patient. It was a seven-year-old boy named Nazar. It’s fun to work with children in general – there are enough funny stories. The main thing is to find the right approach. Previously, when there was less access to the latest technology, we worked with plates worn by young patients to align their teeth. This is a rather difficult procedure – put on a plate every morning, remove it while eating. So the kids often lost them, and we listened to stories of a dog eating a plate, or grandpa throwing it in the stove because he thought it was garbage, or the plate drowned in the sea. Maybe the children themselves invented them so as not to wear them, but they told them very realistically»

«There are many reasons for impaired jaw development, often they all begin in early childhood: nasal breathing disorders, poor nutrition, early loss of baby teeth. Also «bad habits» – long-term use of pips, sucking a finger at an early age, sticking your tongue between your teeth and more. There may be anatomical disorders: short bridle of the tongue, pathology of tooth size (micro- or macrodentia), genetic pathologies and more. Therefore, at the age of six or seven, when the replacement of deciduous teeth with permanent ones begins, you should visit an orthodontist for a consultation. Sometimes deviations can be noticed earlier, at the age of five, just parents need to be careful. And there are no age restrictions for visits to the orthodontist»

«What do I like about my profession? Today it is even difficult to name one thing. I like everything in it: I like to help people, I like to communicate with patients, choose the best treatments, and then see the results of my work – I like to see happy faces and a healthy and beautiful smile»

«Professional skills are the most important thing for a doctor, but without compassion and good attitude to people there is no good doctor. I was lucky to meet such a person. Having years of professional activity, he did not burn out, did not lose love for patients, did not lose enthusiasm in work. For me, he is an example in the work»

«Even if there was an opportunity to change something in life, I would not change anything. I had a long process of professional growth: I started with a dental assistant, because I did not intend to start work immediately after training – I wanted to gain experience first. Now I understand how to do it right. In this way, we do not make mistakes, and therefore do not harm people»

«I don’t know who my daughter will be when she grows up. She may choose the profession of a dentist, but it is too early to talk about it. So far, we have chosen the profession of a ballerina»(Laughs)

«For me, success is freedom of choice, professionalism and necessity. I don’t often think about success. It is important for a person to feel happy»

«Now I live and work in Kyiv, but Zhytomyr is my hometown. It differs from the capital primarily by its compactness, which is very convenient, this is a big plus of the city. I’m used to it in Kyiv, but sometimes I miss my yard, school, Shoduar Park. I do not plan to return from Kyiv, but if that happens, I do not see a problem in it: in Zhytomyr there is everything, fortunately»