✨Translated by AI

The Journey to Joy in Dentistry: Dr. Nusara Siritantikorn, the Dentist who once ran a Flower Shop and finds balance through Yoga

– Dr. Nusara Siritantikorn –

Dr. Nusara Siritantikorn currently serves as a general dentist and the Head of the Dental Centre at BNH Hospital. However, her path was far from linear. Her diverse life experiences eventually led her to rediscover her true happiness within dentistry—a passion that has now sustained her for over 20 years.

Discovering Herself

Before joining BNH Hospital, Dr. Nusara pursued business studies and opened her own flower shop. “During that time, I wanted to discover myself—to find what I was good at and what truly made me happy.”

Initially, she chose to study dentistry at Chulalongkorn University, largely due to encouragement from a relative who was a paediatrician. It wasn’t until her fourth year, when she began working with real patients, that she started to find the work engaging. After graduating, she completed her public service at a community hospital in Phetchaburi. While many thought her personality wouldn’t suit the quiet rural life, she flourished in the slower pace, enjoying dinners and badminton with colleagues before returning to Bangkok on weekends.

By the age of 30, after two years in Phetchaburi and another two in a private clinic, Dr. Nusara began to feel burnt out. She decided to step away from dentistry to explore the world, moving to the United States to study business. Upon her return, she assisted with her family’s import business and, fuelled by her love for nature, opened a flower shop with her sister and a friend.

During this period, she married and started a family. When planning her daughter’s education, she decided on St. Joseph Convent School. It was a dentist friend who suggested she apply to BNH Hospital, leading her to join as a part-time dentist.

Eventually, as her businesses matured and she gained more life experience, she realised that dentistry was where her true talent lay. Although she worked meticulously—and sometimes slowly—it was because she refused to overlook even the smallest detail to ensure her patients received the highest quality of care.

Ultimately, she decided to return to dentistry full-time. “I suppose it was destiny that brought me back to dentistry.” Once she stopped questioning what she “should” be doing and focused on what she excelled at, she found a sense of permanence that has lasted over two decades. “The standards at this hospital are exceptional, and the patients here are truly wonderful.”

Happiness in Excellence

“A dentist you aren’t afraid of” and “painless treatment” are the hallmarks of Dr. Nusara’s practice. This feedback has earned her the long-term trust of many families. “I try to understand each patient’s preferences first. After a few visits, we usually ‘click,’ and that trust grows until they eventually bring their whole family to see me.”

Her approach focuses on the patient’s immediate ‘Pain Points’ before providing holistic ‘Complete Care’. If she identifies potential issues outside her area, she ensures a timely referral to the right specialist.

“I treat patients as I would want to be treated. I’m not one to rush; perhaps it’s my organised nature, but I find satisfaction in work that is done well.”

One long-term patient, an elderly American lady who visited Thailand annually, trusted Dr. Nusara with all her dental work for years. Even after moving to Spain, she invited Dr. Nusara to visit her in Barcelona. “She invited my family to her home. We actually went! It was a beautiful friendship. She continued to fly back to see me every year until last year, when at 87, she could no longer travel.”

Yoga and Life Balance

Joining BNH Hospital also introduced her to a new passion: Yoga. “When I first started here, there was a fitness centre nearby. That was the beginning. If I weren’t a dentist, I would probably have become a Yoga instructor.“

Now approaching retirement age, she practises daily to maintain flexibility and strength. “I try to practise Yoga every day. It’s about bringing energy back into the body.”

In addition to Yoga, she is mindful of her nutrition, making green smoothies daily and enjoying a Mediterranean-style diet. “I’m not a great cook, but I’m a great eater! I enjoy almost everything, provided it isn’t too heavily spiced.”

Yoga brings her peace, as does gardening. Her love for flowers is so deep she once ran a shop, and gardening remains a central part of her retirement plan. “I love gardening even more than floral arrangement. There is a great sense of release in pruning and caring for plants; it’s how I let go of stress.”