Inspirational Woman: Dr Diksha Tahilramani Batra | Founder and CEO of Smile Essentials Dental Clinic

Dr Diksha Tahilramani is an internationally trained Prosthodontist and Implantologist and is well – known for her use of latest technology and painless dentistry.

She completed her bachelors in dentistry and went on to further specialise in the science of replacing missing teeth (Prosthodontics & Implantology). Her zeal to know more and bring the latest technology to India made her seek global education in America & Europe. With more than a decade of knowledge and clinical experience she now maintains an exclusively painfree practice called Smile Essentials. Over the past nine years Smile Essentials has grown into an award-winning brand with its branches at two prime locations in Bandra & Worli.

A philanthropist at heart, she also runs a charitable organization called the Angel Dentists Network – spreading smiles for one and all, ensuring free dental treatment for underprivileged factions of society.

Her vision is to spread healthier smiles and brighter futures in our mission Smiles for One & All by 2020.

Tell us about yourself, your background and what you do currently:

Reading and writing fiction used to be my passion from a very young age from which stemmed my career. The idea of me becoming a doctor was born in the pages of a book by Erich Segal called “Doctors”.

What began as a small idea over years of intense studying, training and practice, 800 hours of continuing education to update to the latest techniques across three continents and three clinics later has brought me to where I am 16 years later a busy doctor hopefully making a difference and changing the world one smile at a time.

The journey was marked by milestones like owning my own practice Smile Essentials which I see evolving everyday and finding my own niche through painfree dentistry.

It has been a pleasure watching my team grow and my patients become like family as we are brought together by an experience as intimate as that of creating a beautiful new smile and even a whole new identity sometimes.

I can only count my blessings as I grow everyday, being a dentist allows me to experience and celebrate the various facets of my personality as a healer, speaker, entrepreneur, team player, student, teacher and an inspired human being with a purpose and a life full of rich experiences.

Currently I run two painfree dental clinics by the name of Smile Essentials with my teams at Bandra and Worli.I also spend my weekends at my NGO Angel Dentists Network that specializes in mobile dental treatments for the underprivileged.

Tell us about any current projects or initiatives you wish to promote

We want to eradicate the fear of dentistry and so believe that the new generation comprising of school children should never associate fear or pain with going to the dentist like our generation has and this in turn will help them achieve better health and a future devoid of dental issues. We call this initiative “SMILE VISION”

I have had the honour of being invited to speak at prestigious institutions & eminent schools, like Bombay Scottish, JML & Podar , international organizations like Alliance Francaise.

Another cause that’s very close to my heart, being a die-hard Sindhi is- to keep our ‘Sindhi Boli’ alive so that we do not forget our culture and roots. It is my dream to set up an online institute to teach Sindhi to all fellow Sindhians across the globe.

What has been your biggest challenge in achieving your success?

The biggest challenge that I face is how patients assume that dentistry is associated with pain. The most common thing I hear from my patients is that they procrastinate coming to the dentist because of the pain associated with dentistry. I strongly feel that dentists should not be feared and dentistry shouldn’t be avoided till an emergency and at the clinic we are doing everything we can to bring about a radical shift in people’s perception of dentistry. With the state-of-the-art facilities, modern technology, equipment and experienced staff we promise our patients a Painfree World class treatment.

It is our mission to make you smile not only after but also keep you smiling through your dental procedures!

What has been your greatest achievement personally?

I am humbled and honored to be a recipient of much recognition as a Oral Health Awareness Promoter.

I was awarded the “Fastest Growing Dentist in Mumbai” in 2016 by one of my favourite Bollywood actor “Dia Mirza” at the “India Healthcare Awards” held in Bangalore.

In May 2017, we were recognized by the “National Dental Excellence Awards” for being ” The Most Innovative Dentist in Mumbai”

To add another feature to our credit our clinic was ranked 3^rd Best Dental Clinic in Mumbai as per the “Times Health All India Lifestyle Hospital & Clinic Ranking Survey 2017.

While these are encouraging accolades my biggest personal achievement is yet to come “A million smiles.” Our NGO Angel Dentists Network aims to have mobile vans equipped with all the amenities so that we can provide preventive dental care to those who have not had the access or availability to such specialized services.

If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you be doing?

I would definitely be a Fiction Writer. I do write short stories when I have the luxury of taking time of from making people smile

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

I am very inspired by affluential women entrepreneurs who have balanced their work life with their personal life. They motivate me to go the extra mile to chase my dreams.

Sheryl Sandberg – The COO facebook

Shonda Rhimes – Script Writer

Oprah Winfrey

The most important as cliché as it sounds has been my husband. He is literally the wind beneath my wings and he lets me soar!

What does the future hold for you?

I am looking at starting a Smile Essentials Academy where I would be conducting courses with hands on experience for the dentists who have just passed out of school. These dentists would then be able to treat a million patients of their own through our mobile vans. This will also help train the assistants who play a very important role in a dental office.

Since I am so passionate and want to spread the message of Pain free Dentistry I intend to pen down my thoughts, ideology and message in a book.

About the author

Born and brought up in Bombay I have thoroughly enjoyed the process of setting up my own brand “Smile Essentials” and in the process creating my own niche of Painfree Dentistry to make a much needed change in dentistry. My foray in this field has taught me many priceless lessons and a decade later feels like my journey has just begun.

Her vision is to spread healthier smiles and brighter futures in our mission Smiles for one and all by 2020.

I still continue to sharpen my skills in the latest techniques internationally by getting certified in various branches of dentistry from India and abroad. I strongly feel that dentists should not be feared and dentistry shouldn’t be avoided till an emergency and at Smile Essentials we are doing everything we can to bring about a radical shift on people’s perception of dentistry. With the state-of- the-art facilities, modern technology, equipment and experienced staff we promise our patients a Painfree World class treatment.

Been fortunate to marry the love of my life my high school sweetheart who loves and supports me in what I do. Apart from work, I am a certified scuba diver and enjoy the finer things in life, appreciate style, love traveling and the great big outdoors – snorkeling, kayaking and swimming.