Wilson Kwong, DMD 1989, grew up in a family of bakers but decided to forge his own path as a dentist. We connected with Dr. Kwong, who served for three years on the alumni UBC Advisory Council, to learn more about his passion for dentistry and supporting the next generation of oral healthcare professionals.
What got you interested in a career in dentistry?
I immigrated from the Philippines when I was eight and grew up working in my family’s bakery. I’m the youngest of seven children so I spent a lot of time eating cookies and bread, and I never went to the dentist. By the time I was 16, I had agonizing pain in my lower first molar. I saved up money to buy a car, but instead, I bought fillings and a root canal! I was happy not to be in pain, which made me realize how important dentists are, and I became interested in this career path.
What did you do after graduating from UBC Dentistry?
I moved to Quesnel, BC—I was 25, and it was my first time leaving Vancouver. I went there to learn surgery and gained a lot of confidence during the year I was there. But I was homesick, so I came back to Vancouver and have been working here ever since. I started Inspire Dental Group and it’s grown to five clinics in the Lower Mainland.
Was starting your own dental group a steep learning curve?
In a way yes, but setting up a dental practice is the same as running any good business, which I learned from my family. You need to have a vision and good people around you who are willing to work towards that vision. I want everyone who sees us to have a great dental experience—it’s that simple.
It’s been wonderful to see the growth of our Inspire team over the years. Another highlight is that many of my patients are people I went to high school with!
You set up the Dr. Charles Shuler Award in Geriatric Dentistry. What inspired you to do this?
Our population is aging, and we need the expertise to provide dental care to seniors. I want younger grads to recognize they have a professional responsibility to provide excellent care to this vulnerable population. I named it in honour of Dr. Shuler because he’s passionate about geriatric dentistry and student success.
Tell us about your interest in continuing dental education.
It takes a while to become a good dentist—you need support and ongoing mentorship, especially right after graduation. I love to mentor and that’s why I started the Vancouver Dental Education Centre (VDEC), which is geared towards recent graduates. We offer many study clubs, and the goal is to support new dentists in improving their technical skills and soft skills like communicating with patients. We even offer scholarships to students to join us at VDEC!