Day in the Life of Shahed Bayesteh

Dr. Shahed Bayesteh and his office manager

When did you graduate from the U of A?
2019

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am originally from Iran and have a passion for learning and realizing opportunities. I set my goals high and take steps to make them a reality. I rarely concern myself with worries and stresses that are out of my control, and I instead focus on creating an atmosphere of positive energy. I love to laugh, and I believe that everything happens for a reason.

What did you want to be when you were a kid?
An astronaut

Do you have a dental hero?
I have mentors that I look up to at the U of A faculty, such as Dr. Bernie Linke, Dr. Blaine Aucoin, but I do not have dental heroes.

What have you been up to since you graduated?
I am working in my hometown of Chestermere, where I attended high school. I used to be a patient at the same office.

What is your favourite thing about being a dentist?
Helping people with their smiles.

What's your favourite procedure?
I love to do surgical extractions as well as molar root canals.

What has this crazy time been like for you?
Naturally, self-isolation results in less activity — for me, home work-outs are simply not the same as playing a sport or going to the gym. And so in terms of physical activity, self-isolation has been unfavourable, but it has also allowed me to dedicate more time to other passions. This trade-off, in my opinion, has been extremely rewarding.

I run an e-learning platform where we provide content to prepare students for the DAT standardized exam. I started the operation with one website back in my first year of dental school, and we have now expanded to be the number one resource in Canada for the DAT and are in the process of launching our third site, which aims to help American students.

How is the office you're working at doing during this crisis?
Like many others, my office is currently treating emergencies that persist in the presence of medications. Although there are cases here and there, most people have been understanding of our limitations and the definitions that we have temporarily assigned our dental emergencies.

How are you coping?
When we are placed in situations in which we have no control over, we are challenged to reframe our perspective and give meaning and purpose to whatever the situation may be. Once we give something purpose, we are able not only to progress but to thrive amidst the adversity. And so I do not feel stressed at this time whatsoever. Instead, I am grateful to have something worthwhile to focus my attention on, despite the unfortunate reality of the COVID-19 situation.

Do you have any advice for graduates?
You're going to have a lifetime to work as a dentist and hone your craft. Do not think of this as a setback, but instead an opportunity. There will most likely never be another time such as this when we are encouraged to self-isolate and stay away from our careers. In today's world, we are presented with unending streams of entertainment, obsessions, addictions, and distractions of every sort. Daily problems weigh so heavily on us that we rarely have time to reflect on the nature of things and our unconscious attitudes. Take this time to question, reflect, and learn. Soon enough, you will enter the work field and perhaps find yourself wishing for more time to yourself. Make the best out of this unfortunate situation and focus on the silver lining and know that everything happens for a reason, whether directly apparent or not.

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