Dr. Gábor Szaszovszky has dentistry in his blood, as both his parents are dentists. “The beauty of my specialty is that we can achieve visible results in a short time, whether it’s with a filling or a dental crown,” he says. However, he is also motivated by the happy smiles of patients who have undergone full mouth rehabilitation.
“Although I followed a straight path to get here, my parents never pushed me toward a dental career. They just always said it’s not a bad profession and worth considering. Since I owe everything to them, I took their word for it, although I also had thoughts of becoming a basketball player…” recalls Dr. Szaszovszky, who has been working at VitalEurope for over ten years.
Varied work and meeting new people
During his university studies, Dr. Szaszovszky was also interested in oral surgery but ultimately decided to specialize in conservative dentistry and prosthodontics. “It turned out that I stayed in this area of dentistry, and I am completely happy with it. In this field, you can create something in as little as half an hour, such as a beautiful and functional filling that makes the patient feel good. Placing a dental crown can also result in a spectacular outcome, not to mention more complex interventions involving multiple teeth. It’s interesting that I go through roughly the same work phases each time, but never exactly the same. This duality is my favorite aspect; my work is always varied, and I meet new people every day.”
The importance of a sincere smile
When asked about the biggest challenge in his profession, Dr. Gábor Szaszovszky responds, “First of all, there are hard-to-reach areas. A difficult tooth like an upper left 7 or an upper wisdom tooth can pose a challenge, but it’s never a problem because we always find a solution. Another challenge can arise when the patient is very anxious before treatment. Calming them down is, in my opinion, not just a medical task but also a human one. Our personality matters a lot in such situations. I talk a lot, explain things. An honest smile makes an incredible difference.”
A good dentist is “good” not only professionally but also as a person
“It is undeniable that a good dentist must be skilled professionally, but let’s add that this is not what the patient sees first. The patient sees, knows, and feels one thing: how I behave with them, whether I am kind. Unfortunately, it often happens that when I ask someone about their previous dental treatments, they have no idea because nobody explained it to them. Yet, information transfer is crucial! Even if not at a textbook level, the patient should understand what we are doing and why. When multiple options arise for a particular problem, we should outline all of them with their advantages and disadvantages, and it’s best to decide together. Effective communication, empathy, and trust are important… But, surprisingly, a dentist should also be good at color selection! One of the first things a patient notices with a filling or crown is whether the color matches. I am satisfied with my work when the patient is satisfied, and I can say that everything is in harmony. It is an incredible feeling when a patient sheds tears of joy during the handover of a major project, such as full mouth rehabilitation. Changing someone’s life and seeing how my work makes them happy is an amazing experience,” declares Dr. Gábor Szaszovszky.
The importance of the first meeting
Patients come to Dr. Szaszovszky by contacting VitalEurope’s contact channels first, where they are assigned a coordinator who maintains contact with them and schedules appointments. Upon arrival, the “front desk” team welcomes the patient, takes care of paperwork, and then the CT scan follows. “After reviewing the CT scan, I always go to the waiting area, greet the patient, and escort them to the treatment room along with the assistant. There, I show them what we see in the report and discuss in detail the customized treatment plan based on that.”
An active life as a family man
“I love my work, but I have a life beyond it. I have two children, a beautiful wife, and plenty of friends. I love playing basketball, although it fell out of the career path, so now I pursue it as a hobby, along with running and triathlon. I learned from my parents that it’s necessary to unwind,” concludes Dr. Gábor Szaszovszky.
