Dr. Shruti Vaidya-Kane

Most people either loved going to the dentist as a kid—or absolutely hated it. Where did you fall? How come? I was really scared of my childhood dentist because his office looked so scary and smelled like clove oil.

What (or who) inspired you to get into dentistry? How so? My bad experiences inspired me to become a dentist so I could change the experience for others.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? The smiles and gratitude from my patients. When you help someone feel better, look better, or just feel good about themselves.

What famous person (alive or dead) is your dream dental patient? Why? Barack Obama...just look at his smile!

What’s your dream toothpaste flavor? Licorice.

What’s something your patients might be surprised to learn about you? I dreamed of becoming a movie star someday.

How do you recharge after a long week? What’s your go-to activity for hitting the restart button? Yoga, hiking, or just spending time with my family.

What dental stereotype are you most passionate about changing? "Is it going to hurt?" Most dental injections are painless!

What is the absolute coolest thing about the human mouth? Taste buds...imagine life without taste buds!

In another life, if you weren’t working in dentistry, what would you be doing? Dancer or actor.

When I’m in the patient chair, I’m probably grooving to {blank} in my headphones. 80s rock or Bollywood music.

What’s something that really, really, really makes you smile? Like, really? Dogs.