Matthew Ng, DMD 2001, has been a part-time instructor at UBC Dentistry for 23 years. We connected with Dr. Ng to learn more about what drew him to a career in dentistry, and why he’s so passionate about teaching.

What first got you interested in a career in dentistry?

My first job was in IT, where I worked as a network analyst, but it was quite solitary, so I decided to pivot to a career with more human interaction. I became a pharmacist and loved working with patients, but I ended up spending most of my time preparing prescriptions and still felt like I had more to offer.

Around the same time, I was going in for dental surgery, which I was nervous about. After much research, I found my dentist Wilson Kwong, DMD 1989, who really calmed me down, and I became intrigued by the entire process. This was the first time I considered dentistry as a career—it suddenly felt like the perfect combination of helping people while also working with my hands, which I was always good at. Perhaps most importantly, I wanted to one day help patients who were nervous about dental care like me, become believers in the process and feel safe and comfortable.

Do you have a favourite memory of your time spent at UBC Dentistry?

In the summer between third and fourth year, a group of us went to Florida for a summer of Advanced Education in General Dentistry, which is similar to a General Practice Residency, but was clinic-based rather than hospital-based. I remember loving oral surgery—I once had to dig my hands into someone’s mouth to pull out their upper wisdom teeth, which was a fun challenge. It was a memorable summer spent learning and doing activities with my friends, like having barbeques in our beach house after clinic and spending the weekend at Disney World.

What inspired you to come back and teach at UBC Dentistry?

I’ve always been interested in teaching; for example, I tutored from a young age and coached volleyball. I started teaching DMD students two years into my career, so I’ve been teaching for 23 years. These days I teach fourth years, which I find the most exciting year because they have more confidence and want to learn and explore as much as they can before graduation. 

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

I remember being a student and loving that our instructors had all this knowledge and skills from outside the clinic walls, so I want to be that same source of knowledge for the next generation. I also love giving students the faith that they can do whatever they set their minds to.

Teaching is very powerful, and it’s rewarding to see my students succeed. I think most instructors would agree that a students’ success feels like their own success. Even though it can feel intimidating at first to go from clinical practice to a teaching environment, it’s really no different than taking on a new patient. There’s definitely a learning curve, but everyone at UBC Dentistry is so supportive.

Do you have any advice for current students?

Don’t be afraid to try things! I always tell my students that being in school is the perfect opportunity to think outside the box and try anything they’re curious about. Once they graduate, everyone will look to them for answers, so this is the one time they can ask and try anything they want, knowing it’s a safe space to do so with UBC Dentistry there to support them.

What do you enjoy outside of dentistry?

Anything seawall-related! Whether it’s walking, running or cycling, if I am surrounded by water, sky and urban landscape, I am in my ultimate happy place.