Graduation is often seen as the finish line. Yet for young dentists at FKG UGM, it marks the beginning of a longer and more challenging responsibility.
At a pre-internship briefing session, the prevailing tone was not celebration, but reflection. Prof. Rosa reminded graduates that inauguration is not the end. “This is the beginning,” she said—beginning to face the realities of Indonesia’s dental healthcare system: unequal access, complex cases, and the need for empathy beyond measurable metrics.
Internship, she emphasized, is not merely an administrative step toward independent practice. It is a space to understand patients within their social context—where classroom knowledge meets real-life communities.
Crisis and Turning Point
Another speaker, Drg. Yohanes Robertson Hasta Pustaka, Sp.Pros, offered a broader perspective. The prosthodontist posed a simple question: Must every dentist spend their entire career in front of a dental chair?
The question stemmed from personal experience. After completing his specialist training, Robertson followed a conventional clinical path—until the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everything. Clinical services were restricted, academic activities slowed, and uncertainty prevailed.
During that time, he took an unconventional step: entering the management of his family’s holding company , which oversees aesthetic clinics, the cosmetics industry, and tourism. From the clinic, he moved into the boardroom.
One business unit he managed was operating at a loss. Traditional marketing strategies were no longer effective. He shifted the approach—focusing on customer understanding, digital marketing, social media, and sales digitalization. Within a few years, the brand recovered and expanded its market reach.
This story is not just about business success—it is about recognizing opportunities in times of crisis.
“Luck doesn’t fall from the sky. It happens when opportunity meets preparation,” he said.
An Invisible Foundation
Some might view leaving clinical practice after years of education as a waste. Robertson admitted he once grappled with the same question. However, he sees dental education as more than technical training.
The discipline of solving cases, procedural rigor, patient empathy, and mental resilience all form a strong foundation of character—valuable not only in healthcare but also in business and management.
“Profession is a foundation, not a limitation,” he said.
This message resonated with graduates standing at a crossroads—whether pursuing specialization, opening a practice, entering academia, or choosing entirely different paths.
When asked about the right time to evaluate a career, his answer was principle-based: understand the worst-case scenario and ask yourself if you are ready to face it.
Integrity in a New Generation
Amid rapid digitalization and instant culture, he emphasized the importance of integrity. Lifestyle pressures, prestige, and the temptation of quick gains—including online gambling and digital lending—were highlighted as risks that could undermine young professionals.
Ultimately, the session became more than technical preparation—it was a reflection on the meaning of the profession. Dentists are not defined by the dental chair, but by their ability to solve problems wherever they are.
UGM, he emphasized, does not just produce dentists—it shapes problem solvers.
For these graduates, the meaning of that message may unfold later—in rural clinics, research labs, or even corporate boardrooms.
Graduation is an achievement. But as that morning revealed, what matters most is the ability to recognize opportunities, maintain integrity, and continue growing—beyond the dental chair, without losing the essence of service.
Reporter: Andri Wicaksono, Photographer: Fajar Budi Harsakti
