There are perfect smiles, and then there are the ones who create them! We recently met one such leader in the field of dentistry who has been storming the industry of smiles. Dr. Sep Pouresa, a thriving dentist in San Francisco, has not just been crushing the field of dentistry but also revolutionizing the world of fitness and health. Thanks to his passion for elucidating people on the subject of healthy living, he has been able to gain a cult on his Instagram in a matter of time.

In quest of leveraging his knowledge and personal experiences, Dr. Pouresa has been creating a fusion of dentistry and fitness for years now. What started as a simple Instagram account has now become a platform where he inspires people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The platform is a combination of well-knit glances of his personal life, fitness edition and some of the most interesting pieces of dentistry that one could ever come across.

Raised in Canada, he received his kinesiology degree and dental doctorate at the prestigious McGill University, before pursuing a residency in advanced general dentistry. His impact has been extensively recognized in the community from publications in the Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal to features in magazines such as Generation Iron, Forbes People, NY Journal, Fox43 and The Disruptors.

While he has been inspiring thousands on Instagram and shaping countless smiles, we are yet to hear his side of the story. Our meeting turned out to be a quick interview with him, and this is how it went!

1). We love how you have been inspiring people with your snippets on social media. Can you tell us how it all started for you?

I remember being fourteen when my dad got me a gym membership at the local YMCA gym. Eventually, I became more passionate about the human physiology and that fueled my motivation to further pursue a degree in kinesiology. While my passion for dentistry arose simultaneously, I started sharing workout videos on my private social media account during dental school. It was then, that I became obsessed with both professions, which motivated me to sign up for my first Men’s Physique competition through the IDFA (International Drug-Free Associations). Eventually, I started doing more shows and moved to California for residency where I competed in the INBA (International Natural Bodybuilding Association) Men’s Physique division.

2). What’s the most challenging part of your routine? And how do you usually overcome those challenges?

Time management! As a former resident and dental student, maximizing your efficacy at the gym or meal prepping while studying for board exams, preparing presentations and seeing patients were sometimes. Partaking in a dominant and ggressive and delicate and technique-sensitive profession like dentistry

3). It certainly gets tough to manage everything at once. What has been helping you to thrive in the art of balancing your professional and personal life?

Definitely preparing and planning for unexpected events! Grocery shopping and meal prepping every Sunday for the week helped me reach my nutrition goals despite having volatile schedules. Unforeseen events and circumstances (ex: having to stay longer in clinic or attending a last minute meeting) can compromise diet if there is no prepped meal ready in hand.

Cravings and binging can also stem from hunger and from not having a meal ready at your disposition, so it helped with that as well! Looking back, waking up at 4am morning to start consuming meals and gym before clinic also helped me meet my daily caloric expenditure requirements.

4). There are so many budding dentists and fitness influencers striving to be in a place that you are. What would be your advice to them?

1. Prioritize your health and wellbeing so that you can radiate positive energy to your patients, clients and loved ones.
2. Become comfortable with the uncomfortable. You will only start growing once you are placed in a challenging environment that requires you to adapt.
3. Have a vision with a relentless work ethic. Don’t be afraid to start your mornings at 4am or even 3am. Stay consistent with it!
   

5). How do you work with people in a dental setting where they can often get nervous or have a fear of experiencing pain?

Changing people’s perspective about dental care and empowering patients to overcome their dental anxiety and PTSD is one of the most gratifying experiences to me. Listening, Listening, Listening! Taking the time to listen to patients about their dental fear can help us minimize those triggering points and offer a more comfortable working environment.

6). Lastly, if you could change one thing in the industry, what would that be? And how are you planning to make that change happen?

Work-life balance! Balancing a career in both the fitness industry and in dentistry exposed me to the existing limitations that are present in both worlds. Meeting daily exercise and nutrition requirements have also become more challenging than ever as we emerge into a highly competitive world of modern business. As of 2023, I will be launching fitness programs that are specifically tailored to those struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance.