Question 1:

Luke: So, we have Dr. Mason Kuo here. Dr. Kuo, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Dr. Kuo: Sure! I graduated from Taipei Medical College in Taiwan. Although it was called a "college" at the time, it’s now a university. My path to dentistry wasn’t straightforward. After graduating from high school, I took the university entrance exam three times. The first year, I was accepted into pharmacy school, but my father, who is a physician, didn’t want me to pursue pharmacology, so I dropped out. The second year, I got into physical therapy school, and I enjoyed it, but after studying for a year, I decided to leave. On my third attempt, I was accepted into dental school. So, it took me an extra two years to finally get into dental school. Dental education in Taiwan is six years: the first five years are academic, and the sixth year is an internship at a hospital. But honestly, I felt like I didn’t learn much during my training in Taiwan. After graduating from dental school, I practiced in Taipei for a year while preparing for postgraduate programs. I applied to several schools in the U.S. and was lucky to be accepted into the prosthodontics program at SUNY Buffalo. The prosthodontics certificate program at SUNY Buffalo is three years. After finishing the three years, I had the option to do an additional one-year fellowship in dental implants. For context, prosthodontics focuses purely on restorations, like crowns, bridges, and dentures, without surgery. My goal was to return to Taiwan, where I would need surgical skills too, so I pursued the implant fellowship to gain that experience. In the U.S., the logic is similar for Periodontal programs. They focus heavily on surgery, but they lack restoration training, so some do a one-year restorative fellowship. Overall, I spent four years at Buffalo, three years for prosthodontics, plus an additional year for implants. After completing the program, I earned a U.S. dental license, which allowed me to practice in the U.S., even without a green card. However, I wasn’t eligible to practice in Canada. That’s a summary of my training and how I got here.

Question 2:

Austin: Thank you for telling us about your education and how you got here. Could you tell us what your daily or weekly routine looks like? And on average, how many patients do you see per day?

Dr. Kuo: After finishing my training, I practiced for a few months in Seattle, Washington, in 2008. But I ended up leaving that position because of family reasons. My family, especially my in-laws, needed support, so we moved back to Taiwan to have family help with the caring of my son. In Taiwan, the work schedule is very different and much longer than in the U.S. We divide the week into "sessions," a single day has three sessions: morning, afternoon, and evening. Typically, a full-time dentist works about 10 sessions per week, but I usually work 13 to 14 sessions per week. Our hours are long: mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., afternoons from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., and evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. As for how many patients I see per day, well, it’s a tricky question. In Taiwan, we don’t have dental hygienists, so when patients come in for cleanings or scaling, the dentist does it all. If I have a complex prosthodontics case, like crowns, bridges, or surgery, it might take two hours per patient. In that case, I might only see two or three patients in a single session. But a general dentist doing simple restorations or cleanings could see 15 patients in the same amount of time. So, the number of patients I see can really vary depending on the complexity of the cases.

Question 3:

Luke: I see. Can you tell us a little bit about the difference between working in Taiwan and in the U.S.? What are the differences in the healthcare systems?

Dr. Kuo: Sure. In Taiwan, dentists typically work longer hours. We get paid through the national health insurance system, which is run by the government. So, the income is tied to the standardized fees set by the health insurance system. For the same type of work, like cleanings or restorations, the pay in the U.S. is much higher, about five to ten times more, depending on the city. For example, in some places like Kathmandu, Nepal, the fees for procedures like scaling are much lower than in Taiwan. It’s all relative to the local economy and cost of living.

Question 4:

Austin: That’s helpful. What advice would you give to students who want to practice dentistry internationally?

Dr. Kuo: Good question! First, I’d ask why you want to practice internationally. If you already have a U.S. dental license, which country are you considering, and why? I have friends who studied in the U.S. and got licensed in Taiwan. If you plan to open a private clinic, you can’t just split your time between countries, patients need consistent care. You can’t work six months in the U.S. and six months in Taiwan; it doesn’t work that way unless you’re a famous international speaker who travels and lectures. But if you have your own patients, you need to be present to manage their care. For students, if you’re planning to return to your home country long-term, that makes sense. But switching between multiple countries frequently is unrealistic. You need to choose where you want to build your career. For me, family, language, and practical issues made it hard to stay in the U.S. or Canada, even though I liked Canada. My postgraduate training license didn’t qualify me to practice there, so I returned to Taiwan.

Question 5:

Luke: Can you tell us about any community outreach or international initiatives your practice is involved with?

Dr. Kuo: Sure. My colleagues and I have traveled to Nepal three times for outreach. My mentor from SUNY Buffalo has done outreach in India for ten years and in Nepal for four years. These trips are meaningful, but they’re not long-term care. You treat patients during the visit, but there’s no continuity, and you don’t build lasting relationships. Everyone has their own purpose for these trips, but it’s not the same as providing long-term patient care.

Question 6:

Austin: What do you do if a patient you’ve chosen is difficult or dissatisfied?

Dr. Kuo: I choose my patients based on risk. If a patient isn’t satisfied with my work, I will refund them and move on. Sometimes my patients will come back after a year saying they still use the denture I made, even though they complained at first!

Question 7:

Luke: How do you handle patient education and ensure they understand their treatment options and post-procedure care?

Dr. Kuo: I learned a lot about patient education at SUNY Buffalo. My director, Dr. Monaco, taught me the importance of offering at least three treatment options. For every patient, we start by identifying the chief complaint. Then we create different treatment plans with pros, cons, timelines, and costs. We explain everything clearly so the patient understands and can make an informed decision. That’s a principle I always follow.

Question 8:

Austin: What advice do you have for students who are interested in dentistry?

Dr. Kuo: I spend time explaining treatment options to patients. Sometimes it takes one or two appointments just to discuss the case. Think of it like going out on a few dates: during those two visits, if I feel like we aren’t a good match, maybe there are communication issues, or I see the risk as too high, then I’ll refer the patient elsewhere. But if, after two appointments, I feel like the case is manageable, I’ll take it. You can’t just accept every patient who walks into your office, that’s my advice to future dentists.