Malaysian dentist who won international award shares her secret to success

Toh receiving the International Medal 2022 from Prof Phil Taylor, Dean of Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh - Faculty of Dental Surgery. Photo: Prof Toh Chooi Gait

In life, there are no problems, there are only challenges – this is a motto that Prof Toh Chooi Gait lives by.

“Don’t look at tough things you face as problems, as that often comes with a negative connotation and mindset. See these things as challenges because when they are seen as thus, they stir up your competitive spirit and you will start searching for innovative solutions. Having a positive outlook on life is very important,” says Toh, who is the founding dean of dentistry and professor of restorative dentistry at the International Medical University (IMU), in Kuala Lumpur.

The 72-year-old, who was the recipient of the Faculty of Dental Surgery International Medal 2022 by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, speaks from years of experience.

“It’s such an honour and especially meaningful to receive this medal because this is recognition from a well-recognised, well-respected international professional body for surgeons. This college represents the profession globally and sets international standards, including conducting examinations in other countries besides Britain,” she says.

Prof Toh Chooi Gait at work in the dental clinic. Photo: Prof Toh Chooi GaitToh received the award last year, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of IMU’s School of Dentistry, which she started.

Toh has 38 years of teaching experience and is an active member of many local and international dental organisations.

Her inspiring journey, she says, has just been her doing what she loves. But she admits, it wasn’t always that way. In fact, she got into the field “accidentally”.

As a young student, Toh had always excelled in her studies and her aim was to be a doctor.

However, during the year that she was taking the examinations which would determine her entry into university, personal circumstances saw her performance dip. Still, she applied for a place at the National University of Singapore for medicine, with dentistry, engineering and accountancy as her subsequent choices.

When her first offer came, it was for accountancy, which she rejected. She was then offered a place in engineering.

“I wanted to reject that too!” she says laughing, but her brother, who was sponsoring her studies, talked her out of it.

So, she accepted her lot and turned up for her engineering course at NUS.

“By a stroke of luck, someone dropped out of the dentistry course at the last minute, and there was a space for me. Although it wasn’t my choice, it was closer to medicine than engineering,” she rationalised.

Toh admits she “didn’t take to dentistry like a duck to water”, but the more she studied it, the more enchanted she became with it. She graduated with honours, one of fewer than 10 to do so at the university.

Toh (centre)'s early days with (from left) Stiller and Eisenmann in University of Frankfurt Germany for a collaboration in implant study. Photo: Prof Toh Chooi Gait

Knowing what she wants

Toh was a woman who knew what she wanted. Firstly, she had set her sights on working in KL because her significant other (who later became her husband) was going to be there. Secondly, she knew academia was her next step because she wanted to be a specialist and would need postgraduate training.

“I did not have the money to continue studying after my degree but I knew that in academia, I’d be sent for specialist training,” she says.

With this in mind, she joined Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Dentistry in 1974, the first dental school in the country – at 23 – making her the youngest to be admitted to UM as an assistant lecturer.

Toh says that she did face challenges as a woman in the industry but it was mostly “all good”.

“During the early days, there were more males in the university: all the department heads and deans were male. In terms of administrative positions and promotions, it was still quite male-dominated although there were more female lecturers. So, for women to get ahead, you need to really perform over and beyond to get the recognition,” says Toh.

But she adds that Malaysia isn’t as male-dominated as some other countries she has visited. She remembers a time in the 1990s when she was invited to speak in South Korea as the president-elect of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) – South East Asian Division.

“They did not expect me to be a woman,” she says.

According to her, the predominantly male group of professors did not know how to deal with her and had to send a younger staff to see to her.

“But the younger ones came up to me and said ‘you are an inspiration that a woman can hold such a high post’,” she recalls.

“There are more efforts these days to recognise women, and we do have women in administration, as well as female deans and department heads. Women do need to be role models to other women by showing that you can walk side-by-side with the men and be a leader in your profession,” she says.

One of her most memorable moments was when she was the project leader of a collaborative research between UM and Germany’s University of Frankfurt, studying tissue reactions to various designs and treatment protocol of dental implants. Their research paper, presented at the 32nd Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, Innovations & New Techniques in Geneva in 2004, received a gold medal.

Toh working on an implant experiment on monkeys during her early days. Photo: Prof Toh Chooi Gait

Embracing challenges

When Toh was reaching retirement age, she was asked to start dental schools in Manipal and IMU in Malaysia, and offered work at the Eastman Dental Institute. After much deliberation, she decided to take up IMU’s offer because it was where she could “make a difference” the most.

Some of her accolades include being the founding president of the Malaysian Section of IADR; president of the South East Asian Association for Dental Education; founding council member of the Malaysian Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry; chairman of the Professional Qualifying Examination Committee of the Malaysian Dental Council; as well as being a reviewer of international and local journals.

“There needs to be more awareness and education to change the mindset of people who feel women can’t be dedicated to their work because they need to care for the family and don’t have sufficient time. But, there are many examples of remarkable women leaders in Malaysia. We just need to give more avenues for women to speak up and be heard,” she adds.

Toh’s wise words for young women is to “go out and conquer the world!”

“Nothing is impossible – just go all out and do what you’re passionate about, while getting your mentors to show you the way.

“Often, we restrict ourselves for fear of what people will think of us, or fear of offending them. But, as long as you know what you’re doing, you should speak up and lead the way,” she says.

Toh says one of the mentors she looks up to is her postgraduate degree programme external examiner, the late Prof AHR Jack Rowe, who was also dean of the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas in Britain.

“He showed me leadership by example and has inspired me greatly. And even though he seemed strict and serious, he was very approachable,” she says.

Prof Toh with her family members. Photo: Prof Toh Chooi Gait

These days, Toh doesn’t hold any administrative positions besides being in charge of the IMU Foundation, a non-profit organisation to provide access to healthcare and education for the needy, and marginalised and disadvantaged communities. She teaches at IMU and treats patients at IMU Healthcare.

Toh’s future plans are to further impact the dental profession in Malaysia in terms of quality control.

“In Malaysia, under the new Dental Act 2018 implemented in 2022, there is a professional qualifying examination requirement. Now that the act and regulations have been passed, we hope to launch this examination later this year or early next year,” concludes Toh, who chairs the examination committee.