Dr. Payal Agarwal | Yashoda Super Specialty Hospital, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
That little twinge you feel when you bite into something too cold or sweet? That’s just a tiny glimpse into the intricate world of dentistry, a dynamic and competitive healthcare sector where meticulous care meets cutting-edge technology. India’s competitive dental sector sees skilled practitioners and clinics constantly adopting advanced treatments for optimal care. Success requires expertise, patient comfort, ethics, and continuous learning. Women are now significantly reshaping and leading in this evolving field.
In this evolving environment, Dr. Payal Agarwal stands out as a leading figure. A principal consultant in endodontics, laser & cosmetic dentistry at Yashoda Super Specialty Hospital, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, Dr. Agarwal’s journey is a testament to passion and unwavering perseverance. Her initial fascination with the art of conserving teeth ignited her pursuit of dentistry. Despite early gender-related biases that often underestimated her skills until rigorously proven, she has carved an undeniably remarkable path. Her relentless pursuit of excellence propelled her to the Bernhard Gottlieb University Clinic of Dentistry in Vienna, where she earned prestigious diplomas and masterships in Oral Laser Applications. Further solidifying her expertise, she achieved a fellowship in contemporary endodontics and is currently pursuing an advanced MSc in endodontics at King’s College, London, UK, all while maintaining her active clinical practice. Dr. Agarwal’s core philosophy centers on providing comprehensive oral healthcare, seamlessly blending a wide array of treatments under one roof at the esteemed Yashoda Super Specialty Hospital, where she currently heads the Department of Oral, Dental & Maxillofacial Care.
At Yashoda Super Specialty Hospital, Dr. Agarwal masterfully integrates advanced dental technologies with a meticulously comprehensive treatment planning approach to consistently deliver the highest standards of patient care. As an integral part of an NABH-accredited flagship tertiary care hospital, the clinic rigorously adheres to the most stringent hygiene and patient safety protocols. Dr. Agarwal has also innovatively developed specialized pre- and postoperative assessment techniques specifically designed to optimize treatment outcomes and ensure unparalleled patient satisfaction.
In this edition of our highly regarded “India’s Leading Women Dentists Redefining Dental Excellence in 2025,” we are deeply honored to feature the exceptional Dr. Payal Agarwal. We will explore her inspiring professional journey and her invaluable perspectives on the continuously evolving dental landscape in India.
Prime Insights: What inspired you to pursue a career in dentistry, and what challenges did you face as a woman in the field?
My interest and fascination for the art of conserving teeth drove me to practice dentistry. Although the road map to the same was full of challenges, especially for me as a woman, where I always felt that I was by default looked upon as less skilled till I proved my caliber. Whether patients, colleagues, or the employers, everyone looked upon me as less promising to fulfill the need of the profession.
Prime Insights: Can you share your journey from dental school to becoming a leading dentist in India?
I started with my dental school way back in 2002, and after completing my graduation in 2007, I immediately joined one of the most renowned dental surgeons of my region to get as much clinical exposure as possible. In 2009 I started with my own dental office and practiced for about 2 years, but I didn’t want to stop there; I was fascinated to get further clinical exposure and learn more and more about my specialty. With this vision I started looking around, and with God’s grace I got an opportunity to join one of the biggest dental hospitals in India at Hyderabad. I worked there for more than 5 years, where I gained a wide experience in my field.
Since 2008, I have practiced dentistry without a pause and with a passion to excel, learn, and practice more and more, unveiling clinical mysteries and coming up with better solutions in order to benefit my patients and, at the same time, boost my confidence to perform better and better every day.
I travelled all the way to Austria and attended Bernhard Gottlieb University Clinic of Dentistry at Vienna and successfully completed my diploma and mastership in oral laser applications from the Society of Oral Laser Applications (SOLA-International). It was an amazing experience interacting with the stalwarts of laser dentistry there.
After practising for almost a decade and with the support of my professional achievements, I got an opportunity to be referred for the Fellowship in Contemporary Endodontics at D Y Patil University, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was indeed a wonderful experience studying at D. Y. Patil University, and with my ability to perform at a high standard, I was felicitated with the ‘Fellow of the Year Award’ in 2019, which really boosted my confidence, but at the same time I didn’t want to stop myself there.
In 2024, I got selected at King’s College, London, United Kingdom, for their 3-year-long MSc Endodontics program, and presently I am pursuing the same along with my clinical practice.
I always believed that dentistry is not at all apart from medical science by any means, and thereby my forte goes to working with the medical fraternity. Destined to do so, I am presently working as a full-time dental practitioner with Yashoda Super Specialty Hospitals Pvt Ltd at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, for the last 7 years, which is one of the biggest medical facilities in this region. I am heading the Department of Oral, Dental & Maxillofacial Care there, which functions on the concept of providing comprehensive oral health care blended with all sorts of treatments under one roof.
“True leadership in healthcare is not just about mastering techniques; it’s about igniting hope, breaking barriers, and crafting every smile with compassion, precision, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Dr. Payal Agarwal embodies this spirit, inspiring a new generation to dream bigger, work harder, and redefine what it means to care truly.”
Prime Insights: How do you stay updated with the latest advancements in dental technology and treatment methods?
In the last 17 years of my professional career as a dental surgeon, I have been on my toes to enhance my clinical skills, for which I have worked under eminent dentists in the country and acquired excellent clinical exposure, to keep myself updated with the recent advancements in the field of dentistry. I always look forward to certificate courses, lectures, and symposiums across the globe. Presently I am visiting King’s College London to upgrade my knowledge in the field of conservative dentistry.
Prime Insights: What key qualities do you believe set apart a successful dentist in today’s evolving healthcare landscape?
I really feel vision, passion, commitment, and consistent efforts towards improving the oral healthcare system are the key qualities to set apart a dentist in today’s evolving healthcare.
Prime Insights: What innovative dental treatments or technologies have you introduced in your practice?
I feel comprehensive treatment planning, the latest digital dentistry infrastructure, and the most advanced navigation dentistry comprise the most advanced technologies to date, which were introduced in my practice.
Prime Insights: How do you ensure that your clinic maintains the highest standards of hygiene and patient safety?
Being a NABH-accredited flagship tertiary care hospital, we follow the highest standards of hygiene and patient safety protocols and keep enhancing our patient care-related best practices every day.
Prime Insights: Have you developed any specialized techniques or procedures that have revolutionized patient care?
To revolutionize patient care, I developed different levels of preoperative and postoperative assessment of the patient. This ensures the best treatment planning, safe execution, and better results, and on top of that, the best patient satisfaction.
Prime Insights: What is your approach to handling complex dental cases that require advanced expertise?
I believe every case in dentistry is complex in one way or another. Comprehensive treatment planning after discussing with my team of specialists and executing the same sequentially helps me handle most of the cases proficiently.
Prime Insights: How do you think women are reshaping the field of dentistry in India?
To begin with, dentistry was considered a simple course, which the majority of women students opted for, but today the most successful dental surgeons in the country are women, who are not only skilled but also committed to delivering the best oral health care across the country.
“With skill in her hands and dreams in her heart, Dr. Payal crafts smiles, a true work of art!”
Prime Insights: Have you faced gender-related biases in your career, and how did you overcome them?
Yes, I have experienced gender-related bias all through my career to date. As a woman dentist, I always felt that I was by default looked upon as less skilled till I proved my caliber. Whether patients, colleagues, or employers, everyone looked upon women as less promising to fulfill the need of the profession. But today I feel the only way to overcome these issues is to keep working hard and focus on your performance and deliver the best healthcare to my patients.
Prime Insights: What initiatives or mentorship programs do you participate in to empower aspiring women dentists?
To empower aspiring women dentists, I make sure that I employ a majority of women dentists as my team members and try to mentor them on how they can achieve balance between their personal and professional lives. My team has more than the number of actual team members required to cover up for each other when and where required, which facilitates each of them to look over their personal front without affecting their professional front.
Prime Insights: What is your philosophy on patient care, and how do you ensure a comfortable experience for them?
Providing comprehensive oral health care blended with all sorts of treatments under one roof is our philosophy on patient care. I always believed in an out-of-the-box approach and practicing dentistry beyond teeth. I feel meeting, greeting, and treating patients at my department not only on an OPD basis but also on an IPD basis. I and my team are committed to catering to them with in-house solutions for their minutest of issues related to oral, dental, and maxillofacial health.
Prime Insights: Have you been involved in any community outreach programs to promote oral health awareness?
Yes, I and my team continuously indulge in various community healthcare camps and awareness talks to make people aware of the importance of oral healthcare and its relation to their overall well-being.
Prime Insights: How do you handle anxious or phobic patients and make dental visits a stress-free experience?
Although I feel every dental patient is anxious and phobic about the treatment methods in dentistry, a detailed explanation of why and how we execute the required procedure does half of the job; the rest is taken care of by providing a calm and friendly environment for them and performing small procedures and keeping the visits as short as possible.
Prime Insights: What are some upcoming trends in dentistry that you believe will transform patient care in 2025?
Digitization of the dental workflow, AI scanning, 3D printing, and navigation dentistry will definitely transform patient care in 2025.
Prime Insights: What advice would you give to young women aspiring to make a mark in the dental industry?
I just want to convey that you should be passionate about your profession and learn to find your own ways. There are no pre-formed routes available; each one of us has to engrave one. The journey is not that easy, but if you are committed and filled with perseverance, nobody can stop you from succeeding.
Prime Insights: Where do you see yourself and your practice in the next five years, and what are your long-term goals?
In the next five years I wish to expand my practice and create better opportunities for budding dentists by providing them the best of the infrastructure and at the same time deliver the best oral health care to my patients. In the long run I wish to start my own mentorship programs where I will not only share my experiences and knowledge about dentistry but also how to overcome the challenges a dental surgeon has to face to make a difference in this field.
From overcoming initial biases to pioneering advanced laser techniques and relentlessly pursuing mastery in endodontics at King’s College, Dr. Payal Agarwal’s story isn’t just about teeth; it’s about grit, vision, and the unwavering pursuit of a perfect smile. Witness how this trailblazing leader is not only transforming individual smiles but also setting a dazzling new standard for dental excellence across India.
