Dr. Crystal Loh has an impressive resume that includes being a Member of the Australian NZ College of Veterinary Surgeons – Small Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery – and a Diplomate of the American Dental Veterinary College.

Her credentials are an impressive mouthful:  BSc Hons, DVM MANZCVS, DAVDC – and I got to chat with her – twas a bit of a fan-girl moment!

After graduating as a veterinarian in Canada, she completed a one-year internship at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in the US before moving to Godzone, Aotearoa, New Zealand.  Dr Loh spent 10 years working as a GP before starting down the road of being boarded.

In 2016, she acquired memberships through the Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Dentistry & Oral Surgery.   From here, she embarked on a full time dental residency and in 2022 successfully completed her written and practical board examinations, based in the USA.  She thus satisfied all the requirements to become accepted as a diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College.

Dr Loh has lectured and spoken across New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

This is the first of two chats I’ve had with her.

In this first episode, she talks about why and how she ended up as a companion animal dental specialist.  This is completely different to the equine track she thought she’d take way back when.  Next week she talks about what it took to get where she is today.

We join the conversation where I ask Dr Loh when she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian.

Dr Crystal Loh discusses:

• What she’d tell her younger self if she could go back in time.
• The most interesting place she’s ever found a tooth.
• And the role Hobbiton played in her becoming a boarded dental specialist

Dr Crystal Loh, one of New Zealand’s three companion animal dental specialists, shares her journey towards becoming a Specialist and offers valuable advice for anyone on a similar path.

Contact Dr Crystal Loh – NZ Vet Dentistry

You can find out more about Dr Crystal Loh by visiting her website: NZ Vet Dentistry.

NZ Vet Dentistry’s Facebook Page

For Dentistry CPD information at Practical Dentistry for Veterinarians – where Dr Crystal Loh runs CPD workshops from time to time – there’s an option for you to join her CPD workshops.

Further Listening / Reading

Part 2 with Dr Crystal Loh