Good Teeth × Xu Hengkai | A Guide to Self - investment for Dentists: Take off Your Work Uniform and

Dr. Herman Hsu: Hsu Heng-kai

D4 Dental Aesthetics Brand Owner

His friends in the industry all call him Herman

When I first heard the name, I didn't realize it was a dentist's name. My first thought was Herman Miller, a brand that designs office chairs as luxury items. They once released a series of commercial products that became classics in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

In Germanic languages, the word "Herman" often evokes images of:A stubborn soldier with his back ramrod straight, a photo of his lover hidden in his pocket.

Before we even meet a person, a name often evokes a multitude of thoughts in our own symbolic cognitive system.

However…

• Guangzhou · Early morning · Pork offal congee -

Unexpectedly, a well-known celebrity dentist, admired and secretly supported by the entertainment industry, ended up sitting with me at a roadside stall in Panyu, Guangzhou, a place only gourmets would ever find, eagerly gazing at the fresh pork offal congee that had just been delivered in the early hours of the morning.

For seasoned foodies, before their curiosity about food is satisfied, all drinks are just casual small talk at the beginning of a meeting.

My long-awaited street food stall pork offal

Herman's fashion sense is exceptionally good, a rarity in the industry.Observing his daily clothing preferences, he also favors brands known for their exquisite craftsmanship and quality. At the pork offal congee stall early that morning, he wore a style that subtly concealed the ostentatious logo. This kind of style, compared to the "bigger than bigger" streetwear, usually stands at the top of the hierarchy of high-end ready-to-wear.

Back when I was in the fashion industry, bloggers often said something like:you are what you wearThe proverb roughly means: one's clothing reflects one's character, or one's clothing reflects one's life.

This is certainly not a discussion of "materialism".

Objects are an extension of human beings, and aesthetics are always interconnected.

Actually, Herman arrived in Guangzhou close to midnight that day, still travel-worn after getting off the plane. I heard he also enjoys a drink or two, but since red wine isn't exactly a local favorite, I decided to bring two bottles of baijiu from my hometown of Chongqing to go with the food.

Cave-aged Baijiu

Who would have thought that this "elite dentist" and "aesthetics master" described by many friends would eat one bite of every dish and drink baijiu (Chinese liquor) like it's red wine? Is this a case of his "image" crumbling instantly?

• The following day · Invited · To serve as a teacher -

It's hard to imagine that this "dental expert," who was clamoring to eat the most authentic late-night snacks in Guangzhou just the day before, is actually going to be invited to give a lecture as a super popular "lecturer" the next day.

Digital Smile Design (DSD): An international professional dental aesthetics system, created by Christian Coachman, the founder of the digital smile design aesthetics concept. The concept originated from his family's more than 170 years of continuous exploration in the field of aesthetics by six generations of dentists. To date, it has established partnerships with medical institutions and dentists in 72 countries. In North America and Europe, the complete DSD integrated process has been operating in a mature and successful manner.

Image source: DSD DigitalSmileDesign

A few days ago, Herman was invited to become a DSD KOL, an honor bestowed upon fewer than 80 people worldwide, and only four in China (two from mainland China, one from Hong Kong, and one from Taiwan). Herman's clinic was also listed as the 47th DSD clinic globally and the first in Asia (China).

Asia's first DSD Clinic officially opens in Shanghai | Image source: D4 Aesthetics

When you become the top player in a field, even a niche field, all the best resources will be directed towards you.

In recent years, Herman has also been invited to be a lecturer for several global dental giants: Invisalign, 3M, 3Shape, Straumann, Nobel Biocare, etc., covering multiple fields of aesthetic restoration such as orthodontics and implants.

Of course, if a teacher only knows how to teach operational techniques, one situation is likely to become the manufacturer's "top salesperson"; the other is to become a cold, impersonal "clinical scholar."

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Herman has clearly become an "outlier" once again.

Students love listening to his lectures, and brands are eager to invite him to attend. The reasons are quite simple: he's a rare high-net-worth individual, and his good looks and interesting personality are also a plus.With such a teacher on the scene, the three demands of students—gain, brand story, and market channels—are almost as natural as breathing.

The so-called "setting an example for others" goes beyond simply providing professional technical guidance; going a step further means...To live the future that students aspire to.

• Canada · Xu Family Education · Self-Investment

D4 Dental Aesthetics, managed by Herman, is located in Hong Kong Plaza, a prime location in Shanghai. Hermès is its neighbor, and Xintiandi is just one block away.

D4 is actually an abbreviation of four words: Delicate, Digital, Dental, and Design.

According to the family motto of the Xu family, a three-generation family of dentists, "The way of a doctor is called virtue, which refers to the benevolent heart to help the world and save people, the quality of being cautious and responsible, and the spirit of lifelong dedication to research."

The original family motto is not easy for outsiders to remember, so to put it in an unrefined advertising copy: Delicate teeth, digital design.

Clinic equipment is expensive | Image source: D4 Aesthetics

It's true that each generation has its own set of experiences and its own set of luck. Children from well-off families often develop the courage to "venture out into the world" and the awareness and determination to invest in themselves.

Herman grew up in Canada and attended McGill University. While at McGill, he chose the fundamental science of biochemistry, where the laboratory was like a playground for his creativity. Later, when he decided to return to China, he chose to pursue advanced studies in stomatology at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

• McGill University: Known as the "Harvard of the North", it has been ranked the No. 1 medical-doctoral university in Canada by Maclean's magazine for 15 consecutive years.

Like every freshman in a formal education system, Herman initially began with the most basic discipline: therapy. In practical career development, different people make different career decisions: some choose to be versatile, while others choose the less traveled path.

Herman chose DSD, a niche path widely recognized in the industry as demanding extremely high levels of personal aesthetic sense and comprehensive technical skills. With the help of his aesthetic sense and digital enthusiast background,As he wished, he received the highest honor in the global system, thus becoming what is often referred to as a "rare IP" in the industry.

At that time, there were very few dentists in China who knew about DSD. This was due to several factors: first, the information gap between China and other countries; second, the high level of comprehensive skills required of dentists; and third, the significant investment required for this training program.

Of course, what prevents most dentists from making this choice is their lack of clarity in their own career planning and their broad vision.

A record of my trip to Cologne for the 2019 exhibition.

Looking back over the years, Herman's early "career investment" was not only a correct monetary decision, but also a truly correct life decision:

• For oneselfIn the course of their work, they strive to maximize all their comprehensive personal qualities.
  

  For customersClients with higher expectations are more willing to entrust themselves to a doctor who is willing to spend a lot of money and effort to invest in their profession.

Therefore, Herman's career path is something friends can learn from. With the rise of the beauty economy, more discerning patients often place higher demands on dentists. This also requires the new generation of dentists to use a more holistic perspective to support their career planning decisions.

Often, investing in one's career becomes a clever lever to change one's life.

Although no two people have the same life experience, this does not prevent us from changing our own "decision-making" after learning about the "path others have taken".

Often, I take off my white coat to see the world.

• Shanghai · Seeking medical treatment · Rejected -

In mid-September, I went to Shanghai to see Herman, thinking that with such a renowned reputation, he could quickly and easily resolve the aftereffects of my years-long "cosmetic crown" treatment. I also hoped that, like A-list celebrities and political and business figures, I could incorporate smile design into my appearance and public image.

but...

After the initial oral and facial scan results came out, Herman worked overnight to develop a design plan, and my previous request for a "quick and easy" solution was directly rejected.

Fully digital diagnosis and treatment process | Image source: Real shot

The reason is crowding of the lower teeth. Without combined treatment (orthodontics first, then restoration), only the aesthetic restoration of the upper teeth can be resolved. The overall result will be less than satisfactory.

The entire diagnosis and treatment process is completed within a fully digital workflow.I personally enjoy the communication and design process, as it's the part where ordinary customers feel most involved.

Communication Design Scheme | Image Source: Real Shot

For example, I stated my needs: considering I'm no longer at a teenage age and need a sweet style, at this stage of my life, I hope my smile will be more natural and relaxed. This is my "ideal state." After Herman conducts a professional assessment, he then explains the relevant solutions based on working backward from the final goal.

While most dentists are still recommending materials from "Brand A" or "Brand B," Herman casually remarked: "If you remove some brand information and do a double-blind test on materials A and B, patients and patients alike will be completely unable to tell the difference. The only thing they can distinguish is the price difference between the two brands in the market."

Therefore, the key to diagnosis and treatment lies in the design of the treatment plan itself, which directly reflects the doctor's aesthetic sense and experience. If patients are only given choices based on materials and price, professional medicine will have already yielded to the market. If the results do not meet expectations, the market's influence will increase, and the doctor will turn around and question the professionalism.

The key question is: should we question the doctor or the tools/materials at this point?

Therefore, Herman's focus during communication was solely on the design方案 itself, which is where the most valuable information was gathered. It is within a dentist's aesthetic sense and professionalism that one finds the paths they have walked, the books they have read, and the world they have seen…

travel expert

This is actually somewhat similar to brand communication.The planning and thinking itself are often the most valuable aspects, as they are the transformation of a planner's years of experience.

Unfortunately, in most domestic commercial contracts, or rather, in the minds of customers,People often assume that the tangible, physical products that are part of the planning and execution process are the basis for payment.

Undeniably, as the technology gap narrows, the differentiation of tools/materials themselves has significantly weakened, while the differentiation among users of tools/materials (dentists) has shifted towards a hierarchical structure.

He was quite "well-behaved" when he went to the dentist.

This experience of seeing Herman for treatment actually fostered a sense of camaraderie. Beyond the design of his case plan, we also talked about interdisciplinary visual art, photography and editing, food and travel... These scattered topics gradually enriched my understanding of his overall life state.

When I wrote it down and looked back at all the details of our interactions, I found this person to be quite interesting.

He is a renowned dentist

But without the generally serious Pocker Face.

He has seen the world

He also came back to reshape his own world.

He is a seasoned foodie

I cook for myself and also hunt for street food.

He loves life and creation.

They turned their professional standards into their life standards.

This is life.

He often says that he has a "stubborn" personality, which often drives those around him crazy.

But who doesn't bring their own personality to the world?

What about saying hi or saying goodbye?

I may have forgotten to mention that in many literary works, the name Herman is often used to describe someone who is lucky, blessed, creative, and has high standards.

Body shape is just a polite greeting.

Life is the work of a lifetime.

Author: YUE | Editor: Ayao

Layout: Xiaxia | Visuals: Halo

Proofreader: CC | Producer: YUE