AT 63, when many people might consider slowing down after decades in the profession, Dr Kamsiah Haider has taken a bold step: opening a new dental clinic in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI).
The move is more than an expansion of the practice she has built over the past three decades. It reflects the determination of a dentist who remains eager to learn, explore new technologies and provide the best possible care for her patients.
“After almost 40 years in dentistry and more than 30 years at my previous premises in TTDI, I could have slowed down and said, ‘Enough is enough.’
“But, for some reason, that just isn’t who I am,” she said at the clinic’s opening on Saturday.
Dr Kamsiah’s professional journey began after she graduated in dentistry from the University of Malaya in 1987. She went on to pursue further studies in prosthetics and gerodontology, and gained experience in both academia and clinical practice.
Before opening her own clinic, she worked as a full-time lecturer at UM. After gaining work experience in Australia, she moved into private practice, opening her TTDI clinic on May 1, 1996.
The clinic operated from rented premises for nearly 30 years. During that time, Dr Kamsiah built a reputation for treating complex cases requiring specialised expertise.
Among the treatments she offered were dentures and dental implants—services that, she noted, were not yet widely available in local private practices at the time.
Her commitment to expanding her expertise took her overseas for further training. In the early 1990s, she travelled repeatedly to Sweden to learn implant techniques, followed by further training in Perth in 1995. She later trained with specialists in Taiwan and Europe to broaden the treatment options she could offer patients.
One technique she studied can, in suitable cases, allow a patient to have a problematic tooth removed, an implant placed and a replacement tooth fitted in a single day. Whether the approach is appropriate depends on the patient’s condition and clinical assessment.
Mastering new techniques, she said, requires time, money and commitment. She once spent up to €10,000 to attend a two- or three-day training course with an overseas expert.
“I learn a lot. If I feel something could help my patients, I’ll explore it further. We can’t stop learning just because we’ve been in the profession for a long time,” she said.
Her interest in new approaches has also led her to digital dentistry, including the use of facial and intraoral scanners to support treatment planning. These tools help organise patient information digitally and allow treatment outcomes to be designed in greater detail.
In 2015, she travelled to Madrid to study techniques related to Digital Smile Design (DSD) and collaborated with a local laboratory on treatment planning, particularly for complex cases. She received recognition for her use of digital technology in 2017.
Dr Kamsiah now shares her knowledge with other dentists interested in the field. However, she emphasises that technology alone cannot guarantee good results: a sound understanding of treatment principles, careful planning and appropriate case selection remain essential.
That is why she prefers to teach dentists individually or in small groups.
“This allows me to explain a technique in greater detail, so participants don’t just learn how to use the equipment—they also understand the principles behind the treatment,” she said.
Over the years, her clinic has welcomed patients from across Malaysia and the region, including Johor, Kelantan, Singapore, Riau and Medan. She has also received enquiries from Brazil and Taiwan after patients saw treatment results shared on social media.
Some patients seek her care after consulting several other clinics about difficult dental problems. Their trust, she said, is both a responsibility and a motivation to keep improving the quality of her service.
Opening a new clinic after nearly 30 years in practice brings fresh challenges. But Dr Kamsiah says she is ready to continue serving patients in the years ahead.
About Dr Kamsiah: Founder & Lead Dentist: Dr. Kamsiah Haider earned her BDS from the University of Malaya in 1987 and an MDSc in Prosthetics and Gerodontology from the same university in 1990.
Experience & Certifications: She has over 30 years of clinical experience, has been a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics and Implantology (ICOI) since 1997, and earned membership in the International Association for Orthodontics (iAOi) in 2014.
Academic Background: She previously served as a full-time lecturer at the University of Malaya and an Associate Professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Specialises in prosthodontics, cosmetic dentistry, full-mouth rehabilitation, All-on-4 dental implants, bone-screw orthodontics, and Digital Smile Design (DSD).
