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💬 “When you’ve had a big tragedy and a lot of loss, which happens to all of us at some point, don’t focus on the “why”, focus on the “what”. What you can do…marginal gain, getting better over time.”

🟡 ADA NSW member and Epping-based dental surgeon Dr Jeremy Lung was a cycling fanatic, covering hundreds of kilometres a week before an accident changed his life. Dr Lung, who suffered severe injury to his brain and spine as a result, describes the incredible story of his recovery, his return to practice in a wheelchair, and the strategies that have helped his personal growth. 

🦷 What inspired your career in dentistry?
My dad is a dentist but I grew up wanting to be a missionary. I thought I could do English as a second language as a pathway but realised halfway through that it wasn’t for me.

I took a gap year overseas and discovered dentistry could be a flexible way to do anything. I could be a dentist part time, I could be a pastor. It slowly crept up on me about 4-5 years in that I loved it. Today, I couldn’t see myself doing anything differently.

🏥 Which of your personality traits or interests appealed most to dental surgery?
I think I’m quite gung-ho, a go-getter who will get things done. I enjoy problem solving in a patient-centric way. The “boys and their toys” saying stuck with me, as I’m always playing around and trying new things. I get bored very quickly, but the toys in my job provide more return on investment than other hobbies, like brisket smoking (laughs).

The other thing that speaks to me is the cycling mantra of “marginal gains”. How do you get a one-two percent growth in 20 different areas? You’re not trying to be a rock star or go from zero to hero overnight. It’s a very attainable but constant mindset where, over time, your development can be incredible. That’s how cyclists reach the top of their game.

🟡 Your cycling accident was life-changing. Can you describe what happened?
Pre-accident I was a cycling fanatic. The goal, which I was getting to, was to do about 300km a week. I don’t actually remember what happened because I had hit my head descending the east side of the Bobbin Hill climb on Sydney’s North Shore. There would have been a malfunction in my steering, which meant that I top-sided over my handlebars and head-first into a rock.

The impact at that speed caused severe traumatic brain injury. I had several fractures all the way down my spine, a spinal dislocation and a partial tear to my spinal cord, meaning I still have some movement in my legs. In the three-four months post-accident, I was in the brain injury ward and they were still telling my wife and I that I would need full-time care.

🟡 What has been the most challenging part of the physical and mental rehabilitation process?
They say that paraplegia isn’t the game changer that quadriplegia is because you’re still independent and doing things on your own. Mentally, emotionally, there’s still struggle, a big part of it revolves around what people think of you. Not so much people that you meet on the street but people that you knew from before the accident. As they’re processing the loss, you’re thinking “I’ve been through this, I don’t need to go through this again”. There’s a sense that you want to up and move and start again, to move on. That’s the hardest part. When you’re processing the change and having to deal with loss and trauma. Seeing a psychologist every two weeks for the last four years has been hugely beneficial.

🟡 How pivotal was your mentor in your return to work?
Michael is a great guy. He met up with me consistently and encouraged me, joking that he’d “chop my hands off” if I didn’t get back because he’d followed my cases and loved the quality of my work. It was people like him who helped me put pieces together in my mind when I was struggling to live again. When I felt like I’d lost everything. 

🟡 What modifications have been made within your team and surgery to ensure you can practice efficiently in a wheelchair?
Job Access has been incredible in terms of putting the modifications in place. They put rails around the practice. I have a special surgeon’s chair that they organised which I use for the bigger surgeries. I can still use the drill pedal but I don’t often choose to now, I have my DAs trained, they love it. I’ve been trying to entice them to get into dentistry because they’re really involved in the process.

It can help having a second assistant on my days in the clinic because there’s a bit more work involved when I can’t help out as much, which allows me to focus on what I should be doing. Other than that, not much has changed, you’ll see me now rolling around the surgery.

🟡 Do you have any advice for those overcoming challenges to reach their goals?
When you’ve had a big tragedy and a lot of loss, which happens to all of us at some point, don’t focus on the “why”, focus on the “what”. What you can do, what you want to do. There’s no point dwelling in the why because you’re not going to get anywhere.

In 2020, the year after my accident, I spent nine months playing World of Warcraft for 10 hours a day. So that was a “what” and an important part of the journey before I could work again. Marginal gains also applies here, you’re getting better over time Do you see dentistry as an attractive career path for the next generation? It’s an incredibly exciting place to be as a young clinician. We’re seeing the integration of digital and 3D with healthcare. Post patient interviews, especially those after bigger procedures, enable you to see how you’ve really changed lives. Personally, it ticks all my boxes. A bit of a dream for a Bob the Builder boy.