+7 
Say hello to Rohini Bisaal. Our first ever Boss Babe interview. One of our most liked pictures was of Rohini picking up her gorgeous porsche. Following Rohini, you would realise this was a culmination of her hard work, motivation and drive.
Rohini is a dentist, model and one of the sweetest ladies you will have the pleasure of knowing.
“I am not who you think I am. I am not who I think I am. I am who I think you think I am.”
We chatted to Rohini to find out more:
Tell us about your career as a dentist? What made you pursue this career and what was your journey like?
Growing up, I had a huge complex about my appearance due to my misaligned and crooked teeth. I used to get teased at school to such an extent whereby I was referred to as “bugs bunny”.
My parents decided I go for an orthodontic consult in hope to straighten my teeth and well, that’s how the journey began. I absolutely loved my orthodontics journey. I was highly intrigued and fascinated by how the dental field worked which inspired me to do more research on the profession. I loved what I read coupled with an overall positive experience myself.
If such a profession could have such a positive impact and literally give me back my smile, I knew it would also turn into one of my greatest passions and driving forces to make others feel the exact same way. The emotion was there and that motivated me to work towards my goal towards becoming a dentist. One of the best decisions I’ve made in my life thus far.
As someone who is quite successful in your career at an early age, what advice would you offer other young females?
I am humbled by your comment as I feel I still have a far way to go. However, I am incredibly grateful for the various opportunities I’ve been exposed to thus far. I truly believe that if you are passionate and whole-heartedly committed to something, there really is no reason why it should not work out.
Fair enough there will be hurdles along the way but there is always a way to persevere through it. As a female in a male dominated field, it does become a challenge when patients are surprised to see a young female dentist sitting in a chair waiting to treat them. This is, I personally feel, the BEST opportunity for you to tackle that preconceived notion of a dentist being a well-experienced male with multiple certificates decorated on the wall.
The one thing I’ve learnt overall is that when you walk into a room, you ensure your energy introduces you before anything else. I am a huge believer of that and it’s worked pretty much every single time. What you give is what you receive and I try to do that every single time I encounter a new person. So be confident, know what you bring to the table and be smile through it all.
Tell us about your modelling journey?
My modelling journey was an interesting one which took an unexpected yet life transforming turn. At age 14, I attended modelling school and thereafter graduated from models international. I was in school at the time so I did not ideally pursue it then. When I left to study in Cape Town, my burning desire to model again grew within me and that’s when I applied to agencies in Cape Town.
It was an impulsive decision I made one night whilst doing some introspection and thought, well what could be worse? You’ll get rejected and then you will know you at least tried. A few days after applying, I received positive feedback from all 3 agencies I applied to in Cape Town. I attended all interviews and was successful. So now all I needed to do was to decide on which agency to pick (Never would I think I’d ever be in that situation for sure) and so I joined D&A models. I did my test shots, got a portfolio done and that’s when the bookings started rolling in.
I remember my first official shoot was for a French sportswear company and the reason why I was chosen was because yoga was one of my strengths. That was one of the most memorable shoots to date. I then continued with castings and shoots whilst juggling my academics and somehow everything just worked out perfectly. Now I get spotted around the world by my friends and followers from shots I’ve done years ago in Cape Town. When I see this, I realise how much I’ve grown as a person mostly in independence and confidence as growing up I definitely was not the most confidence one in the room.
I truly am grateful for my overall journey. It has also motivated me to aim towards visiting every single country I’ve been spotted in so I am currently working on that.
How do you set about achieving your goals?
I always sit down and think about how I envision my life. I paint a picture in my mind first and journey through those experiences whilst feeling all the senses coupled with that experience. If it truly resonates with me, I add it onto my vision board. Now that keeps me in check and it’s proven itself to me in many ways already. In 2013 I created a vision board and now in 2019, I’m glad to say I can tick of a few of those images already. Now that I’ve grown in various spectrums, I find myself re-evaluating and tweaking my goals now and then.
What would you describe as your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
For me, I don’t ideally like categorising my challenges on a scale. All challenges are dealt with in a similar manner. I always allow myself to feel and come to terms with the challenge itself. I give myself time to process everything and then I take necessary actions that support my emotional and mental well-being. I believe that when those two aspects are not given priority in difficult situations, it provides a lot of uncertainty. I constantly remind myself that every hurdle in life is to be overcome and nothing shall be served to you that you are unable to handle. So that keeps my head above the water.
How do juggle your career with your personal life?
The Universe definitely believes I’m a Libra so I assume that’s where the balance comes in. I always prioritise my duties in level of importance. Family and loved ones are always on top of the list. As a dental practitioner, I strive to do as much work as possible within my working hours. However, in the medical realm, patients are of utmost importance so I always ensure that after every day, every patient that was seen to is followed up accordingly. I guess I always try to be as accommodating as possible and that always makes the juggle easier.
So apart from being a kickass dentist, Rohini has some killer style. So we were itching to ask her more about that.
Your go- to outfit for a work day would be?
Formal shirt, pencil skirt or skinny formal pants and a pair of scarpins/oxfords
And if I’m in theatre – the beloved scrubs and sneakers
Favourite places to shop?
- H&M – I love their style and chilled out vibe
- Sissy boy – their fits are amazing and they always have my size
- YDE – I love seeing South African designers create magic and also, their shoes are gorgeous
- Colette – I think I have over 10 of their handbags, I love the quality
Heels or flats?
I’m a huge sucker for heels so heels it is
Your five must have makeup/beauty products?
- Neutrogena moisturiser (hydro boost)
- Eyeliner (Essence liquid liner)
- Concealer (Mac)
- Compact powder (Bobbi Brown/ Lo’real)
- Lip sano lip balm
Best thing to do to destress?
I have so many but one of best is listening to soul elevating music or inspirational podcasts while driving.
Best place to travel to?
Cape Town will always be my happy place regardless. It is close to my heart and really signifies my overall growth
If you would like to book an appointment with Rohini, she is currently practicing at the Ballito Family Dental Care branch located on level 6, Ballito Junction Mall (Leonara Drive)– Active Care Medical Centre. (Durban)
- Contact No: 032 586 1819
- Email: ballito@familydentalcaregroup.co.za
- Website: www.familydentalcare.co.za
- Bookings can be done telephonically, via email or online
You can follow Rohini on:
Instagram: @rohinibisaal
Facebook: Rohini Bisaal (FB Page)
LinkedIn: Rohini Bisaal