Exclusive interview with Dr Humna Raza

Dr Humna Raza is a dentist, lifestyle blogger and vlogger who covered a great variety of topics like travel, food, fashion, events, lifestyle and much more.

By Dr Muattar Hanif

A dental graduate from Lahore Medical and Dental College, Humna started off her blog ‘Positive Vibes Only’ in 2016.  She spreads the message of mental wellness and self-reflection through hashtag #smallthingsthatmatter and #POSITIVEVIBESONLY. Dr Humna became an entrepreneur with ‘Inspire Me’ launched in 2018. Her flagship product, ‘the Positivity Planner’ was sold out within the first six days and generated three times her projected revenue in the first month. Humna was also invited to TedX event where she spoke about influencing and guiding people with positivity.

Now, Dr Raza already has a verified Instagram Account with 242k followers and YouTube Channel with 21.8 K subscribers. Recently she shared the perspective of Gen-X of Pakistan in an interactive meeting with Prime Minister, Imran Khan.

Dr Humna is the current social media sensation in Pakistan, working constantly to break stereotypes.

Dr Humna recently sat down with Dental News to talk about her journey as a Content Creator and discuss some pointers pertaining to Social Media and Dentistry

1. Dental News: When and how did you decide to pursue dentistry? What appealed you the most about this career choice?
   Dr Humna: I decided to go for dentistry right after my A-levels. It’s not something I always wanted to pursue. But what appealed to me was the rewarding nature and sense of achievement in this work. You see your efforts paying off immediately and that’s what I still love about it the most. It’s very hands on. I also really like that it offers the ease of hours, flexibility and the space to explore more.
2. Dental News: Being a doctor treating patients, and then being a blogger, what motivated you to shift into the world of social media?
   Dr Humna: What motivated me definitely has to do with the sort of person I am. I like to make change. If I see something wrong, I feel the need to at least try to change it within my capabilities. Social Media gave me the opportunity to do that. To be able to make change for the better and inspire positivity using social media.
3. Dental News: How did your family and friends respond to becoming a digital creator? Also, tell us a little about your journey in content writing…
   Dr Humna: My family didn’t react much. They were always there emotionally and physically present for me but they didn’t say much. They never expressed any sort of disapproval. They just sort of waited, and watched, just letting me do my thing (laughs). I think that’s all the support I needed. Other people around me reacted in ways that showed that they were uncomfortable with the idea. Especially those in the dental field, assumed I am wasting my time. Some also thought I was extremely distracted and won’t be able to pass my professionals with this ‘non-serious’ attitude. That never happened though. I also heard things like ‘why is she wasting her time on social media? Or she should be focusing on her dentistry’ and then from the same people, after running a successful blog, ‘why do you even need to do dentistry? You have such great things happening for you!’ (laughs). People will always be skeptical, and I guess that’s okay. They come around as soon as they have social proof!
4. Dental News: Dental practice or content writing- which of the two consumes most of your energy, time and effort, and is that by choice?
   Dr Humna: Content writing definitely. It consumes your life. Dental practice will always be a particular number of planned hours in day. Content writing is a 24/7 thing. It takes more time and effort for sure. Energy I would say are equal.
5. Dental News: How do you think social media can benefit dental students?
   Dr Humna: If dental students use social media for the right reasons, it can benefit them in several ways. There are forums, groups, blogs and websites exploding with relevant information. There are also dentist influencers talking about dentistry related subjects which many students can find helpful.
6. Dental News: Introduce the viewers to the concept of ‘Dentistry and Beyond’ using your experience. How important do you think it is to not feel limited by your degree, and to pursue your dreams beyond your profession?
   Dr Humna: Extremely important. Personal growth lies beyond career. In fact, we all are more than our careers. I mean, we can’t just be defined by our careers. I think it’s great to be able to discover other things about yourself and pursue them on the side. There is so much more happening in the world and with information available online – anyone can learn anything. I am no longer just a dentist, but rather a blogger, influencer, businesswoman, photographer, videographer, editor, and even web-designer. I’ve learned everything myself using internet and networking skills! In this day and age, you can actually be anything you want to be. It’s no longer just a saying.
7. Dental News: So what is the best part about being an influencer?
   Dr Humna: Being able to create positive change. Definitely. Only I know the number of messages I get in day about how much I have been able to change someone in a positive way. It is so rewarding.
8. Dental News: Any suggestions you have for the new generation of dental surgeons, regarding priorities etc.
   Dr Humna: All I would want to say is that stop waiting for your circumstances to change to be able to do things you want to. Change your circumstances yourself. Your life is in your hands, take control. More importantly, you are more capable than you think you are. You just never tried pushing yourself!