For Dr. Buddhathida Wangsrimongkol, dentistry has always been part of the picture. Growing up in a family of dental professionals, the environment was naturally influential. But it wasn’t pressure that guided her into the field, it was possibility.
“I always wanted to be a dentist. When I was six, I remember it so well, my dad asked what I wanted to do, and I remember my answers still today: I want to be a dentist or an artist or a social worker,” she says.
“And my dad’s response was, ‘If you are a dentist, you can do all three.’”
She didn’t initially know she would specialize in orthodontics, let alone craniofacial orthodontics. Surgery briefly interested her, but once she started working more closely with craniofacial teams, everything clicked.
“I get to see more of the orthodontic world. And I see orthodontics can change lives too,” she says. “I remember standing in the room at Boston Children’s Hospital, on what we called ‘team day,’ where all the doctors involved with a patient are in the room together. And the questions weren’t just medical-they were psychological, logistical-about every aspect of the patient’s life. Not just the teeth. The whole person.”
That experience sparked a shift and led her to continue training in craniofacial orthodontics at the University of Michigan and NYU, after completing her orthodontic residency at Harvard. Despite her time abroad, her goal had always been to return to Thailand and give back. Her international education became a source of perspective rather than distance.
“I was in Boston, then Michigan, then NYU. Every team had different styles. And I can bring back the ones I think will be useful,” she says. “That’s the beauty of it-having so many perspectives, and then being able to choose and apply.”
Today, Dr. Wangsrimongkol splits her time between teaching at Khon Kaen University Hospital in Thailand, clinical practice, and research. She also works with the cleft care center at her university, which partners with Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, supporting comprehensive cleft care in more than 70 countries.
“Thanks to Smile Train’s 25-plus years of support, we’ve been able to run training courses and workshops for doctors, support surgeries, and help patients who otherwise couldn’t afford care,” she says. “A lot of our patients are underprivileged. They can’t even take time off work to come to an appointment. Being able to get this financial support helps a lot.”
Her innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic-when clinical schedules slowed and she had space to think more creatively-also highlight how she brings together her love of problem-solving and artistry. The patents she developed weren’t theoretical; they emerged directly from patient care.
“It was mainly just addressing what I see in the clinic every day. I wanted something easier for patients and for parents. Easier access to care. Less appointments, but still effective,” she says. “So I learned how to do CAD programming and design. That’s when I got to use my artist side in my ortho work.”
Her devices are especially helpful for residents still learning to treat cleft patients, offering simpler, more accessible tools that demystify the process for both clinicians and families. “They’re not expensive. They’re easier to use. And now that 3D printing is available everywhere, any hospital can print their own appliance.”
As someone who’s found success innovating in a specialized field, Dr. Wangsrimongkol’s perspective on navigating orthodontics as a woman has been shaped by both personal experience and the supportive communities she’s encountered.
Despite working in what’s often considered a specialized or male-dominated field, Dr. Wangsrimongkol’s experience as a woman in dentistry has been largely positive-something she credits to both her upbringing and the communities she’s been part of.
“I grew up in a family of very strong, assertive women,” she says. “In dental school, 70% of my class were women. A lot of my mentors were women. And my parents always encouraged me to speak out and stand my ground.”
While she acknowledges that other women may face challenges, she notes that confidence, preparation, and kindness go a long way.
“Knowing what you’re doing really helps. Be confident, and be kind. Show them that you’re a person. Being personable helps too.”
That same warmth is reflected in the nickname she’s known by: “Cartoon.” While it might seem like an alias crafted to connect with younger patients, it’s actually the name her parents gave her at birth. “It’s a common nickname in Thailand,” she explains, “and when I asked my dad why he gave it to me, he said, ‘Everybody loves cartoon.’”
It’s a name that fits. Dr. Cartoon’s path has blended art, science, and empathy from the very start. And through her work, she’s helping shape a future where the field of orthodontics looks not just at teeth, but at people wholly, and with care.
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Images provided by Smile Train
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