#315 Fighting Forward — Alex Buciu

Alex Buciu's story reads like something from another era. From endodontics in Romania to amalgams in Northern Ireland, his path through dentistry mirrors a deeper journey through loss, resilience and reinvention. 

When your mum dies at 14 and you're watching it happen, something shifts inside. When you arrive in a new country with £3,100 in your pocket—half of it borrowed—you learn what matters. 

Alex talks about communication trumping clinical skill every time, about choosing kindness when you're capable of violence, and why he'd rather be a brilliant generalist than a mediocre anything-else. 

There's philosophy here, hard-won wisdom, and the kind of honesty that only comes from someone who's genuinely fought for everything they have.

In This Episode

00:02:15 - Qualifying in Romania and building an endodontics practice

00:03:10 - The shock of NHS dentistry

00:08:40 - Why leave Romania

00:18:45 - Finding mentor Kieran

00:20:05 - Arriving with £3,100

00:26:00 - How to choose courses wisely

00:26:45 - The occlusion eureka moment

00:32:05 - Why not endodontics in the UK

00:37:35 - Moving to Peterborough

00:42:45 - Building from zero patients

00:44:00 - Favourite courses and lecturers

00:52:40 - Communication beats clinical skill

00:58:15 - Growing up under Ceaușescu

01:08:25 - Losing his mother at 14

01:14:20 - Volunteering in trauma

01:17:10 - Near-death experiences

01:24:50 - Blackbox thinking

01:35:40 - Fantasy dinner party

01:41:55 - Last days and legacy

About Alex Buciu

Alex qualified in Romania in 2004 and built a successful endodontics-focused practice before moving to Northern Ireland in 2018, later settling in Peterborough. He works as a private associate, focusing on restorative dentistry, occlusion and TMD, with a particular passion for continuous education and patient communication. Despite significant personal challenges, including arriving in the UK with minimal resources, he's built a reputation as an excellence-driven clinician who believes communication matters more than clinical perfection.