Nina Frketin is a dental technician at Queensway Dental Laboratory and the founder of Nightshift, a community initiative that champions visibility and support for women in dental technology. She is a published author, international speaker and educator, and an Ambassador for the charity Den-Tech. Nina is committed to shaping the future of dentistry and inspiring the next generation of dental technicians through education, advocacy and community leadership.

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What inspired you to turn your experiences with imposter syndrome into a lecture for Dental Technology Showcase (DTS)?

Nina: It all started with honest conversations. I kept hearing the same thing from technicians at every stage of their careers. People would quietly admit they often felt like they were not good enough, even when their work absolutely proved otherwise.
Hearing technician after technician say, ‘I feel like that too, I just never say it out loud,’ made me realise this wasn’t a personal flaw or a new-starter problem. It was everywhere. At some point it clicked that if we are all carrying this around, we should probably talk about it together, openly, in a space that is meant for growth. That realisation was the spark for the lecture.

Why do you think imposter syndrome is so widespread in dental technology?

Nina: Because our work is judged down to the tiniest detail, and often we are our own harshest critics. Mistakes feel personal, perfection can feel like the default expectation, and most of what we do happens behind the scenes. That combination creates the perfect pressure cooker for self-doubt.
We are artists with microscopes pointed at us. Some days that feels motivating. Other days, not so much.

How has imposter syndrome shown up in your own career, and what helps you move through it?

Nina: It has shown up in all the classic ways: overthinking, procrastinating because I’m scared to mess it up, comparing my work to someone else’s, or craving that one bit of praise to feel worthy.
What helps is recognising those patterns early, catching myself when I swing into perfection mode or when I start looking outward for validation. Talking to other technicians has made the biggest difference. Discovering we all hear that same ridiculous inner voice is weirdly liberating.

What do you hope delegates feel when they hear you speak?

Nina: Seen. Relieved. Slightly called out, but in a good way. I want them to walk out thinking, ‘Maybe it isn’t me. Maybe I’m actually doing pretty well.’ And I want them to laugh, because the moment you can laugh at that inner critic, you take away so much of its power.

How do gender dynamics influence imposter syndrome within dental technology?

Nina: For many women there’s an extra layer of pressure; the sense that you need to prove yourself twice to be taken seriously once. There’s still an unspoken expectation to be perfectly competent, perfectly composed, basically flawless, which is impossible for anyone.
When you’re already navigating self-doubt, that kind of pressure just turns the volume up even higher. It’s something we need to talk about more because it shapes careers in ways that are often invisible.

How has Nightshift Dental Tech changed the way you see the pressures technicians face?

Nina: Nightshift showed me the side of our profession you never see on a conference stage or in polished articles. The late-night panic, the comparison spirals, the frustration, the need for reassurance… all the feelings we try to hide.
But it also revealed how incredibly supportive technicians can be when they feel safe enough to speak honestly. The community has become a mirror showing both our struggles and our strengths, and that has shaped everything about this lecture.

What could labs, educators and leaders do better to support confidence and psychological safety?

Nina: We can start by giving feedback that builds people rather than breaks them. Celebrate progress, not only perfection. And encourage conversations that go beyond technique and materials. Talk about the human side of the work. When technicians feel seen and supported, everything else improves naturally: skill, confidence, culture, all of it.

What can delegates expect from your session at DTS 2026?

Nina: Real talk, humour and a look at the patterns many of us fall into without realising. We’ll dig into them in a way that feels light enough to enjoy but deep enough to stay with you. I’m expecting a few,  ‘Oh, that is definitely me’ moments, in the best possible way.

Any last reflections as you prepare to bring this topic to the DTS stage?

Nina: If anyone has ever felt like they’re faking it, falling behind or not quite enough, then they’re exactly the people this session is for. I hope they walk out feeling a little lighter and more equipped to quiet that ridiculous inner voice that holds so many of us back. And we’ll have some fun with it, too. Imposter syndrome is heavy enough. The conversation doesn’t have to be.

Nina will explore these themes in depth at DTS 2026, where she will continue opening up the conversation around imposter syndrome and the pressures dental technicians navigate every day.