Dental surgeon plays his cards right with his board game side venture

He believes in balancing stability and opportunity when investing

- Rosalind Ang

While Dr Spencer Douglas had a passion for dentistry, he postponed his university offer in dental surgery to pursue his other interests in life first.

The native of the United Kingdom fulfilled his childhood dream by taking up a position as a chef in France, and also working as a mountain bike instructor in Turkey in the summer, over the span of two years.

"I always intended to study dentistry, which blends hands-on skill and creativity and allows for genuine patient care," he said, adding that he studied dental surgery at the University of Liverpool, and graduated in 2019.

He then practised as a dental surgeon in Cheshire and North Wales for five years before moving to Singapore last year.

Dr Douglas, now 30, is a dental surgeon at Dental Essence, a family and general dental practice located in Tanglin Road.

Outside of work, he is a big fan of board games.

"My biggest collection is of board games, over 200 of them, ranging from vintage classics to modern hidden gems. I collect them mostly for sentimental reasons, but who knows... one day, they might be worth something more. I love the social aspect; you're forced to put down your phone and connect with those around you," said Dr Douglas, who has been collecting board games since 1999.

The hustle and bustle of working in a city did not stop the hobby enthusiast from combining two of his interests, board games and golfing, into a new business venture selling a card game he developed.

His golf-themed card game, Foreplay, involves a set of game cards you hand out on the course during a real-life game to sabotage opponents' shots, give a helpful boost, or score a mulligan, an extra stroke allowed after a poor shot.

Dr Douglas lives with his partner of nine years, who is a teacher at an international school.

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