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Going to the dentist is not very funny, unless they give you the laughing gas, or you're lucky enough to visit comedian Sam Smith.

When he's not performing root canals by day, 28-year-old Sam Smith takes to the stage as a stand-up comedian and writer for Jono and Ben at Ten, 7 Days and Best Bits.

In the latest NOT my day job series on The Big Idea, Sam Smith tells us how his 'fall-back job' takes the pressure off his creative work. 

"You can relax and have fun with it, without having to worry about whether you’ll make enough this week for rent."

Qualifications: Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Otago University and a Master of Arts in Creative Writing (Scriptwriting) from Victoria University.

Tell us about your day job 

I graduated from Dental School in 2009 and have worked in private practices in Wellington and Auckland since then. I’m a general dental practitioner, meaning I do all different types of dentistry; lots of fillings and root canals and crowns and check-ups – everything apart from orthodontics.

Tell us about your creative work when you're NOT doing your day job?

I moved up to Auckland at the end of 2013 to write for Jono and Ben at Ten which I love. I also write for 7 Days and Best Bits. I do stand-up comedy. I was a national finalist in the Raw competition in 2011, and won Best Newcomer Wellington in 2013 for my first solo show Samantics.

How do you manage juggling both?

Not very well. I’m very tired all the time. Actually, that’s not true. Comedy and dentistry are so different that changing from one mind-set to the other is quite refreshing. I have certain days where I don’t need to think about dentistry, and certain days that I don’t need to think about comedy.

Tell us about your creative background.

I had been doing singing and music and drama at school for as long as I could remember, and then I got into comedy at high school through the Class Comedians programme. I went to Otago University where I started performing in the Capping Show which basically took over my life in Dunedin.

What has inspired you? Who or what keeps you going?

My favourite comedian is Rowan Atkinson. We have different comedy styles, but his stage show Rowan Atkinson Live is the greatest thing I have ever seen. From about the age of six I knew all the words to all the sketches. I even had one of the sketches read at my wedding. And that brings me to who keeps me going; my wife Meg. She’s is very supportive and doesn’t get too angry at me for being so busy.

Would you like your creative work to be full-time (why/why not)?

Yes. I’m heading closer to it. I’m currently doing about four days a week writing, and two and a half days of dentistry. By going creative five days a week it means I could have two days off to have a weekend. That would be great. I’d still go back to dentistry if I needed to. Dentistry is great in that you can just walk back into it at any stage.

What would help you achieve this?

I think moving to Auckland has already helped this. There’s a whole heap of comedy going on up here, and by getting to know a few more people in the scene I’ll get more creative work.

If you had the chance to start your creative career or path again, what would you do differently?

I would do it exactly the same, I think. It’s nice to have a fall-back job. It really takes the pressure off the creative job. You can relax and have fun with it, without having to worry about whether you’ll make enough this week for rent.

What advice would you give to someone pursuing a similar creative career or pathway?

Just do as much comedy of as many different forms as you can. Capping Show in Dunedin was a big one for me. It got me writing, which is so important for comedy. Do regular solo stand-up. It’s the greatest way to learn what audiences like. The longer you do it, the better at it you get.

Tell us about your recent or upcoming creative projects.

I’m doing a show called Augmented Fourth with Robbie Ellis. We went to high school together and have performed in many bands and musicals and shows since. The show is a story of a musical duo called Augmented Fourth who broke up, but are forced back together. It has heaps of music that we play live on many different instruments. I’m so excited about it.

What’s your big idea for 2014?

My big idea for 2014 is to somehow do a sketch called Maori Poppins. I don’t know if it’s a GOOD idea yet, but I really want to.