Tooth for thought
Imagine no needles, no drills, no pain. That’s exactly what patients can expect when they undergo tooth extraction, root canal, tooth whitening, or other dental procedures at Dr. Smile Dental Care Center at The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.
Owned and operated by Dr. Smile himself, Dr. Joseph D. Lim, this state-of-the-art dental clinic is the first dental laser center in the country.
Dr. Smile boasts cutting-edge technological advances that will definitely change the face of oral health care in the Philippines.
At Dr. Smile, patients can have access to a machine that works like magic. Called the Waterlase MD Turbo, this laser cuts tooth structure just as fast as a high-speed drill, but without the annoying high-pitched whining sound. This is because it uses laser energy and a gentle spray of water to do various dental procedures.
“Since cutting the tooth with a dental laser does not cause heat or vibration, most dental procedures can be performed with little or no pain, virtually eliminating the need for anesthesia in most cases,” explains Dr. Lim.
Waterlase Turbo helps avoid some of the occasional problems associated with a high-speed drill like cracks in the tooth caused by the vibration and rapid turning of the gadget.
WIDE RANGE OF PROCEDURES
The dental laser can also be used for a wide range of procedures that include, but are not limited to, tooth decay removal, root canal, dental jacket, cavity preparation, tooth fillings, tooth whitening, dental implants, frenectomy, cleft lip and palate operations, wisdom tooth extraction, among others.
“Just last month, I operated on a tongue-tied child. Meaning, his tongue was tied on the floor of the mouth (frenum) so he couldn’t speak. In the past, to be able to remove the tongue from the frenum, you have to use a scalpel and the procedure could be bloody and risky,” relates Dr. Lim.
Normally, a patient who undergoes this procedure has to be confined in a hospital overnight.
“That’s part of the precautionary measure. If the child bleeds profusely, there’s a possibility of choking and that could be fatal. With the dental laser, we can perform the procedure in just a few minutes. It’s less invasive and you can confine treatment to a smaller area so there’s hardly any bleeding,” notes Dr. Lim.
There are just so many things this wonder gadget can do. All you have to do is pay Dr. Smile a visit to find out.
A LOT TO SMILE ABOUT
There’s definitely a lot to smile about at Dr. Smile Dental Center. Unlike ordinary dental clinics, Dr. Smile Dental Center has the feel of a business hotel. Guests are greeted by its amiable staff and are ushered to the reception area prior to treatment.
The 400-square-meter dental clinic has 15 treatment rooms. Two rooms are specifically used for root canal procedures. The clinic also has a couple of VIP rooms and an operating room equipped with facilities and instruments that are normally found in tertiary levels of health care.
“That’s where we perform dental implants and minor operations,” says Dr. Lim.
Dr. Smile Dental Care Center strictly follows hospital standards. The paint they used for the walls are anti-bacterial. The floors don’t have gaps, which are breeding grounds for bacteria. And just like in ordinary hospitals, the dental experts discuss sensitive cases to tailor-fit treatment and oral care to individual patients. They provide diagnoses and procedures based on the best and most up-to-date computerized equipment.
The treatment rooms are equipped with ergonomically designed, fully computerized dental chairs from Ritter, a German company which has been around for 125 years.
“While I was still studying dentistry at the University of the East, we also used Ritter dental chair, but not as sophisticated as this one,” recalls Dr. Lim.
The chair is controlled by microcomputers. Everything is pre-programmed in the machine. For example, it can adjust the temperature of the water that comes from its mini faucet.
“Patients who have sensitive teeth avoid cold water. With the Ritter chair, we can warm up the water to suit their needs,” enthuses Dr. Smile, who is the dean of the College of Dentistry of National University.
The Ritter chair is also equipped with an intra-oral camera that the dental experts use to take digital impressions of the clients’ teeth and tooth cavity. Prior to treatment, the patient’s dental record will be flashed on the LCD monitor. The dentist will use this info to inform the patient about his dental condition.
“Through the images, we’ll know right away if the patient is sensitive to a particular drug like penicillin or aspirin. All of these warnings will be flashed on the screen to alert us. We update our patient’s record regularly so there will be no room for mistakes,” adds Dr. Lim.
LISTEN TO MUSIC, WATCH A MOVIE
Aside from the flat-screen TV monitors, each room has a Bose docking system where patients can plug their iPods and listen to their favorite music. They can also watch their favorite movies while undergoing treatment.
“When we go to a dental clinic, music is normally played in the background. When you don’t like the sound, you’ll get easily irritated, especially if you’re suffering from a bad toothache. To make your stay pleasurable, we’ll play the music or the video of your choice on your next visit. Just don’t forget to inform our staff about your preference,” Dr. Lim says with a smile.
At Dr. Smile Dental Care Center, nothing is taken for granted. To ensure top quality hygiene and safety, its sterilization room has four high-end autoclaves, two ultraviolet sterilizers, and an ultrasonic sterilizer. It even has a Lubrey machine that lubricates dental tools like drills.
“We want Dr. Smile Dental Care Center to be at par with the best dental clinics around the globe. Our resident dentists are world-class, too. The good news is that in spite of the technology we use, the prices of our treatments are very reasonable,” Dr. Lim notes.
To give you an idea, the oral prophylaxis (cleaning) and tooth filling (pasta) are priced at P800 for each treatment. Just add 20 percent if you want to avail yourself of the dental laser. For tooth cleaning plus fluoride, patients will be charged P1,500 only.
IMPRESSIVE, NOT EXPENSIVE
“There’s no need to haggle because our rates are very affordable. We want to make Dr. Smile affordable for everybody. Dr. Smile Dental Care Center is impressive, but not expensive,” Dr. Lim says.
Filipinos love bargains and Dr. Lim is pretty aware of that. For bargain-hunters, the smile doctor has this piece of advice: “Beware of bargains especially if these are things or procedures that can save your life like parachutes, life vests, fire extinguishers, brain operation, and dental care.”
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Dr. Smile Dental Care Center is at the fourth floor, The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries, call 477-2711 to 13, e-mail inquiry@drsmile.com.ph or visit www.drsmile.com.ph.
