I decided to write this as a separate post so that those that may not have seen my previous post will be able to catch up. The first paragraph was written about me but they kept my name confidential. It wasn’t soon after that I had received the invite to be interviewed at a later date. Please enjoy! And thank you to Jacqui for giving me permission to post this.

A First Impression of Freedom

“This patient hadn’t seen a dentist for 25 years. She knew she had a problem. Her teeth were horribly discoloured. She was so nervous and stood at my door and would only allow me to go about five feet near her.”

It took one year. It also took a “saint of a man”, Dr. Nirav Vidyarthi, to change this patient’s life. The award-winning Mumbai Graduate of Dentistry who completed a Masters in Maxillio Facial Prosthodontistry and became one of the pioneers of implants in India (through the first clinical study that brought phenomenal results in fixed prosthesis) gave this patient a sense of hope she’d been denied for decades all because he sat and listened to her story. Her confidence grew and then Dr. Vidyarthi built her a set of pearly whites that restored her life. The former owner of two private practices says, “her beautiful smile gives me the greatest of pleasure.” However, in his humble demeanour there’s a depth to these words on cannot comprehend. The dentist of 23 years did more than create a smile.

Dr. Vidyarthi’s admirable disposition is the essence of how business is done at The Dentists on Mulgrave Road. It’s engrained in the centre’s culture. “It begins with my reception staff”, says Practicing Manager, Stephanie Jackson, who does floss each morning. “They know how to interact with patients. They even get a sense of how a patient feels over the phone and know what dentist to put them with so each visit is comfortable and productive”. Stephanies philosophy is familiar but from a bygone era. “We focus on keeping work personalised so we won’t text, email or send a letter but call to remind you of your next appointment. We believe in the importance of people. It’s a simple as that”. But the big bit of difference doesn’t stop there. “Our dentists, three Japanese staff and front desk all function like a family. It’s a beautiful group to work with and I’m absolutely blessed”. And, so are the patients, whether their needs are general, cosmetic, orthodontic or require implant dentistry.

The world of implants (surgical and restorative) is fairly new at The Dentists but has significantly gained popularity in Australia over recent years. “People are becoming aware of the treatments and options instead of wearing dentures for years, not being able to eat anything, having dependence on glues, suffering and enduring a lack of confidence”, says Dr. Vidyarthi. In the US, where the 46-year old was awarded a Fellowship of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and the only Australian bestowed the honour by the peak body says “it’s a three billion dollar industry in the States”. The cost of implant work however is being addressed “to allow the common mand to take advantage of it”. The technology has also developed “leaps and bounds’, he says. “Fixtures 20 years ago have been replaced by biomechanical designs and computer-guided surgery procedures provide faster, simpler, unsurpassed quality and predictable results. This means in three hours you can walk out with teeth on the same day as your surgery”. And, with teeth we smile more. “It’s a know fact that a frist impression” and lasting ” is the smile of a person”, assures Dr. Vidyarthi who has every reason to share his; completely free of cavities.

Reprinted with Permission from Cairns Life Magazine – May 2013