At Smile Dental Center, our core values can be summed up in two words: Caring and Expertise. These two qualities encompass not only everything we do, but why we do it. Here’s a deeper look at what we mean.
Caring
Caring means that we don’t just look at each patient’s mouth and teeth, but at the entire body. We can diagnose such conditions as oral cancer, sleep-related disorders, and even diabetes through a caring, compassionate, thorough exam. We take in everything that a patient says and then dig a little deeper. For example, a patient might come in with a headache that he believes is caused by a tooth, but it turns out that the headache is actually due to a stressful incident.
Caring for our patients and getting to know them lets us diagnose the issue and choose the most appropriate, most conservative treatment. Our philosophy is not to over-treat or under-treat, but rather to perform the least invasive work that will give that specific patient optimal oral and bodily health. Each person has her own history, her own risk factors, and her own needs, so the best option for one patient may not be right for the next.
For example, we recently treated someone who was afraid to have implant surgery. After some discussion, it turned out that she was on blood thinners and other medications that would have made implant surgery very dangerous. We explained to her that we could make a set of dentures now, and then reconsider placing implants in the future when her blood levels are healthy enough for surgery.
We also had a child with a large cavity in a baby tooth. However, we noticed that the tooth was loose and would be lost in the next six months. The child was not in pain, and he had a history of blood thinners due to heart issues at the age of two, so we did not recommend extraction. Instead, we suggested eating apples and other hard foods to encourage the tooth to fall out on its own before it could become a problem. Another child the same age might come in with pain in the same tooth and no health issues, in which case we would likely extract the tooth to relieve the pain.
A patient came in with a broken tooth. He needed a crown, but he did not have dental insurance and could not afford to pay for it. Instead, we built the tooth back up with a composite resin and explained that we could place a crown in the future when he gets insurance and is comfortable with the cost. In the meantime, the composite resin will hold the tooth together and we will monitor it at the patient’s regular six month checkups. If the tooth chips and he still cannot afford the crown, we will try to redo the repair at no cost to him.
Another aspect of caring is treating our patients like beloved family members. We help them feel at home with amenities such as TVs, pillows, blankets, and music. We also refer out any procedures we are not 100% comfortable performing to a trusted specialist. It is very important to us that our patients feel safe and protected.
Expertise
Our expertise includes not only a detailed knowledge of the mouth and the body, but also our use of the most technologically advanced equipment that dentistry has to offer. For example, we provide 3-D x-rays that see things regular x-rays miss. A patient came in a few weeks ago, explaining that she had pain in the upper right side of her jaw. She had seen three different ear doctors and multiple dentists, and no one could diagnose the problem. With a 3-D x-ray, we were able to see a crack in her upper right tooth that did not show up on regular x-rays. This was the source of her ear and tooth pain.
In addition, we have the 3-D CAD/CAM technology to provide crowns in just one visit. We merge our knowledge and skills with the tools that are available to us to provide each patient with the expertise needed to diagnose and treat even stubborn, complex, or mystifying issues.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are looking for a compassionate, family-oriented dentist in Shelton, CT, contact Smile Dental Center today at (203) 712-7726 to schedule your first appointment.