Dr Safa Al-Naher discusses the rising reputation of dental spas and why she believes a holistic method to dental care is crucial for affected person expertise.
The idea of the dental spa was born out of a necessity to vary the general public’s notion of the dental occupation for the higher.
Historically, a dental observe was thought-about a stark, sterile and unfriendly place.
Usually utilitarian in design, it was heavy on perform however scant on aesthetics, with the décor extra akin to that of an underfunded NHS hospital than a thriving personal enterprise.
However dentistry has moved on. Within the early 2000s, dental spas emerged to supply a unique expertise, with entrepreneurs cherry-picking components of the wellbeing trade to supply a extra welcoming and stress-free setting for sufferers.
The companies and facilities they included from this enterprise mannequin assorted.
Nevertheless, they shared the identical intention – to create a much less hostile dental surroundings.
Holistic dental care
However within the present local weather, the place observe house owners are using the waves of economic turmoil, simply how vital is it to channel time, cash and power into creating the most effective patient-friendly enterprise?
Do sufferers actually should be that indulged to search out their ‘completely happy place’ the place they’re snug sufficient to belief their clinician and purchase their companies?
For Dr Safa Al-Naher, director and principal dentist of Serene by Safa, a dental and facial aesthetics clinic in London’s Knightsbridge, creating the last word consolation zone for her sufferers is every little thing.
Opening her observe mid pandemic, this can be a flagship for genuine holistic care which, by definition, ought to embrace a ‘mutual understanding of sufferers’ bodily, psychological, emotional and non secular dimensions’.
Certainly, it’s what may be achieved for individuals past bodily enhancement that drives Safa.
With the psychological advantages of smile makeovers and aesthetic procedures nicely documented, she’s as centered on her sufferers’ emotional and non secular wellness as she is on the therapy outcomes.
For Safa, holistic care isn’t complementary to dentistry – it’s integral to her relationship with sufferers all through their journey.
‘We have now an obligation as clinicians to supply holistic care.
‘I don’t see it as a luxurious or something further.
‘Fairly often, sufferers don’t find out about all their choices. We must always give them as many alternative and related selections as potential whereas being cautious to not overwhelm and/or prejudge’, she says.
Her imaginative and prescient for Serene was to create an area with a zen-like really feel so individuals might get pleasure from receiving therapies.
The main target was to evolve the medical expertise right into a haven of psychological and bodily calm.
A spot of leisure
Success isn’t simply measured by medical outcomes – nurturing the most effective in-chair connection is a large influencing issue.
And this begins from the second they stroll by the door.
Safa explains: ‘Serene invokes optimistic emotions for many who go to.
‘The overall atmosphere is, in fact, serene, so we have now calming scents that take individuals again to essentially the most stress-free locations they’ve skilled. This particularly has an anchor for many who is likely to be nervous.
‘The music is stress-free and there’s a TV display that shares data silently to keep away from intrusion.
‘We have now books about well being and wellbeing, style and way of life.
‘The ready room is cavernous with excessive ceilings and a nature-inspired palette of inexperienced and neutrals to create a naturally tranquil area.
‘Pleasing to the attention, it’s a optimistic begin to any affected person journey.’
Entrance-of-house workers additionally assist to raise the expertise with a pleasant and accommodating method.
They do that by greeting sufferers by title and welcoming them with a selection of drinks, heat or cool towels infused with important oils, heated lavender luggage and evenly fragranced hand sanitiser.
The eye to element is infinite – and that is all earlier than coming into the surgical procedure, the place the magic continues.
‘Each addition has been fastidiously thought by to assist floor sufferers and produce them again to themselves.
‘Usually, they are saying they’re instantly calmed as they step into the clinic and away from the hustle and bustle of busy Knightsbridge,’ Safa says.
She is vastly grateful to her group of fastidiously chosen clinicians who ‘are wonderful of their capability to calm sufferers. ‘And it’s throughout the surgical procedure that the dental spa expertise reaches its pinnacle.’
Redefining the dentist-patient dynamic
Key to her relationships with sufferers is a kindness-centred medical method that’s worlds aside from the standard dentist-patient dynamic.
Her group books appointments for, ‘so long as we have to, after which a bit of further’, with the real looking understanding that dentists can’t all the time keep away from working late, significantly as a result of sufferers deserve the clinician’s full focus.
Safa notes: ‘If you happen to’re simply chasing the clock, then you definately’re not offering your finest care.
‘Belief lies on the coronary heart of Serene. Sufferers must know the clinician isn’t solely going to behave in their very own finest curiosity.
‘The essence of success is to garner affected person confidence. Displaying you care about how they really feel in that second helps to enhance this.
‘It takes thought, consideration to element and workers coaching to attain this.
‘I see it as a means of getting the affected person in the most effective state potential in order that they don’t have anything clouding their judgement after they make choices about their well being – and earlier than parting with cash.
‘It’s very important we develop this belief. It’s one of many important causes I wished to have a dental spa observe.’
Going past fixing tooth
She additionally utilises her father’s idea of acutely aware sedation within the type of the gratifying dentistry approach to boost the bar for sufferers who’re significantly nervous.
It combines nitrous oxide and oxygen sedation (titrated exactly to want) with leisure and guided imagery to make sure sufferers really feel most relaxed.
The approach is designed to softly usher sufferers into a pleasing reverie-like state. That is in order that they’re extra receptive to receiving the therapy that follows.
Her total group is at present within the technique of qualifying in its supply.
Safa says beauty dentistry is now about enhancing somebody’s life fairly than simply fixing smiles.
With the dental group’s supportive method being a key think about how individuals really feel about themselves and the entire expertise.
Sufferers deserve the most effective
And he or she believes sufferers deserve the most effective groups can ship.
‘Operate, kind and well being are in fact extraordinarily vital and the foundations for every little thing we do, however we are able to do way more now.
‘We aren’t simply firefighting; we’re enhancing with beauty dentistry, implant dentistry and facial aesthetics.
‘All of this permits any person to really feel extra assured. So why not develop the entire expertise to be a pleasing one?
‘People who find themselves completely happy and assured are nicer to others and themselves, and their alternatives are way more plentiful.
‘By giving them a terrific expertise, we may help them to get pleasure from their life journey.’
A lot of personal dentistry is now snug within the well being and wellness sector.
With an growing variety of practices recreating a spa ambiance of their ready areas and the companies they provide earlier than the appointment begins, genuine holistic dental care means clinically delivering on what’s promised.
A relaxed affected person is a contented and compliant affected person.
For Safa, something lower than that’s simply lip service.
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