Dentistry can be confusing and overwhelming for patients who are dealing with pain or anxiety about procedures—even regular cleanings, if they haven’t been that regular.
As part of a field in the medical industry that is commonly misunderstood, the best thing dental professionals can do is help our patients maintain excellent oral health while remaining relaxed and confident in the longevity and effectiveness of quality care that we work hard to provide.
Embracing transparency with new technologies, clarifying concerns for customers, and providing an extra touch of comfort has grown our practice at Brio Dental into a thriving community invested in the wealth of holistic health.
More Bang For Your Brush
There’s no need to squeeze a million patients into your already busy schedule, especially when that stress from feeling rushed can be exchanged in shared spaces, including with your associates and by the patient in the chair.
Investing in creating an inviting, anxiety-reducing environment, scheduling enough time, and having a passionate staff will allow your patients to feel more at ease while you do your job.
Making the time to transparently, clearly, and visually explain treatments and the need for procedures at Brio Dental, we focus on giving the patients time to ask questions, thoroughly considering their overall health and lifestyle habits as guidance for crafting their best solution.
Utilizing my certification in holistic health and lifestyle coaching, along with the knowledge acquired from years of studying how to holistically and naturally manage my autoimmune illness, I have developed a particular fascination with how the mouth’s health can reflect the comprehensive bodily system.
We check each patient for any dietary oversights, the repercussions of autoimmune diseases in the oral environment, systemic inflammation and its underlying causes, and signs of stomach malfunction while providing guidance on healthy habit formation to add more “happy” to our patients’ lives by determining what we can do differently to improve and elevate their lifestyle.
Without compromising effectiveness, we also provide natural treatments backed by science to give patients options that might not be afforded at other clinics or practices. For example, Brio is a metal-free clinic. We don’t place any mercury fillings, and we safely excavate them during their replacement. We also don’t use crowns with any metallic components. We use metal-free, thermoplastic polymer partial dentures and all-zirconium implants as well.
Although there might be more cost-effective methods for the clinic, the adoption of new findings and research gives patients the option to collaborate on deciding the best, healthiest, and longest-lasting solutions for their oral health.
Patient Priority Floss-ophy
Other adjustments we’ve made regarding personalized treatment for improved patient-centered service include little pampering practices to reduce patient anxiety and add an extra element of comfort.
When new customers come in, we like to introduce alternatives to traditional oral care while they are in the chair at Brio! They include oil pulling instead of common over-the-counter mouthwashes to improve gum health, resolve dry mouth symptoms, and whiten teeth without harsh chemicals.
We also provide a complimentary, educational massage for facial musculature and the temporomandibular Joint (TMJ), using our favorite CBD ointment from Blue Sky Oregon CBD with arnica to reduce pain and inflammation, which works wonders during lengthy procedures as well as an at-home, natural remedy for myofascial pain due to bruxism.
We advocate natural products and solutions, fully backed by science and research, that are just as effective as mainstream brands while minimizing toxicity and long-term side effects.
Furthermore, we carefully remove mercury fillings and reduce the vapor release for more direct restorations, highlighting the latest research that prefers zirconium and ceramic implants, which have shown better body compatibility, and polymer-based dentures that have some flexibility and usually have a more comfortable fit.
Prioritizing holistic patient care by investing in the latest technology elevates the practice as a whole, such as with our ozonator unit. By ozonating water, we combine an oxygen molecule (O2) with singlet oxygen (O1), forming ozone (O3).
Ozone is a powerful oxidant that reacts and destroys pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses that do not have anti-oxidative enzymes in their cell membranes, unlike our own healthy cells. The best part of this updated and effective technique is the water and oxygen-based byproducts that are entirely safe for your body.
Getting to the Root of the Situation
After graduating in 2017 from dental school and building experience working in seven different clinic environments during a span of two years, I found that I was disappointed working in spaces that supported practices that lacked patient understanding. Experiencing the full range of dental clinics and comparing practices led me to be a better dentist and recognize a void in the industry for holistic approaches, which I began with Brio.
On a more personal level, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness in 2013, immediately after my acceptance to dental school. I experienced such debilitating side effects from medications meant to manage my condition that staying focused on my studies in dental school became the biggest mountain to climb in my life.
Knowing I didn’t want to live a life constantly putting patches on symptoms rather than addressing the root cause, I thoroughly studied, researched, and trial-and-errored holistic healing methods, including adjusting my diet and lifestyle habits.
This has allowed me to live without medication and achieve remission for more than two years now, despite doctors and specialists rebuking me in my journey, reiterating their dissent of holistic methods to manage and alleviate my symptoms.
In my strong opinion, dentistry needs to challenge its traditional approach to treatment and patient care in the same way. Exploring and being open to new scientifically backed and holistic routes has shown me that success could come more authentically when patients are treated and seen as a whole instead of just a mouth.
Back to Business
Understanding that dentistry is an intricate practice custom to every dentist’s personal treatment philosophy, I encourage all practitioners to be open to and reconsider their methods and recognize that there are more options available to provide solutions for patients.
Truly putting the patient’s care and comfort first has brought in more word-of-mouth referrals than deemed imaginable, keeps clients coming back, and gives us all the time to listen to concerns and provide the best care possible.
As crucial as profit is for businesses to stay afloat, Brio Dental is proof that prioritizing whole patient care will positively benefit everyone involved.
Dr. Jahan has a bachelor’s degree in public health with a minor in Spanish from Penn State University and holds a DMD from Oregon Health & Science University. She also recently completed Botox administration and dermal filler implantation certifications to better serve her patients. She is a certified holistic health and lifestyle coach as well, helping her clients achieve their healthy mind and body goals, leading to happier and healthier lives.
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