Dentaltown February 2024 - 30

OFFICE VISIT
TOP PRODUCTS
materials that we were exposed to. As a
private practice owner in India, I had
access to all of the technology and
newest materials I did when I started in
dental school in Boston.
One of the main diff erences, though,
DEKA SMART US-20D CO2
LASER
I use the fractional handpiece in
conjunction with sleep appliances for
obstructive sleep apnea patients who
snore. I also use the laser extensively
for frenectomies and other procedures,
such as laser debridement in perio
cases. This laser is also instrumental in
performing QuietNite treatments.
PERIOLASE MVP-7
LASER SYSTEM
Using this for sleep
apnea services and
LANAP procedures
has changed the
course of my practice.
MOUTHWATCH
INTRAORAL
CAMERA
Great for patient
education as well as
documenting cases.
T-SCAN NOVUS
OCCLUSAL
ANALYSIS SYSTEM
Using this for my DTR
patients has helped
me help my TMJ/TMD
patients tremendously.
How did you fi nd your
way into dentistry?
I'm fond of saying that I became
a dentist when I was 8 years old.
Growing up in Mumbai, the summers
were hot. We lived on the fourth fl oor
of an apartment building and there
was a dental offi ce on the fi rst fl oor.
I spent most of my summers in that
offi ce-not so much because I was
interested in dentistry, but for its air
conditioning.
I distinctly remember one day
when I skipped into the offi ce, perky
as could be, and asked, " What are
we doing today, Dr. Iyer? " He turned
to me and asked, " Would you like to
pull a tooth today? " What I had not
seen was my neighbor sitting in his
chair because she had a loose tooth.
Honestly, at that time, even as an
has been the use of auxiliary staff and
team members. It certainly makes for
a much more effi cient practice model
to use the team in more expanded
roles. (Th is is said keeping in mind
that my experience of practicing in
India was 22 years ago. I'm sure things
are much diff erent now.)
8-year-old, I didn't think she needed
the dentist to pull her tooth, but she
was scared and didn't want to be in
any pain. Eyes wide, I nodded. Dr. Iyer
numbed the tooth and allowed me to
" hold " the forceps as he wiggled that
tooth out for her. I was hooked! Even at
that age, I realized that dentistry
could have such a big impact on a person's
life. Years later, I went to the Nair
Hospital Dental College in Mumbai.
I practiced in Mumbai for six years
before I moved to the U.S. when I met
my husband.
What can you tell us
about practicing in two
different countries?
Comparing practice in India and
the U.S., there wasn't as much of a
diff erence with regard to the dental
FEBRUARY 2024 | 30 | DENTALTOWN.COM
Tell us about the accelerated
program you took in Boston.
It was an amazing introduction and
training into dentistry in the United
States. We were exposed to CAD/CAM
and the latest dental materials, as
well as mentorship from some of the
leaders in dentistry. As an experienced
dentist, it allowed me to be
prepared for the licensing exams while
also creating a community of other
international dentists, the D3 and D4
students around me, many of whom
have become lifelong friends.
Th e exposure to various procedures
I had already practiced in India and
the perspective of being able to perform
them on patients here gave me
valuable insight into patient management
and communication as well.
You've now been a practice owner
since 2011. Tell us about your offi ce
and its evolution in that time.
I took over an existing practice from
a retiring dentist. It was a bread-andbutter
practice that had been in the
community for a long time. Transitioning
into the practice was not
without its set of challenges, but it was
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Dentaltown February 2024

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