Dr, Amruta Dash brings out your best smile and teeth.

A good smile is a symbol of the confidence we generate. At least 50% of people lack this confidence due to poor teeth alignment, discoloration or even decay. If these issues affect you, then understand that these are curable. Proper attention and care given at the right time can bring back your wide, confident smile. 

Dr, Amruta Dash focuses on preventive treatments for dental decay and comprehensive dental and periodontal examination to identify and treat your issues at the earliest. To know more about this venture, check out the interview we prepared with Dr, Amruta Dash.

How prevalent and treatable are Dental and other related issues in a tropical country like India, and based on your experience so far? 

The burden of dental issues in a developing country like India is pretty high. Oral disorders like tooth decay are the most prevalent chronic conditions and is as prevalent as a common cold. 85% of the population suffer with tooth decays and 60% of Indian population suffers with periodontal issue. Also India is one of the highest consumers of tobacco products which contributes to a heavy disease burden.

What’re the most common dental issues and solutions you’ve advocated in your career? 

The most prevalent dental issue is tooth decay.8 out of 10 patients above the age of 25 suffer tooth decay. Also I see a lot of youngsters between the age of 18-40 with chronic gum issues called periodontitis. Periodontitis is a condition which causes damage to the gums and causes bone loss resulting in loosening of teeth. Both conditions can be treated completely if caught early. And hence timely visits to the dentist is the key. Malocclusion or badly aligned teeth is also very common these days and we offer advanced orthodontic services like Invisalign, damon braces etc.

At my practise we focus a lot on preventive treatments for dental decay and also focus on comprehensive dental and periodontal examination to identify and treat these issues at the earliest.

What are the most ideal dental hygiene principles that one should follow, and are apt for our readers to understand? 

Brushing twice is one of the basic habits one should inculcate as a part of their basic hygiene maintenance 

Flossing before going to bed

6 months visits to the dentist

How important are food and beverage habits when it comes to dental health? 

Diet plays a major role when it comes to dental health. Studies have shown that decay is more often prevalent in individuals with high carb/sugar intake. Also fibre in the diet acts like a natural abrasive keeping the sugar off the tooth surface thus resulting in less decay. A high sugar/carb diet results in more acid production by the bacteria which break down the tooth enamel resulting in tooth decay. 

Cheese, yogurt, and raw vegetables have anti cariogenic properties which help prevent decay. 

Sticky food like caramels are huge culprits for hidden decays hence its important to brush n floss once sticky and sweet foods are consumed

Describe a day in your life, where you’ve felt as if, a patient had a serious issue and you were successful in turning him or her around.

Seeing a patient walking off with satisfaction and happiness is the ultimate joy for any dentist. I am grateful to my patients who entrust so much trust and faith in me to provide them with long lasting dental solutions for their problems.

Many a times I see many young patients unaware of some serious dental or gum issues that is brewing and are totally blown away when I tell them there is a serious condition that is causing destruction without many signs and symptoms. Treating these patients with laser therapies and turning their gums and bones strong enough to hold their set of dentition for the next few decades is very satisfying. Relieving someone from a bad tooth ache is ultimate gratification. 

Also turning some not so pleasant smiles into pleasing smiles and giving them some confidence is very satisfying to observe as a cosmetic dentist

Tell us how a day in your life looks like? Your schedule for a day right from the time you get up till you hit the bed at night.

Most days of the week I use my 24 hrs very well. But there are a few days of the week where I wish I had more. 

Mornings start with spending some quality time with my toddler and some quick 30 mins work out cos dentists are very prone to back and neck issues. (most common occupational hazard for dentists).

As soon as I head to work, I first have a 15 min team meeting where the schedule for the day and any challenges with patients are discussed with all the specialists.

Most patient appointments last anywhere between 40 mins to 1.5 hrs so we time our patients well so that the dentists and the dental assistants are well rested and get enough time to prep for the next set of patients .

I schedule most surgical implants patients in the mornings which are my most PRODUCTIVE HOURS.

Afternoons we spend most of the time discussing treatment plans for some cases with the help of digital x rays and digital photographs. I have made sure that all the members in the team are trained in dental  macrophotography.

The second half of the day mostly consists of restorative and paediatric cases. We end our day again with team discussions where we plan for the next day as well. Not to forget the coffee breaks I take twice through my day.

Every thing in my practise is highly organised and we make sure we stick to the treatment duration because patients also need to plan their calendars accordingly. 

How hard is it to have a work-life balance as a startup founder and how do you manage it?

I think the term work life balance does not exist in my diary. I am blessed that my passion is my profession so work does not seem like work to me.Striving hard towards providing optimal and advanced treatments to my patients has always been my motto since day 1. But I do love my holidays and travels which I take every 6 months. Its refreshing to come back after a holiday and work on some smile makeovers. I encourage all my staffs to take timely holidays so that no one feels burnt out. I believe that the mind is a very powerful system and if my mind is well rested I perform better and deliver some great smiles. 

Author