Los Gatos Dental Blog
Practicing Evidence Based Dentistry
Filed under News by LosGatosDental on 02-10-2008
|
We created this blog to stay in touch with you and to provide information about the different activities and seminars that we attend to stay current with the latest dental news that lead us to provide you with evidence based dentistry.
We are also going to implement courses in advanced implant dentistry as well as flapless dental implants, wireless braces and other topics that will be announced here. All the details and information about these one-day seminars will be posted soon. We welcome your comments, so please let us know your opinion.
|
Filed under Uncategorized by LosGatosDental on 13-08-2011
First of all, thank you to all the participants of our 3rd Annual Los Gatos Dental Meeting: Wireless Orthodontics, Flapless Dental Implants” this past July 31st. You keep us motivated to bring new information every year. Also a big thank you to our international speakers Dr. Amer from Dubai and Dr. Thamby from Sydney; and from the bay Area Dr. Wu and Jerry.
What was new this year??? Well, just the following:
- First time using digital scans for invisalign instead of regular impressions.
- First time using zirconia implants for more aesthetic results.
We hope to see you back here in town next year. Send us an email to keep you posted of the date and topic for next year meeting.
Filed under News by LosGatosDental on 20-07-2011
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently discovered stem cells in teeth – the adult stem cells that naturally repair your body. Scientists are today directing stem cells, so they grow into almost any type of human cells, including heart, brain, nerve, cartilage, bone and liver cells. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding this topic when you come for your dental exams.
For more information visit: stemsave.com
Filed under News by LosGatosDental on 14-03-2011
 Being a dentist in California seems to be a dream for many of the dentists I met during my two-week trip to the Middle East this last month. I was invited to speak about new techniques and procedures in dentistry as well as about dentistry in the U.S. for foreign graduates in four different locations: Dubai, Damascus, Cairo and Alexandria.The first stop was at Dubai (city of life),a mix of financial hub like Hong Kong with a sense of Las Vegas, always looking for new projects to be launched. With the spirit of capitalism, east and west cultures mix together without diluting each other; it is common to see veiled women concealing the latest European fashions. There, I visited a private college affiliated with Malmo University (Sweden) which is offering a3-year post graduate program in orthodontics with a master degree. The faculty is multi-cultural, the dean isan American orthodontist, the program director is a British orthodontist and the staffs are from varying countries. My presentation was about wireless orthodontics to prepare sites for dental implants which generated great interest among the 27 orthodontic residents and staff. |
 My second stop was at Damascus, a city that claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited place in the world where you can see churches and mosques next to each other, even closer than you may think (for example St. John the Baptist’s head is believed to be buried inside the Omayyad mosque’s sanctuary). A little more than 100 miles away from Damascus are the incomparable ruins of Palmyra (city of palms); a 100 acre site with more than 300 standing columns dated back to the II century, when a vital link between China and the Mediterranean occurred, known as the Silk Road. Something unique about this location is that until today, there is no modern building in the area. 200 miles away from Damascus there is a lonely crusader outpost known as “Krak des Chevaliers” which Lawrence of Arabia described as “the finest castle in the world” sitting on the top of a hill like a battleship, it is indeed one of the best preserved medieval castles of all times. In the capital Damascus, I attended the2ndSyrian–British Dental Congress, where 40 lecturers came from the U.K., Syria and other Middle Eastern countries. I was the only lecturer representing the U.S. which surprised me since it was a well-organized meeting with excellent scientific and social programs. Besides that, the country is well developed, educated, and the American dollar has a good purchasing power over there (1US$ =42 Syrian lira), excellent for shopping and to enjoy the local food, similar to the Lebanese cuisine. |
 |
My third stop was at Cairo, a lovely city that never sleeps. With unique atmosphere, the capital of Egypt is considered the most crowded city in the African continent. Nevertheless, on my way to present my next lecture about dentistry in the U.S. at October 6thUniversity (one of the first private university in Egypt) I could see the Great Pyramid of Giza, which used to be the tallest building in the world for over 3500 years until the Eiffel Tower claimed that title in 1889. What an amazing view to start my day with! |
 My fourth and last stop was at Alexandria (city of memory and site of the “Great Library”). There I attended the 17th Alexandria International Dental Congress, one of the biggest dental meetings in the Middle East hosted by the historic Alexandria University which slogan is “knowledge starts here”. On that meeting, since I am one of the university’s alumni, they kept me really busy, first with a presentation about dental implants complications; and then with a half-day course about the advantages and disadvantages of being a foreign dentist in America and also about the changes in the last decade that affected the practicing of dentistry in the world. That topic attracted so many attendees that turned to be the largest course of the whole congress. Most attendees were either dental students or new graduates eager to continue their career abroad and looking for information and most importantly, a piece of advice.
In summary the trip was very fulfilling; all the four cities involved in this journey made me feel like traveling back in time and offered me a common thing: history with hospitality. I met new dentists from allover the world and had pretty surprising observations: 1) Most of the knowledge and technology we have they are aware of, the difference is that they may not use them as often as we do; 2) The fact that I am a dentist practicing in California was a key point to attract the attention of attendees and create huge interest in learning about how to study and get licensed; and 3) Most people speak advanced English.Now, the final message I would like to pass to my colleagues of the Santa Clara County Dental Society, both experienced and new dentists, is a reminder not to take our career for granted, even though sometimes we may complain about the economy and have problems, we still are very fortunate. Usually we do not know the real value of what we have in our lives until we travel abroad and realize that being a dentist in California may be the long life dream for somebody else in the world, as one of the dentists I met said to me “lucky to be a dentist in California”.Happy new year for all of you! |
Filed under News by LosGatosDental on 02-03-2011
   |
Know the top 10 advantages and disadvantages and also, the most common reasons why dentists choose to have a second office. This article was published by the Santa Clara Dental Society.
Dear colleagues,
As a general dentist who has two dental offices for the past 5 years, I often have my fellow dentists question me about how things are going with them. Though, when Dr. Bexter Yang, the Editor, asked me to share my experience with all further members of the Dental Society, I thought that was really an excellent idea.
So, to begin with dentists should answer three simple questions before opening a second office:
1st: What is the goal of having a second office?
2nd: Can this goal be achieved with the primary office alone or not?
3rd: What would be your exit strategy?
In other words, you have to deeply evaluate your primary office before taking that next step.
Here are some reasons why dentists like to open a second office:
- To increase income or decrease overhead. A double sword can work both ways.
- To be close to home (less commute). Or, eventually, the new location of the second office is at an area where the dentist would like to have his/her residential address in the future.
- As an investment strategy, especially when the real estate is involved. Eventually, a good sale opportunity may come into the market with a price you cannot resist (Is that the definition of bargain?).
- As a hedge strategy, especially when the first office lease expires shortly or the dentist thinks about relocating in the future.
- When friends or family members (also dentists) would like to partner on a second office.
- Some dentists like the idea of multi-practices and prefer to test that concept initially with a second office and then, with further offices.
- When both, funds and time are available and one has passion about practicing more dentistry.
- For the satisfaction and experience of the dentist.
|
Top 10 advantages:
- Reduced overhead. Especially, when your practice has extra equipment or staff that needs to be utilized somehow.
- Reduced investment. Sometimes the cost of buying a second office with patients is less than the cost of expanding or renovating the first one.
- Good marketing tool. The second office can help the image of the first one since it promotes that the dentist is successful and very well established in the community.
- Time optimization. Time goes fast when dentist works at two different locations.
- Gain of space. In cases when space is limited to expand at your first location.
- Easier management strategy. If you are successful at your first location it is easier to replicate same same success with same standards, which translates in less cost and time.
- Increased poll of patients. This gives dentists the ability to offer more specialized services; like as dental implants, wireless orthodontics, etc.
- Positive results. Those always come when the new second office is located at an under served area.
- Two locations give more support for patients and staff in case that any emergency happens with one of the facilities.
- Possible tax and investment advantages (please consult financial advisor and/or CPA).
Top 10 Disadvantages:
- Increased overhead. That may happen when certain precautions are not taken.
- More time for work (especially more paper work), less time for family.
- Physical and mental consumption. That may happen if dentist commutes and/or deals with two completely different dental teams.
- Possibility of not immediate attention for all patients. Certain dental services need immediate attention, such as root canal, trauma, regular emergency, oral surgery, etc. For instance, a second office may work well for orthodontists, since a few emergencies are expected, but not for oral surgeons, where more attention at post-ops is needed, unless both offices are close to each other.
- The first office may negatively be affected by the second one, since less time will be allocated to it. A good solution for this problem is to hire associates.
- Negative image may go towards the dentist if she/he gives more attention into the business expansion than into the quality of dental care provided.
- Difficulty in getting financing for a second office. Most financial companies like dentists who dedicates to only one office.
- The need to hire an associate dentist.
- Resistance of the second office team to get adapted to the new owner’s philosophy.
- In some cases, selling one of the offices may negatively affect the other one, especially if both offices are close to each other.
In Conclusion:
A second office does require time and money to invest. Dentists should primarily focus on succeeding with their first offices. Then, afterward, they should evaluate the answers they get from those three questions in the beginning of this article before making any decision about opening a second office.
I personally recommend colleagues to always hiring an experienced dentist or a professional consultant in an hourly-basis to help them out with that evaluation of their first dental offices so they get properly advised about the feasibility of a second one. So, if you are now thinking about taking that next step, just make sure that the evaluator you hire does not have any conflict of interest (like as sale of products and/or dental offices).
Filed under Uncategorized by LosGatosDental on 23-11-2010
 Los Gatos Dental Center
…We want to thank you for allowing us to take care of your oral health and for your continued trust on the services we provide to you. After all, it is all about making you smile more, showing off your grin and munching that bird.
We are thinking of you at Thanksgiving and wishing you all the blessings that this season has to offer.
Have a great one!!
Filed under News by LosGatosDental on 29-06-2010
 |
If you would like to learn more about invisalign or dental implants, take a look at our channel on youtube: losgatosdental.
Some how-to videos, interviews and before & after cases that might be of your interest. We put some effort on producing them as part of our patient education program. Hope you like it!
http://www.youtube.com/user/losgatosdental |
Filed under News, Seminars by LosGatosDental on 02-06-2010
Filed under Seminars by LosGatosDental on 06-03-2010
 Vasona Park by Carmen Iriarte
“Dental Implant Complications: Prevention and Management”
Presented by an Oral Surgeon, a Periodontist, a Prosthodontist
and a General Practitioner.
PROGRAM CONTENT
Clinicians have questions about complications related to dental implant procedures. What are the most frequent complications, how can they be avoided, and if they happen, how to deal with them? We have put together a full day course for the Bay Area that compiles some of the most common and rare complication cases.
This program has been designed for fellow practitioners who either have or have not started doing dental implants with focus on concerns such as negative results with different implant systems, clinical complications and frustrations, risk factors, and many others. This course will also provide the opportunity to meet other professionals and discuss different cases treated at your practice.
Come join us for this open and productive discussion in Los Gatos!
(This course is entirely educational)
TOPICS:
Definition and categorization of dental implant complications
Case reports of implant complications
Diagnosis and treatment of complications during and post implant treatment
Management of complications in bone grafting
Soft tissue complications
Screw and prosthetic problems
OBJECTIVES:
1. Learn how to make better decisions related to patient selection and treatment planning.
2. Learn how to avoid complications.
3. Learn how to deal with complications when they arise.
4. Learn how to reduce your failure rate by at least 1%!!!
SPEAKERS:
KASEY LI, DDS, MD, FACS; Doctoral degrees in the medical and dental sciences at Harvard Medical School and UCLA Dental School, respectively. Diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as well as American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Attending Surgeon at Stanford University Medical Center. Private Practice, Palo Alto, CA.
MOHAMED MAKSOUD, DMD; Periodontist, Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/ Implant Dentistry, Assistant Professor of the School of Dental Medicine at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts.
AHMED A. MONEIM, DDS; General Practitioner, Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/ Implant Dentistry, Highland Hospital Affiliation, Private Practice, Los Gatos, CA.
DIRCILENE SOUZA, DDS, MS, PhD; Prosthodontist, Dental Researcher, Los Gatos, CA.
Guest Speakers: Elisa Oderich, DDS, MS and Luis Boff, DDS, MS; Prosthodontists, Doctorate Students at Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil and Associate Researchers at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.
Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
TOLL HOUSE HOTEL
140 South Santa Cruz Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95030
9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Lunch included
REGISTER @ 408.354.7333. Seminar Cost: $285 USD
Filed under News by LosGatosDental on 19-12-2009
Filed under News by LosGatosDental on 01-10-2009
Time flies! On Sept. 29, 2001 Dr. Moneim was first certified on invisalign. One of the first group of general practitioners to be certified with this technology. Since then, we’ve been devoted to provide straight smiles, fix bites and make some of our patients smile more.
Some of the smiles we have improved with invisalign:
|
|
