One of the most common questions patients ask is how long it will take to get a perfect smile...
"Orthodontic treatment requires more patience on the part of the patient than improving their smile with prosthetic work. Teeth need to be given time to assume their target position, but as they say, patience brings the roses. In approximately 1.5 years in most cases, active treatment is over and patients leave with a perfect smile. Satisfied that they have committed to treatment. I really love my job for that."
Setting up your own clinic is definitely not an easy thing. How did you start and what obstacles did you have to overcome?
"Beginnings are never completely easy, but it depends on who you work with. I started in a small practice in Prague - Vokovice with the managerial help of my brother Pavel, who is quite experienced in business and steered the practice in the right direction from the beginning. She was therefore able to grow and I was able to concentrate fully on patient care and learning in the field. This rare symbiosis has worked well for us, and we continue to operate as a family business to this day. I appreciate that Perfect Smile Clinic has a good reputation and the entire team is committed to continuing its efforts. There are many obstacles on every path. That's how it is in life. Obstacles are meant to be overcome, and that's how we can continuously improve our services."
You have experience with orthodontic practice from abroad. Could you compare the levels of care at home and abroad?
"The level of Czech orthodontics is basically at a very high level. Unlike in many foreign countries, Czech orthodontists have to undergo rigorous professional training culminating in a specialisation certification examination. First, each of us has to graduate in dentistry and then complete a postgraduate three-year course in orthodontics. Most orthodontists effectively use this foundation to further their development and education in the field, and as a result, Czech orthodontics has a high level in the world. Foreign clientele are keen to take advantage of the high level of Czech medical services, especially in the areas of supra-standard care and aesthetic medicine.
Do we have any reserves in the industry compared to abroad?
"I don't think so. Suppliers do not limit our access to the latest technologies. Patients have access to new developments in aesthetic fields. Healthcare facilities can be certified according to internationally recognised standards. As I have already mentioned, the training of our doctors has a very good foundation. It is then up to each of us to further expand our horizons, what materials we work with and our overall philosophy of patient care. Patients today choose their healthcare carefully according to these criteria, especially the above-standard care."
The clinic offers treatment with many types of braces. Would you say which are your favourites?
I recommend treatment to each patient individually depending on the complexity of their problem, taking into account their age, social status and their expectations. This is particularly why we have a fairly extensive range of braces. I wouldn't presume to say that one brace outperforms another. It's a bit of a sales gimmick to sell the most expensive one, it's just not very much in the realm of medical ethics. A quality doctor recommends a treatment to his patients that specifically works for them and will not be a source of complications in the patient's life during the course of that treatment."
Your patients include adults, teenagers and children. What is typical for them?
"Every age has its own specifics. And most importantly, each person is a personality in itself. Young children are cute when they are figuring out what color and picture their removable braces will be.Patients in their teens who already need to wear fixed braces don't have as much enthusiasm in them at first, and sometimes I think they don't really appreciate the investment from their parents. But after a while, they also appreciate how nicely their teeth straighten. Adult patients, most of whom I care for, take orthodontic treatment as a well-considered investment in the aesthetics of their smile, face and health. They usually have a good understanding of the importance of their cooperation in terms of careful handling of braces, regular cleaning of teeth with braces and attending check-ups. Fortunately, it is very rare that I meet someone who thinks that something as expensive as braces has to take care of itself and I just have to save it all."
While a physician shouldn't have to relive the stories of his or her patients, have you encountered a case in the course of your career that deeply affected you?
"Across the medical disciplines during my general medicine training, I was often reminded of the adage that medicine is simply the funny science of sad things. I treat conversations with my patients as an intimate affair. At the very least, I don't forget what they tell me and, when appropriate, I talk to them the very next time I check in. However, within orthodontic diagnoses, I rarely encounter cases that affect me appreciably. After all, this field is very aesthetic in nature and patients are healthy in most cases. However, I work with people, and often have a nice relationship with patients, and we manage to have a short chat during our visit to the clinic.
What do you enjoy most about your work, what energizes you?
"What pleases me the most is when patients happily tell me during their check-ups that their teeth are straightening nicely and that they didn't expect it so quickly. Or when they quite openly praise our service and don't have to do it at all. I also greatly appreciate the collaborative colleagues in dentistry who occasionally call me and compliment the outcome of a patient they have selflessly sent to us for treatment. This really gives me a lot of energy and my profession has become a great hobby because of it."
Slightly lighter question at the end: do you observe professional deformity on yourself?
Do you look at people's teeth when you meet them and wonder what type of braces you would recommend?
"Yes, I observe it on myself. I don't think about what type of braces I would use, but rather plan the appropriate treatment in my head :-)."
