Editor’s note: This is the third in a new promoted series called CultureMap Rx, in which you can get to know Dallas’ top healthcare experts. Next up: Dr. Andy Chang from Elite Dental Associates in Uptown.
Q: With a new patient, what’s most important?
A: First and foremost, establishing a trusting relationship. We understand that most people don’t necessarily love going to the dentist, and I want to make sure that it’s a comfortable and pleasant experience for them. Trust from a patient makes the necessary dental work a more pleasant experience overall.
Q: What sets you apart from other dentists in the city?
A: In addition to the general dental studies, I went through extensive training to become a prosthodontist, which means that I specialized in the more extensive case of aesthetic restoration and replacement of teeth. This ranges from general dentistry to specialty dental work such as dental implants and full mouth reconstructions.
Q: Besides brushing and flossing, what else can we do daily to take better care of our pearly whites?
A: See your dentist twice a year for cleaning, exams, and X-rays. Many people are afraid of the cost of going to the dentist, not realizing that if you make sure that you are going in for preventative maintenance, you can actually save a lot of cost and time in the dental chair long term.
Q: What has been your most memorable patient experience?
A: I had a patient who was actually part of a charitable donation. She had teeth that were literally decaying out of her mouth — she had been hospitalized before for teeth infections — but she just couldn’t afford a dentist. We ended up removing all of her teeth and replacing them with dentures.
Later, the patient told us that her doctor no longer had her on heart medication, which is pretty amazing. And after getting her brand-new beautiful smile, she went back to work and became financially stable. She told us that her smile really did change her life!
Q: What made you become a dentist?
A: As a young boy, I really looked up to both my dentist and orthodontist. I also always loved the aspect of a challenge, which is one of the reasons I decided to specialize in the dental field of prosthodontics and truly have the ability to create beautiful smiles.
