NYU Elective Program at The Center for Special Dentistry

My first encounter with The Center for Special Dentistry was in February of 2009 when I interviewed for this elective program. Something fascinating I first noticed was the cleanliness and general organization of Dr. Dorfman’s premium private practice. It has five dental operatories that are well equipped with state of the art equipment including two flat screen monitors and computers which support Dentrix software, intra-oral and extra-oral cameras, modern dental chairs, fiberoptic light illuminated hand-pieces to enhance vision in work-field areas, etc. The software allows dentists to effectively enter and store patients’ information including treatments discussed and provided, digital x-rays, photos, and clinical notes.  Also present are central dental laboratories where impressions are poured up and stored, a central sterilization unit that uses an autoclave machine and a pre-wash machine for used instruments, a dining area, and an audio vision recording system.

The office is also equipped with well trained staff members who work together as a team for the delivery of premium dental health care. Different dental specialists compromising of orthodontists, periodontists, oral surgeons, and endodontists practice here on certain days of the week.  Dr. Dorfman, the Director of the Center for Special Dentistry, mainly focuses on Cosmetic and Reconstructive Dentistry. This becomes necessary when there is need for a multidisciplinary approach in the rendering of health care services to patients who have such needs.

Patients
One interesting aspect I noticed about the practice is that a large portion of the patients have a phobia of dentistry. This may have been due to negative prior dental experiences or a pre-informed notion from individuals who have had poor experiences with their dental care in the past. It becomes necessary for the dental practitioner to accommodate all these challenges for the effective delivery of care.  I highly respect Dr. Dorfman for his flawless choice of words and his ability to condescend to varying personalities of the patients he sees on a daily basis. Simply put, I would refer to him as someone who gives excellent “Verbal Sedation.”

Furthermore, the manner in which new patients are welcomed warmly into the practice is another thing that amazes me. With the aid of a security camera, Dr. Dorfman is able to see every patient who enters the practice from his office. Regardless of what he was doing at the time, he stops his work and enters the waiting area to greet the patient in a friendly manner and may sometimes even make a good joke.  This is actually geared towards creating an enabling environment to receive premium dental care as well as calming the patients since most are phobic.

O.O., NYU College of Dentistry

Categorised in: Dental Student Experiences

This post was written by Dr. Jeffrey Dorfman