13 Jul 2020

How to become a successful implantologist in Dubai

Interview with Dr Deborah Rello, implantologist and cosmetic dentist at the Dental Studio Dubai
How to become a  successful implantologist in Dubai

By Petar Mollov CAPPmea / Dental Tribune MEA

DTMEA: Greetings Dr. Deborah, it is a pleasure for us to feature an experienced dentist such as yourself in the Dental Tribune Middle East and Africa edition. First of all, could you share a short introduction about yourself, what is your educational background and work experience, especially related to the UAE?
The pleasure is entirely mine, it is an honour for me to feature in your print and digital media publication. Let me tell you a little about myself. I completed my bachelor’s degree in dentistry at the International University of Catalonia (Barcelona, Spain) in 2003, and my postgraduate degree in implantology in 2006. I have always been very passionate about dental surgery, mainly implantology, a field in which I have been practising for over 12 years. Yet, us dentists are aware that our patients do not want implants but beautiful smiles, hence I decided to embark on further training to combine surgery with cosmetics, completing my diploma in dental cosmetics in Barcelona in 2014.

During my career, I worked for over seven years between Spain and the UK focusing on dental cosmetics and implantology. In 2015, I made the decision to move to Dubai and have since built a strong relationship with my patients, prioritising their care and interest.

You have graduated from the Clinical Implantology Dentistry Certificate and Diploma programme provided by the CAPP-Tipton Dental Academy, British Academy of Dental Implantology (BADI) and the British Academy of Restorative Dentistry (BARD) in 2019 in Dubai, UAE. What was your experience throughout the programme and what did it consist of?
When I arrived to the UAE in 2015, my main objective was to be able to practice my speciality of implantology following the DHA rules and regulations. I not only wished to attain the UAE privilege required to practice as an implantologist, but also to refresh my knowledge with the newest techniques in this field. Having worked with part of the team previously back in Europe, it was an absolute privilege to follow a series of modules which consisted of live surgical patient treatment hands-on trainings, live surgery demonstrations, lectures, and seminars.

With this program, I was given the opportunity to work on my own private patients as well as patients in need from the University of Ajman. All delegates were provided with adequate diagnostic tools to predict the treatments success under the close advice of the team. In my opinion, it was an honour to share this experience with talented and highly qualified professionals such as Prof Goran Urde and Dr Ninnette Banday. They not only guided me through the full process, but we created a bond of friendship that will always prevail.

After completing the Clinical Implantology Dentistry Diploma, you also applied and successfully obtained your implantology privilege from DHA. Could you share more details with our readers on how you achieved this privilege?
What is your advice to other general practitioners in Dubai who would like to obtain an implantology privilege?
From my experience, after completing the course the delegates have solid knowledge in implantology. In addition, the DHA exclusively requires the highest standards for dentists wishing to attain the Privilege, hence continuous thorough research and reading of the most updated articles is a must.

 

Currently, you are working as implantologist and cosmetic dentist at the Dental Studio Dubai. Tell us more about the clinic and the procedures which you perform?
Dental Studio is an award-winning dental practice established in Dubai for over thirty years. I am proud to belong to a team that focuses on delivering exceptional patient care and promoting lifelong oral health, and we really pride ourselves on treating patients with empathy, respect, and individuality.

Daily, I focus my work on patients requiring regular care, cosmetic dental treatments, and of course, dental implants and restorations. I work very closely with my specialist colleagues and hygienist to ensure our patients receive the highest quality advice and the personalized attention they require.

You have been working in Dubai since 2015. What is to your experience as a dentist in one of the most diverse and cosmopolitan cities in the world? How is life in general in Dubai?
Having spent the last five years of my life in Dubai, I can only mention that my experience in all aspects has been highly positive. As a diverse and multicultural city, I have been able to enrich my skills from dental colleagues from the most diverse parts of the world, an experience which in fact is rather difficult to gain in Europe, where I am originally from.

On a personal level, I have enriched myself not only from expat traditions, but as well, built wonderful and lifelong friendships with the local community and their fascinating culture. Emiratis are kind and respectful to our heritage, just as I am towards theirs, and for this I am forever grateful for the opportunity I have been given to live and thrive in this region.

The COVID-19 virus has changed dentistry forever. What precautionary measures are taken in your clinic to protect your patients and all dental staff? Do you believe these measures will become the new norm?
Infection control and patient safety have always been our top priority at the clinic, prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, and the guidelines imposed to prevent spreading of the virus are taken extremely seriously by our staff.

We have implemented extra preventative measures on top of the safety protocols; on arrival, our patients immediately have their temperature screened (including all staff) using a no-contact thermometer, while our waiting rooms will show minimal activity and have publicly displayed hand sanitizer units to offer the highest protection while waiting for the dental appointment. For every visit, our patients will fill in the same questionnaire to help identify possible viral exposure. It also assists in identifying patients who could experience the most severe effects of COVID-19.

We have disposable masks available at the reception desk on offer in case our patients need one, as well as increasing the number of hand sanitizers and clearly marked our public spaces to ensure social distancing. We also allow for greater gaps between patient appointments to reduce waiting time whilst limiting the number of patients in the clinic at any one time to ensure everyone’s safety.

When it comes maintaining the cleanliness of the clinic, our cleaning schedule has been increased so that all non-clinical surfaces are disinfected every 15 minutes. All clinical areas and instruments are fully sterilized between every patient visit.

However, albeit extra precautions having been taken in consideration during these difficult times, at the Dental Studio our patient’s well-being has always been our priority, and many safety protocols as mentioned before were already in place as a routine and will definitely be introduced as the new norm in all dental clinics.

Dr Deborah, what are your hobbies and what do you like doing in your private time?
Whilst out of the office, my family is my absolute priority and what is most important to me in life. I love spending as much time as possible with them and with my closest friends, enjoying meals together whenever possible.

To stretch my body and mind I practice Pilates and any outdoor sports whenever the weather allows it in Dubai. I volunteer during intermittent weekends providing meals to lower-income groups that are struggling in the COVID-19 era, as well as being an active member of animal welfare in UAE helping animal shelters and rescue groups. In fact, my two stray cats Nelson and Greta live a much better life than me. Travelling is undoubtfully my other passion.

Thank you, Dr Deborah, for sharing your journey with us.

More information on the 'Clinical Implantology Certificate & Diploma' by CAPP, BARD and BADI can be found on https://cappmea.com/implant/ or call/WhatsApp +971528423659