What can I say? Stepping into Smile Cafe Dental Spa off of Park Avenue this past Monday was an absolute treat. Upon opening the office door, I was immediately and warmly greeted by the receptionist only to then be escorted directly to the hygienist to the back work area, which seemed a veritable hive of activity. Despite the obvious business of the office, the dulcet sounds of Bossa Nova playing throughout the suite lulled me into a calm stupor as the hygienist carefully reviewed my chart. Soon after, a technician led me to the panoramic scanner and gently coached me how to position my chin. Back in the dentist chair, the hygienist Ingrith and I chatted amiably for a bit more before she commenced to do X-rays and a first rate but remarkably gentle cleaning. After this had been completed, another very sweet technician arrived to use a wand-like camera device to photograph my mouth from multiple angles so as to then quickly stitch the resulting photos together into a 3D digital model. Dr Noor was then introduced, after which he did a check for cavities et cetera. When I mentioned in passing that I was concerned about an orthodontic wire recently coming loose behind my mandibular incisors, he quickly offered to remedy the situation, completely free of charge (!), making sure to clean the area thoroughly , and and meticulously re-adhering the wire by curing the adhesive applied at each contact point. He even went so far as to insist on sanding down the cured adhesive when I mentioned it felt a bit bulky. Notably, 12 years ago, I had needed similar work done when the wire became lose, only to be charged $300-400 for the same exact work. I cringe to think of what the going rate for such a repair might now be today! Needless to say, I remain grateful to Dr Noor and his team and to the utmost selfless generosity that he demonstrated in quickly offering to help me with this issue. After all of of this work was completed, I was led to Dr Noor’s consult room where he proceeded to meet with me and show me the 3D scans of my mouth so I might easily visualize the topography of my teeth and the degree to which some of the molars have been worn down by grinding. I greatly appreciated his sharing his views on the lack of effectiveness of night guards as well as his proposal to employ an alternative solution that would not cause as much tension in the jaw. He did not however push any sales and at no point did I feel pressured to agree to signing up for any additional treatments or protocols.
In sum, I remain blown away by Dr Noor’s generosity, humility, humanity and the outstanding sensitivity and empathy displayed by him and his team. This entire office felt like a rare nest of creativity where things are truly HAPPENING, where innovations of the dental variety are perpetually underway and where the cogs never stop turning. Thank you Dr Noor and team for a dreamy Monday afternoon dental cleaning!
