Going All-In On Dental Technology in Boca Raton, Florida

International Center for Advanced Dentistry - Boca Raton, FL | Maria Magalhaes, DMD, FICOI

Dr. Maria Magalhaes is the owner of International Center for Advanced Dentistry in Boca Raton, Florida, a gorgeous start-up dental practice that offers a full range of dentistry as well as spa services in a 3,200-square-foot footprint. Located in a busy professional area, the practice has six spacious operatories that the doctor shares with her associates. She has another operatory room available and plans to have it built out before the end of the year.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an unexpected pause in her normal operations. During the height of the stay-at-home orders, the office saw only emergency cases but the staff was busy nonetheless, and reopened with new protocols and additional equipment to ensure the practice was compliant to the strict safety standards set by the American Dental Association in response to the virus.

Pathway to New Office Build

Dr. Magalhaes earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Universidade Vale do Rio Doce (UNIVALE) in her native Brazil. When she decided to move to the United States, she found the road to re-validate her license was confusing and challenging, and it took her several years to navigate it. Her desire to help other Brazilian dentists coming to the United States led to her creating an online educational web site, internationaldentist.com, that provides e-learning guides and videos. This desire was another reason to open her own practice—to serve as a mentor to dentists coming to the U.S.

She graduated with a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) Degree from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in New Jersey, and began working as an associate in a practice that took traditional impressions and sent everything to a lab. She knew she wanted to embrace the latest in high-tech dentistry if she were to practice in her own office.

“My husband had a major influence on this project because he is in the technology industry and believes that to provide the highest level of service, you must have state-of-the-art technology,“ said Dr. Magalhaes. “One of my goals was to offer same-day dentistry to my patients by having an in-house lab.”

John Turner was the Equipment Sales Specialist who joined Dr. Magalhaes on her project after she reached out to
Henry Schein about designing and building a new office.

“The location she found is on the first floor of a three-story building in a very good location, in the heart of Boca Raton,” said Mr. Turner, who noted that the space was fully demolished and rebuilt. “It’s surrounded by a lot of other businesses and corporations. The doctor wanted to build the best dental practice and the highest technology dental practice in south Florida.”

The build process took several years, said Mr. Turner, and together they reviewed and revised different plans. In the end, as the doctor zeroed in on her final plan, she expanded her vision and purchased the suite next door too, so they could expand the new practice and provide more space to patients and staff.

Upscale Finishes, Sophisticated Palette of Color

With a color wheel of crisp white shades of gray and silver accents, the office is gorgeous, with contemporary, but comfortable styling and mid-century modern furniture. Light gray porcelain flooring tiles are complemented by the generous use of glass walls and dividers that give patients long sight lines into the impressive clinical space. But the practice is not only about looks. It’s also designed especially to provide pampering with white-glove care to patients, starting at check-in at the large front desk. Behind it, the large logo and metallic tiles create an image of sleek richness.

As they pass through the glass door, six closed-bay operatories line one side of the practice, flanked by a wide walkway. Centered among them is a larger operatory, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, that is a showpiece of the clinical space.

In all of the treatment rooms, plush chairs with black leather upholstery and a massage feature await patients. “For our self-sanitizing Dentsply Sirona Teneo dental chairs, we added Isolite systems to lessen aerosol.” The advanced suction decreases aerosol by 90%.

The doctor chose stunning floating Kappler cabinets to keep workflows efficient and organized. “Dr. Magalhaes chose Dentsply Sirona operatory equipment because all of her technology could be integrated together,” noted Mr. Turner.

The treatment rooms are serene, with monochromatic tones and large, flat-screen monitors that tilt from the ceilings for patient entertainment.

“Our patients love the contemporary and clean look of the office, with music, ambiance, the comfortable chairs, TVs, neck pillows, headphones, and the personable, caring treatment from my staff,” explained
Dr. Magalhaes.

Across the hall, the modern Dentsply Sirona sterilization center also features Kappler cabinetry behind a full glass wall, providing full visual access to the practice’s disinfecting process and equipment. Behind that, and facing the opposite hall, the in-house lab supports the high number of same-day dentistry cases and implant work done by the practice.

Additional measures were added to the practice due to COVID-19. Patient appointments have been spaced out. Patients come alone, if possible, and have their temperatures taken and complete a health questionnaire. All patients must wear a mask until they reach their treatment room. The staff is following COVID-19 ADA protocols: wearing masks, gloves, visors, gowns, and using hand sanitizer, Clorox sprays, and CaviWipes. “We added a UV-C light to every suite and UV-light on the 2 main air conditioner units,” said the doctor.

Fully Integrated, Best-In-Class Digital Technology

The doctor attended an event with the Henry Schein team, which led to a number of her technology decisions, said John Pepio, Henry Schein Digital Technology Specialist.

“We discussed CEREC and digital imaging at Dentsply Sirona World in 2017, which played a key role in the vision of a high-tech practice,” said Mr. Pepio. “The doctor trusted Henry Schein as a partner to help implement several pieces of digital technology in the practice.”

The list is impressive: it includes Schick 33 sensors, an Orthophos SL cone beam X-ray system, a CEREC AC system with Omnicam and in-house milling for same-day dentistry, and a Formlabs Form 2 3D printer for printing appliances and surgical guides.

“I’m most proud of the integration and support of all the digital technology that was implemented by Henry Schein,” said
Mr. Pepio. “From the CEREC and CBCT 3D imaging system all the way to the 3D printing, this office provides the most innovative technology to patients in the community.” Henry Schein One also provides customer support for Dentrix electronic services and patient communications, added Mr. Pepio.

“Patients deserve the best, and by choosing the best technology, we can offer our patients a higher standard of treatment,” summarized the doctor when explaining her significant investment in top-of-the-line equipment.

The technology Dr. Magalhaes so painstakingly selected to provide a superior experience in her day-to-day dentistry, long before the pandemic arrived, has been a key factor in helping to relaunch patient care in a way that is safe and comfortable for both patients and staff.

“Our idea was to build a clinic that offers comfort, efficiency, and is safe. I believe we have achieved that by providing VIP treatment to our clients in a unique environment,” concluded Dr. Magalhaes. ♦