For ‘Edinburgh Endodontist’ Navid Saberi, collaborative care is vital in dentistry. Here, he discusses the importance of checks and balances in clinic.
Teamwork is essential for safety in dentistry. It promotes clear communication, shared responsibilities, and mutual support among team members, reducing the likelihood of errors and accidents. For specialist endodontist Navid Saberi, it lies at the heart of his practice ethos.
He leads Edinburgh Endodontist, the city’s first (and only) dedicated mono-specialist endodontic referral practice. Its mission is to save teeth using advanced/modern dentistry while ensuring the patient experience is as safe, comfortable, and stress-free as possible.
Key to this is Navid’s commitment to a team strategy, where staff learn together and collaborate to improve patient outcomes. He is unequivocal about the importance of engaged and fully trained colleagues.
Quite simply, he could not deliver the high standard of endodontic treatment he does without the in-depth knowledge and hands-on support of Monika Krzyzanowska, a specialist endodontic nurse and the practice’s treatment coordinator and Lucy Tait, the practice’s patient coordinator.
Tailored dentistry
‘Dentistry is like flying a commercial aircraft – having just one pilot is unsafe. Everyone involved should be as knowledgeable as the endodontist when dealing with our patients. This is teamwork at its best; we’re all fully responsible for what happens.
‘Lucy provides our patients with the initial introduction to our vision and kickstarts the patient journey, and Monika delivers that essential input as a check and balance to my work.
‘As an endodontist, my work is challenging and demands precision. I need to stay fully focused without constantly checking my left or right, so having another pair of eyes focused on the patient and the procedure ensures we’re working in a 360-degree manner.’
Understanding that many patients feel anxious about dental procedures, particularly root canal treatment, Navid is committed to helping alleviate these fears. The practice offers intravenous (IV) sedation and anxiolytic medication to help reduce stress and anxiety, tailored to individual needs after a thorough consultation.
Disguise through decor
He is currently launching a new purpose-built practice that will open by the end of the year. Navid focuses on elevating the welcoming and safe patient environment he offers and has cannily consulted patient feedback to build the clinic specifically to their requirements.
The fit-out will include bespoke decor that will discreetly screen the dental paraphernalia that can threaten to overwhelm patients when they enter the dental practice.
‘My vision is to create an environment where patients don’t see dental devices and gadgets until absolutely necessary. After listening to patients for two decades, I understand what they want and what they don’t want, especially regarding the sights, sounds, and smells associated with a typical dental practice.
‘Meanwhile, the waiting area will be more akin to a hotel lobby or coffee shop than a dental clinic. Fresh flowers, diffusers, calming music, and other thoughtful touches will create a serene atmosphere where patients can feel at ease. Many patients have already mentioned that the music helps them relax or fall asleep during treatment.’
He embraces unrushed and gentle dentistry and is often complimented for his ‘light touch’ approach. He uses minimal tissue retraction techniques to ensure his patients are as comfortable as possible throughout their visit. Often, they don’t feel much of what’s happening in the mouth. Navid maintains that this, alongside a distraction-free environment, is crucial to the success of any patient journey. He is also completely transparent with patients.
‘I never claim treatment will be completely pain-free, as that would be inaccurate within my specialty. Instead, I talk about “possible discomfort”. Building trust relies on honest communication and minimising pain both physically and psychologically, although 100% pain-free is never guaranteed.’
The Wand
About a year ago, he added The Wand from Dental Sky to his armamentarium. Mindful of the significant benefits of investing in new technologies and utilising evidence-based techniques, it has become a staple of his everyday practice.
‘I invested in The Wand to add another dimension to my offerings. In medicine and dentistry, there’s never a one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes, standard protocols don’t help, so I wanted to expand. I have always looked at various ways of doing things, researching through publications, word of mouth and considering which particular PDL (periodontal ligament) anaesthetic delivery unit to use and the numerous endodontic benefits.
‘The Wand is a great option, especially for patient comfort. Anaesthesia can be applied to just one tooth, avoiding numbing the whole face or jaw. It’s beneficial in endodontics, particularly as an adjunct when treating hot pulps and in teeth associated with acute apical abscess, which provides a more comfortable delivery.
‘Its beauty lies in its ability to perform its intended function seamlessly without pressing too many buttons or dealing with unnecessary complexity. It is easy to set up, and it self-calibrates.’
Staff training
‘The system is designed to be intuitive and straightforward when administering anaesthesia using a foot control – press it, and it’s either on or off, without worrying about running it fast or slow.
‘Although it’s important to understand the correct angulation for a PDL, the technology allows you to focus on technique. At the same time, the device handles the rest, providing an efficient and user-friendly experience.’
Training with The Wand was also carried out as a team, ensuring everyone understood the device’s setup and functionality.
‘The entire team must be on board with the practice’s philosophy and clinical approach – including training with new technology and tools to do the job. Collaborative care is vital in dentistry,’ Navid says. ‘If someone fails to understand the task thoroughly, we risk our care delivery.’
If you’d like to try The Wand, please click here to arrange for a member of the team to visit your practice with a demo unit.
This article is sponsored by Dental Sky.
