Maria Gibsand, Mirala Clinic (left) and Johan Tallroth, DLL (right)
Fully half the Swedish population thinks going to the dentist is an unpleasant experience. Around ten percent are actually phobic about it. Now many hope that new technology will help to change that image. We visited the Mirala Clinic to get a look into modern dental care.
In the heart of central Stockholm, a modest plaque marks the door to the Mirala Clinic, one of the few dental surgeries in Sweden that offer biological dental care.
It’s not just the technology and methods at the Mirala Clinic that differ from the traditional dentist. Walking through the door, you get the distinct impression of visiting a spa rather than a dentist.
“I want the atmosphere to be relaxing,” says Maria Gibsand, a dentist specialising in implant surgery. Many of the patients at her clinic, which she’s been operating for over ten years, have severe oral health problems.
The reception area and the lobby-like waiting room are decorated in natural materials and warm, soothing colours. The lighting is soft and pleasant. Gentle music plays in the background. And that atmosphere carries through to the treatment rooms.
Many put off going to the dentist
Surveys show that fully half the Swedish population thinks going to the dentist is an unpleasant experience. Around ten percent are actually phobic about it. For a few percent, the fear is so intense that they can’t manage a regular dental appointment without sedation.
“It’s not really strange that many are afraid,” Gibsand comments. “Dentists of the past didn’t put much effort into making their treatments painless or making the patient comfortable. It was pretty awful. That’s why so many people today put off going to the dentist, which often makes their problem far worse.” She pauses for emphasis before adding, “We know that oral health affects our overall health status. Many who have dental issues go on to have other health problems. It’s a vicious circle.”
A generational shift
But that may be about to change. Technological advances in the healthcare industry has grown fast over the last years, and the field of dentistry is no exception. Major progress has been made in digitalisation and the development of new imaging and scanning technology, among other things. Equipment that at one time could only be found in hospitals is now available at individual dental surgeries.
Johan Tallroth, specialised in healthcare at DLL (De Lage Landen Finans AB), has been following the developments. “The industry is in a phase where a lot is ha
ppening in terms of technology. At the same time, dental care professionals have reached a generational shift; younger dentists are taking over clinics as their elders retire,” he explains. “They’re developing new business models based on patient experience.”
Felt bad for the patients
Back at the Mirala Clinic, Maria Gibsand guides us into the X-ray room, which is sort of the heart of the operations. Gibsand took over her first dentist surgery in 2007, and when she recently moved into bigger, newly renovated premises she invested in new equipment for the whole clinic. This includes a 3D imaging unit and a scanner for digital impressions, which replace the traditional method of making dental impressions.
“Sometimes I felt like a construction worker spreading out the compound for dental impressions,” she laughs. “I felt bad for the patients, who had to sit still with it in their mouths until it hardened. A lot of people found it very uncomfortable.”
Now the same examination takes only a few seconds. The patient doesn’t even have to open their mouth, and the results go directly into their computerised records.
Gibsand opens a set of jaw X-rays on the computer, explaining, “3D imaging also lets me twist and turn the images in a completely different way than you could with 2D images. I see more and can be more precise.”