Why has leaving the country for Cosmetic Procedures become so popular?

All of us have heard the terrifying stories of people flying out of the country to get the perfect smile and came back completely botched. Well, can we blame them. It’s no secret social media has definitely played a huge role in trying to achieve a perfect smile.

But why fly out of the country? For starters, prices can be a lot cheaper. Cosmetic procedures can be much lower in other countries. Lower not safer.

Second, shorter wait time. Unlike traditional dentistry in the United States, people are drawn to seeking these services in other countries simply because they can do it all in 1-2 visits.

The problem is despite the lower cost and shorter wait times the laws and regulations in other countries do not always protect the wellbeing of the patients. So, what happens when you come back home with a botched smile? The reality is that you can end up spending up to 4 times what you originally intended to spend just to fix the problem.

Can procedures like veneers get done in one day without leaving the country?

What if I told you procedures like veneers, no drilling fillings and crowns could be done in one visit without having to leave the country?

This past week I had the pleasure of speaking to Dr. Samantha Rawdin a dentist at Gallery57Dental the prestigious New York City-based dental practice.

What is Gallery57Dental?

Located in the heart of Manhattan, the boutique practice offers a full range of high-quality dental treatments, using state-of-the-art technology. It is one of the only practices with an in-house laboratory for personalized restorations with no turn-around time. The practice recently moved to an expansive new location in the CitySpire building, equipped with intra-oral digital scanners (no more goopy impressions or molds), a 3D face scanner, a laser for anesthesia-free & drill-free fillings, 3D X-rays, and offers treatments including cleanings, bonding, veneers, Invisalign and other cutting-edge innovations. Gallery57Dental’s new location features 17 exam rooms and 5 dentists in a comfortable, relaxed setting. With advanced dental technologies and an in-house laboratory staffed by 4 full-time technicians, the practice offers efficient, customizable care for busy patients. The lab provides real-time, on-the-spot personalization of restorations, eliminating the wait time associated with commercial labs. This allows most procedures, like veneers or crowns, to be completed in one visit, avoiding temporary restorations, reducing anesthesia rounds, and saving time without sacrificing quality or aesthetics.

More about Dr. Samantha Rawdin?

Dr. Samantha Rawdin received her D.M.D. from Midwestern University in Arizona. She completed her Advanced Education training in Prosthodontics at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she served as chief resident. She then completed an Implantology Fellowship at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Dr.Rawdin a Board-Certified Prosthodontist, among only 2% of dentists nationwide. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics, a Fellow of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics, the Program Chair for the NGS Academy of Multidisciplinary Dentistry, and a member of the New York County Dental Society.

I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Radwin read full interview below.

Dr.Radwin we are seeing a huge demand in veeners. What is the turn around time for veeners in your office?

It really depends on how much we are trying to do. There’s only so much we can accomplish in a day. If we are only doing 2-4 teeth then that is totally reasonable. You can expect to have that done in a morning or afternoon visit. If we require more than one visit you can expect a one week turnaround time. This is still a lot less time compared to traditional dentistry where things need to be send out to labs. In traditional dentistry if the color or shape are not right the patient has to wait sometimes months until work is completed.

We are seeing more and more people leave to country to get veeners and other dental work done. What are some of the downsides?

I actually did Dental School in Arizona. We had a ton of patients going to Mexico to get work done because it was so close to the border. The amount of terrible dentistry that I saw coming back was astonishing. I couldn’t believe how many people were coming back with so many problems. I can’t say this as a blanket statement because I’ve seen patients get decent results. However, the vast majority of the time patients think they are paying less to get the same work but they end up paying twice as much because it has to get fixed on the back end.

I know a huge incentive for patients is the “Same Day Results” Having said that, having a practice like yours in NY is a huge advancement?

I think our practice is really unique. We solidified this when we were looking for a new office space. Initially when we were looking for an office space we thought “maybe there’s something that exists”. And in New York where real estate isn’t the easiest. We couldn’t find a space that met our needs for both the number of treatment rooms and also space for labs. So we had to build it ourselves. And when we were building we realized that there are large and small offices that have labs. But none of them were doing the type of “Same Day Dentistry” that we have here. Many of them are relying on these analog methods where they have to send things out. Or they can’t turn it around for same day cases like we can.

Tell me a little more about Drill-Free Fillings?

Yes, we have this awesome technology. It’s called the Solea Laser. It is a carbon dioxide laser. It lets us treat small to medium cavities without the need of anesthesia. No shots, no drilling. It literally removes the cavity on its own and we can do the filling without the need for needles.

Is it painless?

It is pain free! We can use a little numbing gel on the gums. But the cool thing about this laser is that the laser itself actually causes transient anesthesia in the tooth. So, it makes it temporary numb which allows us to go in an do the filling. And you can go about your day!

Would that work for silver fillings?

That’s a good question! I have not removed any silver fillings because silver fillings release mercury when they are removed. I’d be wary about it. I would need to look into it.

What about Invisalign? How soon can patients get molds?

The great thing about Invisalign in our office is that we have a digital scanner. This is the same way we are able to do same day restorations. We do everything digitally in our labs. No more molds or impressions. We do a digital scan of the teeth, we take photos and upload everything to Invisalign website. With Invisalign because it’s made through them we do have to wait but we can have them back in 2 weeks.

Do you lean towards traditional braces or Invisalign? I have heard pros and cons.

It depends. I’m not an orthodontist. However I feel completely confident treating someone with a little bit of crowding in their 30s-40s. Invisalign is a quick way to straighten teeth. What I am seeing more and more even with Orthodontist is that they are leaning towards Invisalign instead of traditional braces. Invisalign allows us to achieve a type of movement we didn’t realize we could do before. It’s really amazing what could be accomplished.

Does In-House Labs mean higher cost for patients?

No, listen we are in New York things are expensive. I actually think the cost of our treatments are actually very reasonable within the average.

Are you saying the cost is not much higher than traditional Dentistry?

Right. Actually because we don’t have to outsource we’re not being up charged by an outside lab that still needs to make profit. So, we are able to be a bit more reasonable and flexible than a lot of other offices in the area. Which is great!

Do you think it’s a matter of time until Same Day Dentistry becomes the new standard?

Absolutely! We are seeing more and more officers adopt all of this digital technology that allows us to do all of these treatments. I think this is just going to become mainstream. I think this is just what patients will demand, expect and seek out. Dentist who don’t adopt will be left in the dust.

I would not mind flying to New York for a week and getting all of my dental work done in a short period of time. Is this the case for some of your patients?

Yes, we do have patients that fly inn. We just had a patient fly inn from Hawaii. He was here for 10 days and we were able to re-do his entire mouth. It’s amazing what we can do with technology.

Dr. Radwin it was a pleasure speaking to you. What are a few last things you would like patients seeking dental work to know about your new office Gallery57Dental in New York?

The new space is absolutely beautiful. No detail was left untouched. We really tried to build this space and build the flow with our patients in mind. When you walk inn it’s warm and comforting. It’s clean and modern. It feels brand new because it is. I think some patients can shy away thinking “oh this looks so nice and fancy” but no we are still the same dentist. Still providing the same level of care. We are able to do everything in a short time frame without having to sacrifice on quality. We try and make everything as effective as possible for our patients. And really doing it in a manner that is most comfortable and convenient for patients.

Dr. Radwin thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all of my questions. One last thing, where can patients reach you?

Gallery57Dental

156 W 56th St Suite 903

New York, NY 10019

(212)246-8700

https://gallery57dental.com/