Advanced Dentistry of Westchester
When it comes to being on the cutting edge of dental technology the father and daughter practice of Dr. Kenneth Magid and Dr. Sabrina Magid-Katz is way ahead of the curve. In fact, one can say it is so advanced in combining many sciences applying to the overall health of the face that the practice is quite unique in its field.
Dr. Magid, who has been in practice for 40 years says less than one percent of people working in advanced dentistry work with technology the way they do. Most of that is due to the fact that Dr. Magid teaches dental technology and lectures on the subject all over the world.
“I have access to much of the cutting edge research being done, so I can easily apply it to my work,” Magid says.
Dr. Magid-Katz, who entered the practice four years ago, joins her father in the use of innovative technology and applies it to her work proactively as well.
In the dental field much innovation has been seen in the area of laser technology. Being the first practice to offer digital x-rays in the United States, the team recently installed a system that takes x-rays outside the mouth.
“We never use a drill and there is no need to give a pain shot in this office,” Magid said. “We use lasers for diagnosis, which allows us to find tooth decay and other problems in the very early stages.”
Cosmetic work involving lasers, such as reducing the gum line to get rid of a “gummy smile” or using a CAD-CAM to get an image that a computer can use to design an implant or bridge that can be made and fitted all in one office visit, are just some of the processes in use every day at Advanced Dentistry of Westchester.
Both Magid and Magid-Katz are firm believers in using preventive technology because it ultimately saves money and is very effective.
“We treat the patient as a whole,” explained Magid-Katz. “I like to tell kids that the sugary foods they eat stick to their teeth and become acid. They don’t like that.”
Providing healthful diet and proper tooth care advice for use at home along with advanced laser technology at the office goes a long way in securing healthy smiles that keep patients happy.
But the innovation at Advanced Dentistry of Westchester doesn’t stop there. On the practice’s website there is a section on snoring and sleep apnea which might seem like an entirely different science, but not to the Magid/Magid-Katz team.
“Because we are in a good position to see what is happening with a patient’s face, we often can see a problem developing before the patient even knows it’s there,” said Magid. “Many snoring and sleep problems are related to the jaw and the tongue. There is a relationship between all the parts of the mouth.”
This relationship also carries over to the use of Botox and dermal fillers around the mouth and on the lips to complement a patient’s overall look. “You don’t want to put a new picture into an old frame,” Magid explained, referring to cosmetic dental work.
Much of the work Magid does for the face cosmetically came from research in the dental field to use Botox to numb facial pain. Like an artist, he began to see how the different techniques used to enhance a face could be combined for an overall healthier look.
Magid-Katz has her own specialty as well. She works with patients who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Having taken courses related to deafness, Magid-Katz learned that people suffering from this aliment are very sensitive to vibration, which can be extreme in the case of dental work. “Knowing this, I was able to make the practice more accessible, even working with instant messaging and e-mail to communicate with patients.
Magid-Katz knows sign language and is aware that many people rely on lip reading to understand what is being said.
“When my face is hidden by a facial mask, my lips can’t be read,” she explained. “We enabled what we are saying to be converted to text on a monitor (similar to closed captioning) so the patient always knows what’s going on and never feels disconnected.”
Magid and Magid-Katz are very involved in making sure the wellbeing of their patients is being looked after. That attitude also extends out to the community and for the last 17 years they have initiated a Share Your Smile program that allows patients to contribute new unwrapped toys for children in shelters who would have no gifts during the holidays. Patients are given a $10 certificate if they bring in a toy. The program is in full swing this holiday season.
Advanced Dentistry of Westchester is located at 163 Halstead Avenue, Harrison. They can be reached by phone at 914-835-0542 or by e-mail at office@adofw.com.
