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Office Visit: Dr. Roma Patel by Kyle Patton, associate editor

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Categories: Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Office Visit: Dr. Dr. Roma Patel 

by Kyle Patton
photography by Mike Schalk 

Dentists spend most of their working hours inside their own practices, so they usually don’t get many opportunities to see what it’s like inside another doctor’s office. Dentaltown’s recurring Office Visit profile offers a chance for Townies to meet their peers, hear their stories and get a sense of how they practice.
Like a lot of her peers, Dr. Roma Patel felt lost as she neared the end of dental school. “I could have been handed the world’s worst contract and I would have accepted it,” she said. Instead, this Townie decided to give Aspen Dental a shot. Now, eight years into practice, Patel runs two offices in Georgia without a single regret. She says that with access to the best tech and teachings, she can specialize in surgical treatments and achieve results only digital dentistry can deliver, all with the help of business support that lets her focus on what matters: dentistry.

Patel’s childhood experience of being in dental dire straits fueled her passion for the profession, and now her empathy brings a personal touch not just to her patients but to the community at large as well. In our exclusive Q&A, she dispels some common myths about corporate dentistry, lists her tips and must-haves for optimized oral surgeries, tells the story of how she and her lead hygienist started a nonprofit, and much more.
Office Highlights
NAME:
Dr. Roma Patel

GRADUATED FROM:
Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University

PRACTICE:
Aspen Dental
Pooler, Georgia

PRACTICE SIZE:
3,200 square feet;
7 operatories

TEAM SIZE:
12

How’d you find your way into dentistry?

Have you ever seen a child with teeth so badly decayed they looked like apple cores? I saw it every day in the mirror growing up as a child. My parents, like many, immigrated to America with nothing more than ambition and dreams of a better quality of life, financial stability and boundless opportunities. Doctor visits were allotted for only true emergencies because health care was a luxury we couldn’t afford.

Once my permanent dentition came in, I again found myself hiding my smile because of the relentless taunting by my classmates of my huge and misaligned teeth. It wasn’t until my senior year that I finally got braces. I felt like I had won the proverbial tooth lottery! At that point, I knew my life would change and I would no longer feel embarrassed by my smile. This overwhelming sense of confidence and deeply meaningful experience not only changed my smile for the better but also was the driving force behind becoming a dentist. I knew I wanted to help others overcome dental apprehensions and to help put smiles on their faces.


Understandably, you love new patients who haven’t been in a dental office for a long time. How do you connect with them?

Empathy. From my own family’s struggles, I find that I can easily relate to patients who have waited to seek dental care because of financial reasons or fear of the unknown. Moreover, educating patients is the most valuable tool I have to help them understand how to maintain good oral health.

Our new-patient exams consist of a comprehensive exam, which includes a full-mouth series of radiographs, a panoramic X-ray and an intraoral scan. My hygienist completes a full periodontal assessment—yes, even the bleeding points—followed by my dental exam, where I take the time to discuss their current dental conditions and give the patient treatment options.

Many patients I see come in because they’re in pain, so we try to alleviate that for them on the same day. This builds confidence between patient and doctor, which in turn helps the patient return for continued care. In my years of practice, I have found that the most crucial factor in breaking down health barriers is taking the time to listen to the patients and understand their needs.



You started with Aspen Dental right out of school. Tell us about your decision-making process and what those first few years were like in practice.

To be honest, lost is an understatement when it came to choosing where I wanted to practice. Like many other senior dental students, I was undecided about what or how I wanted to practice. I could have been handed the world’s worst contract and I would have accepted it.

At that time, I didn’t feel prepared to find my dental home, but Aspen Dental was a familiar name—it had provided me with lots of free lunches throughout my dental school years! But I quickly learned the company had more to offer me than I could’ve imagined: From my first day of practice, I had side-by-side mentorship, access to the best technology and products for our patients, and opportunities for numerous free continuing education courses.

My first few years of practice were filled with cases and procedures I knew even my friends in residency were not doing. I found myself increasing my speed on procedures, comfortably extracting teeth, helping design and fabricate removable prostheses, learning how to build rapport with patients and, most importantly, building confidence.

I never once felt the need to look for another job. I found the support and the home I was looking for with Aspen Dental. Here I am, eight years later, partnered in two practices, and implementing the same passion for dentistry I had on my first day of work.


What are some of the misconceptions or myths that some docs might have about working for a corporate office?

Most doctors won’t believe that I have total autonomy in the practice. This means I am in full control of the treatment-planning of my patients. Every Aspen Dental practice is owned and operated by a dentist, which gives us full clinical control, and business health is supported by the management team.

Of course, just like any other dental practice, having a thriving business is important. The management team alleviates the business burden so my team and I can focus on delivering quality patient care. Because I have more time to focus on my patients, my business becomes more efficient, which in turn allows me to see more patients who are in dire need of dental care. This does not mean I am overworked; I choose to help more patients because I have more time to treat them. It allows me to have a better work-life balance, so I don’t take any business stress home.


What have you seen in terms of innovation and adaptation within Aspen and other corporate models that might be lacking or lagging behind in private practice?

We are staying ahead of the dental industry when it comes to having the newest, best technology and products for our patients. We have implemented a digital workflow across the offices that includes 3Shape Trios scanners and 3D printing of dentures, surgical guides and clear aligners. We are placing implants as the standard of care; there is a dedicated team for implant support and training. Aspen is also a firm believer in mentorship; it has leaders in the industry training doctors and offering continuing education courses, many of which are free. The company invests in its doctors, and this organically leads to a well-built camaraderie and a strong network of doctors supporting one another.


You love surgery. Tell us some of your favorite procedures and musthaves for surgical treatments.

If there are any dental procedures that involve blood, I’m doing them—from full-mouth extraction cases with alveoloplasty, immediate implant placement with surgical guides, bone grafting and tori removals to incision and drainage.

For these kinds of treatments, I recommend:
  • NuOss Plug 80% xenograft particulate/20% collagen. This combination with collagen allows for the bone graft to be compact and extremely easy to place into sockets, especially on maxillary teeth.
  • Luxator periotomes. Especially for root tip extractions. The thin blade allows for cutting on the membrane around the tooth to gently ease it out of the socket.
  • #MD3 Mead serrated extracting forceps. The beak-like shape of these forceps allows for a great grip around the neck of premolars and incisors, which means less bicep action during extraction.
  • SMOP or SprintRay printed surgical guides. Guided implant surgery should be the standard of care. We should be using advanced machinery and imaging technology to deliver predictable surgery outcomes for our patients.

Tell us about a case you’re especially proud of.

Many patients I see have delayed dental treatment, so my practices tend to see a lot of people who need dentures. Nothing makes me prouder than giving a smile back to a patient, so any case that involves my patients loving their new smile is my favorite case! What I’m even more proud of is how far Aspen Dental has come as an organization in producing denture products of high quality and aesthetics— both particularly important for me and my patients. Materials have evolved since the initial launch of digital dentures years ago. I’ve been able to evaluate many of the materials and, with no surprise, there were failures during these iterations. But with constructive feedback from both patients and doctors, this led us to the next generation of products, which have drastically improved. Pictured below is a case in which I used SprintRay High Impact and Lucitone digital-print materials.

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What’s a trend in the profession you love? What’s a trend you’re not crazy about?

I love digital dentistry. I am the least tech-savvy person you’ll meet—I even had a tough time trying to turn on my newly purchased laptop. But when I say I’m excited about the digital trend in dentistry, I’m not kidding!

We have completely incorporated the digital workflow in our office. From intraoral scanners to printers, we have been able to increase efficiency in the office, decrease production time, and enhance product quality without sacrificing patient care. This is a trend I’m hopping on! What I’m not particularly crazy about is how dentistry is treated differently than other areas of health care. For example, patients are more willing to wait a few weeks or months for other health care appointments than they are to wait for a dentist appointment.

As providers, we always want to put our patients first, so we’ve done a great job at adapting, but as a whole, dentistry is increasingly held with a high level of convenience standard. As someone who is leading multiple practices, this can get tricky with balancing schedules and work-life balance, and having thicker skin when it comes to negative online reviews.


What’s your most controversial opinion regarding the profession?

Dentistry is so divided about corporate versus private! Whether you choose to work with an organization that allows you to focus solely on dentistry or decide you can manage all aspects on your own, we’re all still dentists, and our common goal is still the same: to treat our patients with the highest standard of care. I’m surprised by how many negative comments I receive when I tell other dentists that I’m the owner of an Aspen Dental practice.

Often, these negative connotations come from the same classmates who sat in the same lectures as me, completed the same lab practicals and graduated from the same curriculum. We all choose a work environment that best fits our needs and expectations, but we’re also all colleagues.

We’re qualified through the same dental board exams. We need to be each other’s biggest advocates so we can be the best health care providers for our patients.


Top Products
Moto Clear Aligner Motto clear aligners. These clear aligners, available only at Aspen Dental, have been game-changers in my practice. Many of my patients suffer from some form of malocclusion, and these clear aligners offer a comprehensive, customized alternative to braces that’s nearly invisible. Our system includes weekly remote patient check-ins via MottoMonitoring, combined with in-office clinical visits with a doctor.

Trios 4 wireless intraoral scanner (3Shape). This is my right hand and my biggest patient education tool. Patients can visualize their oral health and the recommended treatment. The scans also serve as diagnostic models that can be used to fabricate removable prostheses, crown and bridges, and clear aligners. More accuracy in fit, less messy, and no uncomfortable impressions. These scans are my portal to the digital workflow we’ve incorporated in my offices.

Pro95 3D printer (SprintRay). Paired with the intraoral scanner, this printer is the final step in the integration of digital dentistry into the office. The highly versatile printer allows me to print restorations for all dental indications, including dentures, surgical guides, diagnostic models and occlusal guards, in one seamless systematic approach. This results in time savings, labor reduction and a reduction of material usage. Delivery of care is never compromised. The accuracy of 3D scans and designing also means minimal postproduction refinement and polishing. A huge win for both the office and the patients!

Lucite digital print system (Dentsply Sirona). My denture-wearing patients are looking for a product that they can feel confident in. Lucitone digital print dentures have body-activated material in the base, which doubles in strength in response to body temperature. The high-impact materials handle everyday stressors that resist fractures under chewing. And because they are created with digital impressions, the accuracy allows for a superior fit.

BLX implant system (Straumann). When implementing implants as my standard of care for patients, I’m looking for a product that’s predictable, minimally invasive and has a high survival rate. This system provides a highly reliable implant solution. Its design allows for reduced healing time, which makes it ideal for immediate placement. The implants also have chip flutes, which allow the collection of native bone around the implant, increasing healing prognosis. You also only need one restorative kit for all bonelevel implants, making it very easy to use.
How do you find time to stay involved in the community and give back?

I’ve found that giving back to the community becomes easy when you incorporate it with things you love. For example, I frequently participate in the local health fair held at our temple. This gives me the opportunity to screen and educate people on the importance of oral health in hopes of breaking down any barriers they may have to dental care.

I also enjoy running, so I find time to run for charity. I was able to raise more than $17,000 for Smile Train, a nonprofit organization that provides corrective surgery for cleft lip and palate.

And I’ve incorporated dentistry into our community by participating in Aspen Dental’s annual day of service; every year, hundreds of practices provide free dental services to our nation’s veterans and their families. Since 2014, Aspen has been able to help more than 35,000 patients.


Tell us about Secret Saints.

Secret Saints is an organization founded by Lindsay Stewart, my hygienist, and me in October 2022. After working side by side for many years, Lindsay and I quickly became friends. Our passion for helping people didn’t stop in the dental practice; we realized there was a great need for support within our community in Savannah, Georgia.

As a nonprofit organization, Secret Saints partners with local police and fire departments, hospitals and schools to provide emergency assistance during unexpected times of need. These circumstances can include loss of valuables during house fires, children in the foster care system needing school supplies, and local school organizations needing lunch supplies.

Our spring initiative was to donate a LifeVac to every day care center, elementary and middle school in our county and surrounding areas. If you have young children at home, you know there’s no worse nightmare than your child choking. LifeVac is a choking rescue device designed to retrieve objects obstructing the airway. Our efforts were a tremendous success that was received well by all the schools in the area.


We know you have full control over the clinical side of the practice. But … what about the music?

My office, my music! (Some days, if I’m feeling nice, I’ll let the staff choose the music.

I have a versatile playlist. Monday through Friday, you can hear anything from country, pop, classic rock and R&B. But if you step into my office on a Friday, we’re taking it back, Motown-style.

Here are the top five artists and songs I recommend blasting in the office to groove your way into the weekend:
  • Michael Jackson/Jackson 5: You can’t go wrong with any of their songs. Play them all!
  • The Temptations: “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.”
  • Marvin Gaye: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “How Sweet It Is.”
  • Gladys Knight & The Pips: “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.”
  • Stevie Wonder: “Superstition, Isn’t She Lovely.”

Give us a snapshot of your life outside of dentistry.

Stepping on Legos, folding days’ worth of laundry, wiping marker streaks off my walls and ripping Play-Doh off my rugs. If you didn’t already guess, my life outside of dentistry involves running after a 3-year-old boy! When my husband and I do find some normalcy, we love to travel and eat. You can’t beat the food in Savannah. Wellness is also a huge part of my life—getting out for a run or having a quick weight-lifting session usually starts off my day.

Although I am truly passionate about dentistry, my life’s purpose is to focus on the hobbies I was never able to pick up while establishing my career. While I don’t expect to be the next Amelia Earhart or Calvin Harris, my attempts at learning to fly an airplane or spit out a mean mix will not go in vain! I’m a firm believer that life is truly too short. If there’s ever anything you want to learn, now is the time.

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