Photo Credit: Nicole Gonzalez
Dr. Michelle Luis, a south Florida native, practices as a general dentist with substantive experience with fillings, crown and bridge, veneers, extractions, dentures, Invisalign, and root canals. She also has expertise with a number of cosmetic procedures to aid patients in looking and feeling their very best, including teeth whitening, and Botox. She holds a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science and a Doctorate in Dentistry from Nova Southeastern University.
Learn more about the Haute Beauty Smile Expert Dr. Michelle Luis.
What is your greatest achievement?
I had an untraditional path to becoming a Dentist. I started in my late twenties after spending some time traveling abroad, exploring other fields of medicine, and earning a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences. I decided that dentistry was the right field for me. I made it through the rigors of graduate school, and now I am able to help my patients. This has been my greatest achievement. I spent the first six years of my career working with the disabled and elderly, and although I am now focusing my career in a different direction, the time I spent helping those who needed it the most was very rewarding and served to confirm that becoming a dentist was the right choice for me.
What is the future of your field?
Digital! Digital! Digital!
The field of dentistry has been going in this direction for some time now, but with COVID-19, traditional board meetings have become a thing of the past. Zoom meetings are the new normal and the digital future has arrived, from booking online, electronic forms and records, virtual consultations, taking digital impressions and radiographs (measurements and pictures of your mouth), treatment planning, guided digital surgeries, digital mock-ups of what teeth will look like after a procedure, and digital billing. All of these digital advancements are streamlining appointments, more time-efficient, and producing more predictable and accurate results.
What is the biggest misconception about your field?
Well, that would surely be if something does not hurt, it’s not a problem, and if it’s not a problem, it does not need to be addressed. Almost every day I get asked by patients, “If the tooth does not hurt why do I need to fix it?” A small and painless dental problem ignored, can quickly advance into something that requires an in-depth and painful procedure, and a great expense.
What are your most requested procedures?
Whitening, dental cleanings, and veneers are most popular. Social media and digital communication have people searching for the brightest and whitest of smiles. With the increase in time spent looking at ourselves on cameras and virtual platforms, more time is being spent analyzing and comparing every detail of our smiles.
What are you best known for?
Making people with high levels of dental anxiety feel comfortable. It certainly is not a myth that people have dental fears and phobias. I see patients with extreme dental anxiety all day long. If I have to quantify it I would say at least 1 out of 3 patients have fear of the Dentist or Dental Hygienist. This is exactly why being patient and sensitive to your patients’ body language and words are imperative. I take pride in making sure my patients leave my office knowing about their treatment options, which can greatly reduce their anxieties.
What is your most memorable patient reaction?
Giving anyone the ability to smile as bright and big as possible, especially if they have been hiding a tooth or teeth they do not feel comfortable feels wonderful. A beautiful smile can increase our confidence and literally light up a room. Being able to give this to someone is priceless.
What sets your practice apart?
Being patient and gentle is my first priority in order to build trust between my patients and myself. The mouth is such a personal space. Unfortunately far too many of us have had less than positive experiences. I legitimately care and want to make visiting the dentist a good experience. I love to meet people and I respect anyone would trust me to be in such a personal space as their mouth. I strive to have my patients leave feeling comfortable, feeling that their concerns have been heard or addressed, that my hands were gentle, and that they understand their treatment options. I strive to build trust in my practice.
What do you love most about your profession?
Unlike many health concerns in general medicine, in dentistry, you can use your hands to immediately heal and treat a problem. Being able to help people immediately with pain, a concern, or to prevent a future problem is very rewarding.
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