Geriatric | Eldercare Dentistry Tampa, Florida
By Melissa O’Brien
No matter what your age, the thought of a trip to the dentist can seem intimidating. Pediatric dentists often successfully employ various kinds of distraction methods for children, but what about adults, especially seniors, who have certain unique fears about dentistry?
Seniors often have individualized dental and physical needs. Sometimes, they may visit the dentist with their adult children or caretakers, but they still want to be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Enlow & Vance Dental Partners, employs what Fred Vance, D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) calls “the Golden Rule.” “Integrity of care is paramount to how we treat our patients,” he says. “We care for all of our patients the way we would want to be treated.”
From the moment you enter the office of Enlow & Vance, located at 16654 North Dale Mabry Highway in North Tampa, you can see the attention to patient care. The office staff knows each patient by name and offers refreshments such as coffee, tea, cappuccino and water. A comfortable, inviting waiting area, where appointments are kept on time, was decorated to make patients to feel at home.
The office was designed by Dr. Vance specifically with seniors in mind (even though the practice accepts patients from older youth on up) who may have special accommodations such as the need for wider doors for walkers or easy access to restrooms. The treatment rooms, all with conservation views, offer people a glimpse at nature that makes one forget he or she is even in a dental chair.
“We offer a full on-site surgical suite that is a great convenience to our patients,” says Dr. Vance. “It allows for direct communication between our surgeon, Mark Cullen D.D.S. and our restorative dentists, Harold Enlow, D.M.D. (Doctor of Medical Dentistry) and me, and it allows both surgical and restorative dental services to be provided during the same appointment. This convenience is a tremendous time saver and stress reducer for our patients and provides a continuity of care that could be lost between various offices and appointment days.”
“Our staff’s purpose is to care for the patient,” continues Dr. Vance. “We want people to feel as comfortable and relaxed as they can be. We want them to understand the services we offer and what will happen before, during and after a procedure. If they are under sedation, and I am their dentist, they will see me before the surgery and I will be there when they wake up. It is all about maintaining a comfort level and continuity of care with the patient.”
Enlow and Vance, which has been a practice since 1992, is a one-stop-shop for dental services, which include cosmetic dentistry, endodontics (root canal therapy), periodontics (gum disease treatment), prosthodontics (dentures), Invisalign, oral surgery and dental implants. They also are one of the only dental practices that offer IV (intravenous) sedation, in addition to nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation.
A key part of the practice is also education. “It is important for us to explain to all of our patients that the mouth is an integral part of wellness,” says Dr. Vance. “We teach our patients oral health is important to the health of the entire body. In fact, oral health can have implications in heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy and other health issues and quite a few of our referrals are from physicians. We try to give people a clear explanation of what is going on, so they can have not only the best oral health, but the best overall health.”
Enlow and Vance Dental Partners. P.A. is located at 16654 North Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. The office hours are from Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
If you need special assistance or for more information, please call (813) 908-2444. The website is www.yourdentalfitness.com.
Enlow & Vance Dental Partners, P.A.
Geriatric / Eldercare Dentistry Specialists
Tampa Florida