Dentist Chris Ball has seen his dreams come true after launching the area’s newest dental practice. It literally takes your breath away as you enter the stunning surgery opposite Fulwood’s Lidl supermarket.
A huge 10ft wide screen greets you with scenes of natural beauty – and a smiling receptionist welcomes you without distracting phone calls. “It’s wholly about dealing with people in the room,” says Chris, “interacting, creating calmness being attentive, serving refreshments. We answer the phone in another room.” The stylish reception area is a small part of a hugely impressive package that meant the surgery was fully booked for its first four weeks after opening on May 2. Ex-Broughton High School pupil Chris, who is launching the business with brother, Michael, owner of Broadway Pharmacy and Lancashire Vaccination Centres, seems to have thought of everything.
The seven-days-a-week dental practice is state-of-the art, with an array of high-tech equipment in four surgeries, each with two screens, one for patient information and one on ceilings for patient entertainment. For these Covid-conscious times, the air in each surgery changes ten times every hour thanks to a high-tech filtration system. The practice has a consultation room, its own CT scanner, a hospital-grade sterilisation room, a dental photography room that will also house laboratory equipment to make crowns on site and much, much more. “We want to make a difference in our local area,” says Chris. “It is a privilege to be a dentist and we want to win over patients’ hearts and be their choice in dental care.”
Chris, 32, saw several hundred paying patients enrolled before opening, confirming his belief that Covid has created a huge demand for private dentistry – more than 13 million appointments have been missed, yet people see more of themselves on screen via Zoom and Teams. His practice has a highly skilled team of five dentists, three therapists, five dental nurses, plus admin and front-of-house staff, including general manager Fabio Vidotti, whose background is working on cruise ships and at Fylde Coast hotels. “We are bringing hospitality to healthcare,” says Chris. “Fabio’s role is the customer journey. We know lots of people have poor experiences or existing anxieties which we want them to overcome.”
All types of dentistry are offered from emergencies to everyday dentistry as well as dental implants, cosmetic dentistry and Invisalign. The approach is preventive and informative so patients can decide themselves on treatment. Emergency care will be available to anyone at a charge of £100 for whatever treatment is needed to stop the acute pain. Patients will usually be seen within 24 hours.
Treatments:
- Oral health reviews (new patients and returning patients)
- Children’s check-ups
- Dental emergency appointments
- Conventional x-rays and 3D x-rays (cone beam CT scan)
- Hygiene treatments
- Gum-disease management
- Stain removal and air-polishing
- Preventative/maintenance care
- White fillings
- Temporary fillings
- Crown & bridge work
- Veneers
- Dental Implants
- Dentures and appliances (mouthguards)
- Tooth removal
- Sedation for anxious patients and complex treatment
- Cosmetic dentistry & tooth whitening
- Root canal treatment
- Orthodontic treatment – Invisalign braces
- Facial aesthetics – anti-wrinkle treatment & dermal filler
