Photo Karen Graham.
Drs Dave Bryant and Catherine Hong in the reception area of their new dental clinic scheduled to open this spring.
Two young dentists are preparing to launch their own dental clinic in the former TD Bank building in Millbrook. The transformation of the building is well underway, with expectations that the doors will open for business in the spring.
Dave Bryant and Cathy Hong worked together in a practice in Bowmanville a few years ago and recognized their common goal in having their own practice in the future. With a similar philosophy and complimentary treatment interests, they eventually decided to set their sights on Millbrook as their destination. The attraction of the town did not lie in the pastoral settings or the small town lifestyle it offers, as neither practitioner has plans to relocate to the area. Instead the decision was driven by business. According to the Ontario Dental Association statistics, the area has a very low ratio of dentists to population. Some areas have one dentist for every 800 residents, where Cavan Monaghan’s current population in excess of 8,800 is currently served by a single dentist in town. The population is also expected to grow dramatically over the next few years, so the area appears to be under served in terms of dental services.
Another attraction to the area is transportation. Both dentists intend to continue working in their current offices until demand at their new location rises to fill a full-time schedule, which of course they hope comes sooner than later. Other positions such as dental technicians and hygienists will join the dental office with hours ramping up as the clinic builds a client base.
When the doors open, the clinic will operate with unconventional business hours to accommodate their clients’ schedules, offering some evening and Saturday appointments. The clinic will offer a wide range of dental services. Dr. Bryant focuses on core dental procedures such as fillings, repairs, extractions, crowns and root canals while Dr. Hong delivers some of the more traditional orthodontic treatment including braces, wisdom tooth surgery and implants. Eventually they hope to become a one-stop-shop, providing all forms of dental treatments in house.
While the office is stripped down to metal studs, it will be equipped with modern technology. Televisions providing a variety of distractions will provide patients with tools to help them ignore the sights and sounds that can be unsettling. The very nervous patient can also choose a very low dose of nitrous oxide–otherwise known as laughing gas–an effective, quick-acting sedative that relaxes the patient for a short period of time.
As modern health professionals, these dentists appreciate the importance of prevention and hope to find ways to provide oral health care education to the community. They would like to reach school children to instill an appreciation of oral care early. According to the Dental Association of Ontario, tooth decay is an infectious disease that is almost always preventable. It can even be transmitted by sharing a spoon with young children or licking a pacifier. Clearly an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
In the meantime, construction continues inside, where the doors to the vault have been recently removed. Instead of cash, the former secure space will house the radiology equipment used in dental X-rays. Several treatment rooms, a reception and a waiting room are being developed on the main floor with a staff room on the second level. A wheelchair ramp is planned for the rear of the building and an accessible washroom is under construction, making the clinic completely accessible.
Exterior renovations will be sensitive to the historic feeling of the business area. The owners hope to rejuvenate the brick exterior and even have some exposed brick inside the office space. For now, the owners are focusing their improvements on the interior, with the help of a professional dental clinic designer to ensure the space is functional as well as attractive.
While a dental clinic is not the shopping destination local merchants were hoping would come, drawing more retail traffic into the downtown area, the new clinic is providing a welcome investment into a landmark building. It will significantly improve the first impression of the key intersection as visitors approach the downtown shopping area. Hopefully this renovation encourages further revitalization along King Street, and along with incentives provided by the recently approved Community Improvement Plan, leads to a more vibrant and attractive retail hub for the community. KG
