“I have a theory. When you smile there are little strings in the corners of your mouth. The strings lift and support your heart. It is important to keep smiling.” Dr Hafeez Ahmed The Binswood House Dental Practice, Phone: 01926 460251 Email: binswoodhousedentalpractice@btinternet.comDr Ahmed, you deserve a place in heaven for what you have done for me and my teeth
I’ve gone from being a person who probably didn’t smile as much as they would like to, to a person who smiles a hell of a lot now
The nurses have been second to none. They have been so gentle, so kind. They’ve held my hand at times when I’ve needed it
It took me a long time to come to a decision [about the treatment]… having finally made the decision, I can genuinely say I will never regret it…
I’d be quite sorry to not be coming back to see Dr Ahmed again
My orthodontist said ‘your gums are awesome
Registered Specialist in Periodontics
BDS Wales 1992, DGDP (RCS), FDS (RCS),
MSc Perio, Mclin Dent, MRD (RCS)
1 Binswood Avenue,
Royal Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire, CV32 5SE
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Meet Dr Ahmed.Hello and trust me, that's my happy look. I am married with three children and we live in the same house my dental practice is in, it makes life so much easier (when I am at work I am at home and when I am at home I am at work). It's great, I get to see my children before, during and after work. I was born in Birmingham and after a typical state education, studied at the University of Wales College of Medicine and qualified as a dentist in 1991. My first job after qualifying was at the Birmingham Dental School as a junior staff member.
I then moved to London and spent the next 4 years working as a general dentist. During which I got to see and understand the potentially devastating consequences of gum disease and developed a particular interest in it's treatment. In 1997 I enrolled as a part time trainee on the specialist training programme in periodontology at a Central London teaching hospital. Over a 4 year period I received my training from hospital consultant led teams and earned my postgraduate qualifications through a series of formal exams. Alongside the specialist training I continued to work in dental practice in the evenings and weekends.
I was included on the General Dental Council’s specialist register in 2002. After which I worked in 2 specialist referral centres in Central London before setting up home and practice in Leamington Spa.
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The Dentist-Patient RelationshipIn my experience the dentist-patient relationship is a complex one, and not as easy to understand as you might think. Nobody (including dentists) enjoys going to see one. Why is this? - Well, firstly, nobody likes bad news. Secondly, the location of one's mouth is sensitively close to one's eyes; so, nothing happens without you seeing it. Thirdly, there is an association between pain and dentistry and, last but not least, dental treatment is expensive.
At the Binswood House Dental Practice I trust myself and try my best to bare all the issues in mind to be as gentle and caring as I can.
- Through regular dental examinations the early detection of both tooth decay and gum disease should be considered good news as it allows for early treatment. Early detection requires simpler treatments. Simpler treatments are preferable and more successful with fewer limitations.
- I am at an age where I have picked up extensive experience, training and expertise, making me perfectly placed to deliver high quality treatment in relative comfort. Fees are always an important aspect of any treatment.
To make a relationship between a dentist and a patient work, patients need to understand more about their own mouths and dentists need to learn more about their patients. This all takes time.
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Successful DentistrySuccessful Dentistry starts with an understanding that the mouth and its contents are designed to initiate digestion and that digestion is a process of destruction. One way to look at it is that the teeth and gums become victims of the destructive environment. To make dental treatment successful the destructive environment needs to be controlled. This requires a good diet, tooth cleaning and medications such as fluoride to help resist the destructive process. The provision of these basic measures can result in successful long term treatment. I have worked hard to keep up to date with the latest developments and research in dentistry, and maintain that fluoride and cocktail sticks are hard to beat. In the provision of personalised care I would would monitor your progress and make the necessary recommendations in respect of treatment and prevention.
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The Golf TrainerIt is my experience that during the dental examination when issues arise such as like how clean the teeth are or how much bleeding is occurring, most patients feel judged and criticised. It’s almost a normal defensive reaction. However, it makes the delivery of important information more difficult for the care provider, me. What you need to consider is that if you were to hire a golf trainer you would want him to analyse your technique, highlight your limitations and then train you to realise improvement. With a golf trainer you would not feel criticised or judged and as such at the end of each training session you would feel more informed. A similar attitude towards your dentist and dentistry proves to be a more rewarding and successful one in the longer term.
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A lifetime With Only One Set of TeethOver the years I have noted that most patients think that, because they spend money on their teeth, their teeth are getting better. The reality is that they are getting worse. The sooner you realise this the sooner you will start looking after the only set you will ever have. Most patients realise this when it is too late to provide predictable remedies. In dental terms there is much to be said for the old cliché 'you don’t know what you had until it’s gone'. Treatment per se does not address the destructive process but merely deals with the effects of it.
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Private Specialist PracticeI have achieved a very high level of training and expertise. Alongside which I have also purchased the most up to date equipment with which to provide your care. It is as true in dentistry as in any other trade “You get what you pay for”.
It is important for you to know that no dental work can be provided with any long-term guarantees. However, despite the nature of all dental and medical treatments accurate and realistic predictions can be given. I have always tried my very best and my failure rate is below 10%. Despite the destructive nature of both tooth decay and gum disease most treatments work very well for a considerable period of time. However you should be aware that filings, crowns, bridges, and implants will all last well but ultimately one day they may fail. Therefore “prevention is better than cure”.
At my practice the fee covers not only the treatment but also for the entire behind the scenes service. This includes sterile preparation prior to your appointment, but it's shocking how much of it goes straight on insurance, regulation and tax. The service begins with a clean, calm, confidence building waiting area, and continues with the appropriate amount of time being allocated to discuss your concerns. At specialist level discussion tends to be more extensive than you may be accustomed to previously. During the discussion you should have developed an understanding of why you have the problem, what options are available to rectify it and, most importantly you should have a clear understanding of what the limitations of the treatment are. I would point out that despite the limitations, treatment is always more preferable to leaving the problem untreated.
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My MSc Research Thesis: Patient Compliance during Periodontal carePatient compliance is important to the success of periodontal treatment and compliance varies from patient to patient. Several different markers for compliance have been studied through patient behaviour models, the results have not produced any unequivocal markers of compliance.
The purpose of my study was to explore the association between patient personality and their compliance with oral hygiene instructions. I collected data from 49 patients with advanced gum disease who had been not previously been treated and analysed it. Three dimensions of personality were measured using a self-report questionnaire; neuroticism, extroversion and psychoticism. Compliance was measured by reductions in clinical variables (bacteria on teeth, bleeding and probing) after a period of 4-6 weeks.
The results showed a strong association between personality characteristics and clinical variables. Neuroticism and extroversion were associated with a subsequent reduction in 2 of the clinical variables (bleeding on probing and plaque). No association was found with pocket depth. An association was also found between smoking and neuroticism.
The study provided further information on specific psychological factors relating to oral hygiene and showed the value of this experimental model for exploring the same behavioural predispositions.
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I very occasionally work in Londonat
Teeth @ W1, 7 South Molton Street, Mayfair.
where I provide a specialist service alongside a prolific cosmetic dentist.
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In 2002 I was asked to attend the Association of Dental Implantology annual conference and to write a summary for each of the presentations. I was asked to write them in a style so they to be more easily understood by a wider audience. Below are some sample abstracts.