Dr Philip Hand exemplifies truism that learning and working isn’t hard when you’re focused on what excites you

By Danny Chan
​
“There is never a day when the laser is not used.” That seems to be a common refrain of dentists that I’ve interviewed for this series, following their experience with the Fotona Lightwalker and graduation from the Masters of Laser Dentistry from Laser & Health Academy (LA&HA) Institute – the latter being the main subject of these interviews.
 
Dr Philip Hand is yet another interviewee (and LA&HA graduate) to highlight the ubiquity of laser use in their practice. Along with Dr David Marriott, Philip is the Owner and Practice Principal at Marriott and Hand, a 30-year partnership in their clinic located in Airport West, Victoria. 
 
While careful not to overstate the importance of the dental laser, being “another tool in (his) armamentarium for dentistry”, Dr Hand is unambiguous when explaining how the technology has shaped his approach to patient care and treatment: “It is profoundly effective in endodontics, periodontics, surgery and conservative dentistry.”
 
The Fotona Lightwalker, which he owns, simplifies once cumbersome – even impossible – tasks:

• Ability to perform conservative dentistry (fillings) without local anaesthetic: “A profoundly positive practice builder”.

 

• Cleansing of the entire canal system in endodontic treatment: “Exciting!”

 

• Crown lengthening with a closed flap technique in periodontics: “I still find it remarkable”.

 

• Biomodulation or Low Level Laser Therapy: “Something that I use a lot with muscular pain, any surgical site and treatment of herpetic lesions or apthous ulcers”.

 

• Dramatically reduces pain, swelling and healing times for patients. “Something that we all strive for.”

 
“All these advances,” the Practice Principal summarises, “help to build trust within the patient community of a practice.”
 
Dr Hand purchased his first laser – an AMD Picasso Lite Diode Laser – over 10 years ago. Having used the laser mostly for soft tissue applications, he was suitably intrigued when an old classmate and dental colleague, Dr Terry Rose, shared passionately about the versatile applications of the Fotona Lightwalker. Two and a half years ago, Dr Hand was convinced enough to attend a one-day informational course on the product and since purchasing the machine shortly after, he hasn’t looked back. To get the most out of the “amazing piece of equipment”, he further enrolled for the LA&HA course, which he claims, “taught me an enormous amount and makes me strive to know more.” He has since applied to complete an M.Sc in Laser Dentistry in Rome at the Univerista Cattolica del Sacro Cuore.
 
If the Fotona laser helped to broaden Dr Hand’s repertoire of treatment modes, the Master’s course lifted a veil on the unlimited possibilities of laser dentistry.
 
“The course opened my eyes to so much more that we can do in dentistry particularly in the fields of better endodontic and periodontal treatment as well as treating snoring.”
 
He reveals how the laser lectures have introduced advanced methods of relieving painful periodontal and mucogingival conditions, TMJ and myofascial pain conditions”, in addition to utilising an Er:YAG laser to “truly clean” an implant surface as well as minimally invasive method of removing porcelain veneers and crowns without having to cut them off.
 
Organised by Fotona, manufacturer of the Lightwalker laser, the LA&HA Masters program features world-renowned Laser educators who teach and mentor the students. The 5-module program covers Laser Physics, Conservative and Endodontic practice and Surgery – including a research-based or intensive clinical practise module with one of the teaching mentors.
 
Last year, Dr Hand completed the one-year course, which at the time was held in various countries including Finland, Slovenia and Rome. Thanks to higher Aussie demand – and influence of Paul Baltas, Managing Director of local Fotona distributor, Innovative Medical Technologies – the latest cohort of Australian students get to attend the course in our own backyard. In fact, Dr Hand returned as an educator for a series of LA&HA training workshops held in Melbourne.  
 
Dr Hand’s zeal for sharing the latest laser techniques with other enthusiasts can be gleaned from an exacting attention to details during his live patient treatment presentation and also his impassioned exchanges with course attendees during the lunch break.
 
“I love teaching. When one is passionate about the topic, it is anything but a chore,” Dr Hand enthuses, “To be at the forefront of a technology at such a momentous juncture in my profession is exciting and invigorating.”
 
At the training venue, you quickly sense camaraderie among lecturers and attendees, some of whom are visitors from countries like China and Japan. Reminiscent of when techno geeks gather at an Apple conference, the laser enthusiasts emanate the kind of vibe that can only come from a shared bond and genuine interest for the subject matter.
 
One informal tie that binds members of the “Fotona Family” – using Dr Hand’s affectionate term for the company’s growing yet tightly knit user community – stem from having to constantly defend a shared conviction against laser detractors.
 
Lamenting the misconception of many in his profession, that lasers only cut and remove tissue, Dr Hand says the biggest barrier to widespread adoption of the technology is a lack of education.
 
“(Non-laser users) do not understand the extraordinary range of modes of treatment available to the profession from lasers. We can tighten soft tissue, heal tissue, reduce inflammation and greatly reduce pain for our patients. This is not simply cutting away tissue – which we can do with great efficiency – but it is only one of the things we do.”
 
“There is widespread scepticism that needs to be broken down. We are inherently a conservative profession so I know that this will be a slow process.”
 
Dr Hand is one of several LA&HA graduates who find themselves curiously drawn to a laser-lit pathway, honing their skills and knowhow simultaneously as student, educator and proponent of laser dentistry. The Master’s course has been an important gateway throughout this discovery process.
 
“Through the Masters Course I have met like-minded, open, innovative and energised clinicians from around the world. They love to share their dental knowledge and enthusiasm for the profession and treating our patients.”
 
“That is why I find the Fotona family’s enthusiasm for laser technology and our community not only true but expressed from the heart.”
 

 
 

Trust becomes a tangible asset when garnering expert opinion and recommendations that would influence one’s long-term investments. For Dr Bernadette Kwee, her trust in John Szymek, formed through years of engaging the latter’s expertise in equipment installation and maintenance, has been richly rewarded with a smooth surgery set up, great equipment buys and a stellar team that made it possible.  
 
By Danny Chan
 
In August 2017, Dr Kwee sold her flourishing 7-year-old practice in Earlwood – one that she had painstakingly built from scratch – to concentrate on her family business. For the sake of expanding the export and vineyard business alongside her husband, she had to forgo a lucrative practice, not to mention, her love of treating cosmetic patients and seeing the glow on their faces following a smile makeover. Thankfully, she didn’t allow her well-honed clinical skills, business knowhow and contacts accumulated over the years to go to waste.
 
Dr Kwee recently set up Southern Smiles, a new practice in Miranda that serves the southern suburban communities of Sydney. For advice on what equipment to buy, she turned to her former practice contact. The dentist’s unwavering trust in John’s “work and judgement” from the Earlwood days paid off in the form of a go-to equipment supplier he recommended – Ampac Dental.
 
The NSW-based dental reseller ended up supplying the bulk of new equipment for the Miranda clinic, including: Swident Partner dental unit; OPG (Trident 2D Pan); X-ray (Trident RIX 70 DC); Phosphor Plate (Trident Reader); Suction Motor (Dmega); and Compressor (Nardi).
 
Not only did Bernadette retain John’s services as the lead engineer for installation and maintenance work, she found equally competent equipment specialists in Moe and Elizabeth from the Ampac Dental team. Commenting on the team’s high work rate and professionalism, the General Dentist opines:
 
“Ampac Dental were very accommodating in regards to choice of equipment and meeting my budget. They went above and beyond with their services, which includes allowing me to trial their smaller equipment (e.g. curing light) to see which one I preferred.”
 
“They were quick to order spare parts (that were accidentally thrown out by the cleaning staff) as any delays could have resulted in expensive downtime.”
 
The equipment did not disappoint either. The Swident Partner dental chair, in particular, drew positive feedback from patients and staff alike. Adding her own feedback, Dr Kwee remarks:
 
“The chair ergonomics – from different positioning modes to back support to the continental delivery – have been exceptional. I’ve used the traditional delivery unit in the past and found that it gave me a sore back and neck after prolonged use. I’ve not felt any operator strain thus far from using this unit.”  
 
Apart from compact footprint and clean-line aesthetics, the dentist believes that when it comes to appraising a dental unit, patient comfort and connectivity are key attributes – all of which the Swident Partner delivers. She singles out the memory foam used in the chair upholstery – that conforms to the patient giving “extra comfort” – as well as the ease with which she mounted a screen to the chair to view images from the intra-oral camera as great features.   
 
The Swident Partner also holds up to scrutiny from a technician’s point of view, as John concurs:
 
“The Swident dental unit is a very well presented piece of equipment – simple and very reliable. In terms of ergonomics, it’s very elegantly made and supported by a robust steel construction.”
 
Outstanding features, he notes, include: Delivery head (where all instruments are attached) with a module style distribution centre – where every instrument has an individual set of adjustment keys; slim and easy-to-access spitoon or cuspidor; manual and automatic positions, operational from the dentist's and assistant's side as well as foot control; and simple design – “a single main pc board on the chair and two very simple secondary electronic boards to complete the management of the whole equipment.”
 
According to the Service Engineer with over 40 years of dental industry experience, precise location of units and space utilisation were key considerations when installing the chair, OPG and X-ray units.
 
The installation, he explains, was done on a planned agenda, including a visit to site while under construction to give a definite location to the chair. Working with a concrete floor and a parking facility underneath, all services were plumbed from under the floor via a "core hole" – a 160mm hole in the concrete slab.
 
“This involves precise measurements and skilled execution. Everything else is built around the final location of the chair.”
 
The result is an optimally positioned chair that allows operator and assistant ample maneuvering space yet within easy reach to surrounding instruments and materials.
 
“Every surgery has to be carefully designed to achieve the most comfortable environment,” John stresses.

​With her two-chair surgery fitted out with equipment that she says “lift the appearance of the practice and create a luxurious atmosphere”, Dr Kwee has John Szymek to thank, both for his expertise and strong endorsement of Ampac Dental.
 
“Together they make a great team,” she concludes, “one that truly goes above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly for you. And they also recommend very reliable equipment!”

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

A converted truck and heart for rural townships led Dr Jalal Khan outside his comfort zone
 
By Danny Chan
 
When dentists are asked to think out of the box, the usual ideas pop up: Email marketing, Internet marketing, E-referral campaigns, etc. Less humdrum ones go like this: Send festive cards to patients, install Expresso machine at waiting area, incorporate laser dentistry, etc.
 
By comparison, Dr Jalal Khan’s moment of epiphany truly went beyond the boxed confines of a typical dental surgery. He decided to purchase a fully kitted out mobile clinic from a retiring dentist, so that he could “bring dentistry out to parts of Australia that receive little attention from the dental profession”.
 
About 18 months ago, the Practice Principal of The Dental Station officially launched the mobile chapter of his then 3-year-old North Sydney practice. The Dental Truck opened for business in Outback Australia – or more specifically, Quilpie, a small town in South-west Queensland with a population of 595.
 
Quilpie is also the “mobile headquarters” where the truck is stationed and from where it drives into other remote towns that Dr Khan has designated as regular stops: Cunnamulla (population: 1,140); Thargomindah (population: 270); Windorah (population: 158) and Bourke (population: 1,824). The towns were specifically picked for not having access to a local dentist, Dr Khan intones: “That restricts us to very small rural and remote towns which is fine by me.”
 
The greater motivation was to go to places stuck at the meager end of Australia’s unevenly distributed healthcare services, which he contends, is a festering problem wrought by limited State and Federal funding as well as lack of resources.
 
 “Prior to The Dental Truck, people in these towns had to travel 3-4 hours just to get to the nearest dentist. The economic costs of seeing a dentist for them was really exorbitant in both time and financial costs – in most cases, we’re talking drought-stricken farmers with limited resources to begin with.”
 
“As a result, they tend to put off dental visits. We regularly see patients who haven’t been to a dentist in 10,15 years – many with severe ailments.”
 
And it’s not just dental services these rural towns lack, Dr Khan reminds us, but many basic services metro dwellers take for granted simply do not make it to the Outback.
 
Meanwhile, Dr Khan’s efforts reaching out to Queensland health authorities – outlining the seriousness of the situation while requesting for funding support or collaboration – have been thwarted with numerous difficulties. What he has encountered is bureaucracy, buck passing and hoop-jumping administrative tasks.
 
His frustration was palpable: “It was a pain simply requesting to deliver public health vouchers on behalf of the government. The lack of support to do such things is crazy.”
 
While Dr Khan has drastically reduced travelling time for his patients’ dental visits, his own traveling time to the office has increased exponentially. Quilpie is a good 13- to 14-hour drive inland, although through connecting flights and land travel, the itinerant dentist has managed to reduce it down to a more manageable 8 hours.
 
The logistical costs also add up. Flight, accommodation and meals for the dental team, in addition to parking and truck transfer fees run in the thousands. “All these expenditure even before you get to a single patient.”
 
Sustaining Dr Khan through the pressures of maintaining a new start-up is a supportive family – he is married with a 2-year-old son – and renewed sense of vocation.
 
“I wanted to move out of the comfort zone and challenge myself clinically with a great community initiative,” he recalls his original motivations, “I couldn’t have done it without the support of my wife.”
 
What was initially a giddy mix of adventurism and quixotic notions of mobile dentistry has given way to weightier considerations.
 
“Seeing first hand the deterioration of the dental situation in these towns has made me more keenly aware of my role, first and foremost, as a healthcare provider,” the 31-year-old contemplates. “In many ways, The Dental Truck has evolved into a Public Health initiative.”
 
Although The Dental Truck remains a commercial enterprise – running two mobile teams that serve four towns – Dr Khan says he has received private donations and other forms of assistance.
 
“We do not charge exorbitant fees so we depend entirely on the locals to keep the business afloat.”
 
“Donations would help us to reduce the financial burden and carry on providing the much needed service. Dental volunteers, or those willing to work for less-than-market rates, are more than welcomed. With more people on board, we can bring the service to more towns.”
 
Asked for how he would convince others to move outside their comfort zones to serve in rural locations, Dr Khan shares: “For me, the reward is getting to see a part of Australia you don’t often see and meeting people you don’t normally meet.”
 
As for advice that he would give fellow dentists who feel stuck in a 9-to-5 job, Dr Khan says thoughtfully:
 
“Do not get bogged down by the commercial side of things or lose sight of your main role as healthcare providers.”
 
“Be willing to take risks, reinvent yourself in today’s very competitive environment and think outside the box!”
 
If you would like to get involved with, support or learn more about The Dental Truck, please visit thedentalstation.com.au