Spinoza left us with the words, "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree today." It's a statement about not losing hope and fulfilling one's responsibilities to the end.

There is a dentist who takes Spinoza's philosophy as his guiding principle in patient care, just as if he were planting an apple tree with sincerity. It seems that any fears of over-treatment or dental procedures quickly disappear in his practice. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Myung Seop Kim, Korea, the director of Apple Tree Dental Clinic, Seoul Hospital, and learn about his experiences spanning over 30 years as a dentist.

Director Myeong-seop Kim is building trust through quality treatment while providing stability to patients through meticulous consultation and treatment procedures.

Is there anything you pay special attention to for patients with a strong aversion to dental treatment?

Medical staff are usually familiar with any symptoms or diseases, but these symptoms can cause serious concern and fear to patients.

I would say that I have accumulated experience after practicing medicine for a long time.

I have confidence in treatment and listen to and empathize with patients.

Through this, I was able to provide relief to patients first and increase trust.

I heard that you also provide sleep therapy to reduce fear in patients.

It is a sleep treatment called 'conscious sedation.'

As the name suggests, the treatment is carried out in a conscious state of hypnosis, allowing for simple mutual communication.

The patient's condition, including breathing, pulse, and blood oxygen saturation, is carefully checked during treatment.

However, the recovery period, hassle, and price can burden patients, so I do not recommend it unconditionally.

It is administered only to patients who need it through consultation.

Is there a secret to gaining special trust from patients?

Often, you may think of the dentist as 'a place to treat cavities' or 'a place to go when your teeth hurt.'

However, the scope of cavity treatment alone is subdivided depending on the stage of progression. Various treatments include periodontics, aesthetic prosthetics, wisdom teeth, temporomandibular joints, and implants.

To increase satisfaction with treatment, I am improving the quality of treatment through 1:1 responsible care or collaboration with oral surgery and aesthetic prosthetics.

You also received certification from the Ministry of Health and Welfare as a medical institution for attracting foreign patients.

I have been treating foreign patients for ten years in seoul Korea. Even not long ago, it took much work for foreigners to find a place to receive treatment, regardless of insurance status.

This situation is something we might experience when we go abroad ourselves.

We began providing treatment for foreign patients so that foreigners would not be unable to receive treatment due to language barriers.

Although it is impossible to speak every language globally, smooth communication is possible with the help of interpreters and medical staff.

Your experiences vary widely, but is there a particularly memorable patient?

There is a Russian patient I had a relationship with a long time ago.

When he first came to my clinic seoul korea, he was in a severe condition due to various dental diseases, including tooth loss and periodontal disease.

The patient was doubtful whether the treatment would be effective but completed the treatment safely by adjusting the length of stay in the country.

Thanks to his re-visit, the dental office was dynamic in Russian for a while. I still remember that day fondly and how grateful and happy I was.

I still remember that day fondly and how grateful and happy I was.

How are you managing infection in preparation for COVID-19?

Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, I paid particular attention to cleanliness and infection control. The rule is to wear gloves and a mask in an independent treatment room and use only one device per person.

The instruments are sealed and stored after cleaning and sterilization and must be opened and used immediately before treatment.

Additionally, because we operate a reservation system, it is not crowded with customers, and waiting times are short.

The waiting room is also large enough to allow for sufficient social distancing.

After treatment, ventilation, chairs, and treatment rooms are disinfected, and infection prevention tape is used on instruments that can be touched to prevent cross-infection from COVID-19.

Above all, you are specialized in implants.

Implants require multiple hospital visits, and the treatment period is very prolonged.

However, from a patient's perspective, I thought it would be better to visit the dentist less often and complete the treatment quickly.

After much thought and research, I obtained a medical doctorate with a thesis on 'immediate implant placement after tooth extraction,' shortening the number of visits and treatment period.

We also created an in-house dental laboratory to make temporary teeth on the same day when doing front tooth implants, reducing the sense of tooth loss.

What advice would you like to give to patients for safe implants?

Words like "discounted" and "cost savings" should not be used in a medical or hospital context.

Prioritizing price competitiveness isn't always in the best interest of patients.

When choosing a dental clinic for implants, seeking precise diagnosis and consultation from a medical team with extensive clinical experience is advisable. It's also a good idea to compare at least two clinics before deciding.

In particular, the lifespan of implants can vary depending on how you manage them.

To use it longer and more comfortably, it is crucial to maintain regular oral hygiene as well as regular checkups.

You need to make sure that it is a place that can provide good follow-up care.

Another goal is to give hope to patients in need.

As a dentist for over 30 years, I have seen hundreds of thousands of patients.

Thankfully, some patients proactively seek dental care, but there are also many patients who, due to financial constraints, may not even consider dental treatment seoul Korea

Those who have experienced it would understand, but dental pain can be excruciating to the point where it becomes unbearable, even if you try to endure it.

However, for those who, due to economic circumstances, have no choice but to endure the pain, we hope to extend a helping hand to them and become a beacon of hope within the community.

Furthermore, we want to provide hope to patients who may have missed the right timing for treatment and now require advanced procedures by offering accurate diagnoses and the best possible care.

What kind of volunteer work are you actually doing for neighbors in need?

For the past 20 years, we have been engaged in medical volunteer work, starting with our church's medical outreach team and providing free medical services to North Korean defectors in addition to our overseas missions.

Even my first overseas trip at age 35, before getting married, was for medical volunteer work.

Traveling to places like Java, Bantung, Sumatra in Indonesia, Cambodia, Kalimantan Island in Malaysia, Fiji, Kenya, and Russia, I couldn't help but continue my journey as I encountered the poignant stories of patients.

My family has been accompanying me on medical volunteer missions all these years, and they continue to do so.

In addition to that, we provide ongoing support to international hunger relief organizations and engage in dental care for people with disabilities, as well as assisting oral cancer patients.

Reported by Bo Ram Kim Translated by Jini Jung 다른기사 보기