Commitment to Technology Pays Off
Dentsply Sirona’s SiroLaser Advance helps improve outcomes for variety of procedures
The original plan was to become a physician, like so many family members and friends had done. However, Meena Barsoum, DMD, wanted to forge his own path. So after a brief stint in medical school, he spent a summer shadowing a dentist, attended dental school, and almost immediately opened his own practice.
“Starting a business in 2010, in the middle of a recession, was not the easiest thing to do. But I am a business-minded person, and I enjoy combining that with my scientific acumen to run a dental practice,” says Barsoum, owner of Impressive Smiles in Arlington Heights, Illinois. “I designed my practice, philosophy, and style around technology, and it has worked well. The business has been growing rapidly ever since I started.”
Within 6 months of opening his practice, Barsoum acquired a CAD/CAM system and added a cone-beam computed tomography system soon afterward. All of the patients at Impressive Smiles have intraoral scans performed, and almost all of the restorations are milled in the office.
“We are always on the cutting edge, which is an important factor in both patient acceptance of treatment plans and providing the best treatment,” he says.
Barsoum employs one other general dentist and a periodontist and is in the process of hiring an endodontist. He says he learned early in his career that referring to specialists for implants, periodontal therapy, and other procedures sometimes led to losing those patients.
“Patients often struggle when acquainting themselves with a new office and a new team,” he says. “We want to offer an array of top-level services in one location to make them as comfortable as possible when deciding on and undergoing treatment.”
Despite his commitment to technology, Barsoum at first resisted purchasing a laser. Like many dentists, he thought the applications were limited mostly to troughing around crowns to take impressions, and he felt he did not need a laser for that. However, one of his hygienists persuaded him that a laser would improve periodontal outcomes and help patients with healing, so Barsoum began considering the available options.
After extensive research, he determined that the best laser on the market was the SiroLaser Advance from Dentsply Sirona. The diode laser features intuitive handling, preset programs for key applications, individual customization, versatile operation, and more.
“Wavelength is critical, because using the wrong wavelength will detract from cutting power,” Barsoum says. “The SiroLaser Advance has a 970 nm wavelength, so I can cut in a moist environment efficiently without charring and tearing up the tissue. In addition, I can cool the tissue as I cut because the SiroLaser Advance can cut underwater. It just has a lot of power when compared with some of the other options on the market.”
Barsoum’s hygienists use the laser to provide periodontal therapy after scaling and remove the bacterial load from the pockets; he describes the healing as “incredible.” His periodontist uses it for frenectomies, crown lengthening, gingivectomies, and more. Moreover, his new endodontist will be able to utilize it for some debridement in the endodontic canals. Eventually, Barsoum hopes his practice will be able to treat infants with tongue ties. The laser even can be used for canker sores and aphthous ulcers, which Barsoum says is a pleasant added value for patients.
“This laser has been a game-changer,” he says. “I did not realize how many surgical procedures we were already performing that the laser could help improve.”
The laser is in such demand at Impressive Smiles that soon, Barsoum plans to purchase at least one more. He is excited about the possibilities offered by Dentsply Sirona’s new SiroLaser Advance Plus.
The SiroLaser Advance Plus has single-use tips, so it is much easier to get it up and running quickly,” he says. “The handpiece is metal, so it offers more comfort for the user. The touchscreen is extremely responsive, and it has multiple wavelengths. It is pretty neat what it can do.”Like his initial decision to pursue dentistry, continuing to utilize Dentsply Sirona’s lasers for his practice just makes sense.
“The SiroLaser Advance helps us provide patients with better healing and better outcomes,” Barsoum says. “It has just been a hugely beneficial asset to my practice.”
