A SMILE REFLECTS ONE’S PERSONALITY

DR NATAŠA MRATINKOVIĆ, MND Dental A Smile Reflects

One’s Personality

My female and professional inquisitiveness is the biggest “culprit” for my insatiable desire to seek out new therapies and solutions. I’m happy that I’m able to share this curiosity of mine, but also the knowledge and skills that it has brought me, with my colleagues through education - notes a proud Dr Mratinković.

The MND Dental specialist practice has entered its second decade of operations under its current name. How would you describe the path you’ve traversed to date? Challenging? Inspirational?

I’m very proud of the tradition and durability of our practice. This path has certainly been challenging, initially difficult, but also filled Thanks to the fact that Dr Nataša Mratinković always strives to keep pace with the times and new trends in dentistry, MND dental is the county’s first specialist practice for Invisalign therapy, one of the most relevant contemporary therapies for correcting adults’ teeth

with opportunities to learn, improve and advance, both for me personally, for the practice and for all those who have been or remain part of the practice. We always try to keep pace with the times and new trends in dentistry, so we’ve often been the first to bring cutting-edge therapies to Serbia from around the world. That is certainly something that gives me an infinite sense of pride. So, for me, this path looks like an eternal quest for more innovative and better treatments that help patients acquire the smile they’ve always wanted.

You have more than 2,000 regular patients who place their trust in you over and over again. How did you “bind” them to you? It was certainly through more than mere technical proficiency...

I don’t think technical proficiency is something that should be overlooked, while it is certainly implied, but there are naturally other factors that patients consider when choosing which dentist to trust. First and foremost, we strive to ensure our patients feel comfortable while at the practice. It is very important for us to devoted ourselves to each patient and to listen to them. We also strive to always provide our patients with innovative services and to monitor global trends. This is something that our patients really know how to recognise and appreciate. Each patient represents a new challenge for us, which we approach with excitement.

At your dental practice, the term “Hollywood smile” means – apart from beautiful and healthy teeth – retaining the client’s individuality. Do you think that’s important?

Of course! An aesthetically perfect smile doesn’t necessarily mean the same for everyone. As I’ve stated, we care about listening to each patient and finding the right route to their desired smile. We insist on dental health and oral hygiene, because that forms the basis of a beautiful and healthy smile. When a person has the kind of smile that they want, there is an immediate change for the better when it comes to self-confidence. A smile is what people often first notice about us, which is why it should reflect our personality. Each of us is different, and thus it is unrealistic to expect everyone to have the same perfect smile. Indeed, we see beauty as being in diversity.

It is believed that, when it comes to teeth, men will prioritise health and functionality while women will place an emphasis on the aesthetic element. Is that a correct assumption?

Health, functionality and aesthetics are almost impossible to separate. Functionality is extremely important and is a major problem when neglected for the sake of aesthetics. It is true that this element is very important for women, but experience has shown that men are also very concerned about the appearance of their smile. Quite

simply, teeth are an extremely visible part of our face or body. It is precisely for this reason that we constantly consider health and functionality when seeking a solution for a patient who has come to us due to an aesthetic problem. Thus, when it comes to teeth, all three aspects are universally important, and that’s something that the majority of patients intuitively understand and accept.

Dentistry is constantly advancing, turning towards a minimally invasive approach to treatment, digitalisation, new technologies etc. And this is not the future for you, but rather part of your daily work already?

We are the first specialist practice for Invisalign teeth correction treatment. This is a very well-known therapy around the world that’s now also one of the most relevant contemporary treatments in our country for correcting adults’ teeth. This treatment involves the wearing of clear aligners that are tailored to each patient with the help of 3D technology. Likewise, with the help of ClinCheck® software technology, the patient can also see how the treatment plan will unfold, as well as the end result. Invisalign is the world’s first treatment of its kinds and I’m happy to have succeeded in making it available to my patients in Serbia, while at the same time realising a dream from my student days. New technologies and treatments enable our patients to achieve their desired results easier and faster.

Your practice employs women exclusively. Is that by design or coincidence?

Apart from myself, three doctors, a dental nurse and a desk manager currently work at the practice. I’m very proud of our small but select team. The fact that we are an all-woman team allows us to understand each other with ease, which is extremely important for any job. These are really very talented, diligent and ambitious young women. For me, it has always been important that my colleagues and I share and strive to implement the same vision. I wouldn’t say it was a coincidence that precisely these five ladies earned my trust. Although I’ve had both male and female colleagues, women have always been closer to me and I’ve found it easier to establish trust and good communication with them. They are devoted and nothing can stop or distract them when they have a goal that they’re striving to realise.

Is it that famous female inquisitiveness that has led you to constantly research and improve your skills? Given that you are also engaged in education, we can’t avoid also asking you about the latest trends... My female and professional inquisitiveness is certainly the biggest “culprit” for my insatiable desire to seek out new therapies and solutions. I’m happy that I’m able to share this curiosity of mine, but also the knowledge and skills that it has brought me, with my colleagues through education. As for trends, when it comes to straightening/ correcting teeth, there are treatments like the Myobrace System and Invisalign. These are both solutions that don’t use metal braces, which ensures that they are more comfortable to wear, while this fact doesn’t have a detrimental effect on their efficiency.

The Myobrace System is applied to children, and it is sufficient to wear the device for just an hour or two during the day and overnight, in combination with daily exercises, for the teeth to be straightened. This system is great for children because it fixes their bad oral hygiene habits, which are a common cause of dental problems. Additionally, children also find

this treatment very interesting because it includes an application that is educational for both children and their parents.

The Invisalign technique, on the other hand, is intended for grownups and young adults and represents the most relevant and technologically advanced treatment for correcting teeth. Thus, new trends in dentistry strive towards combining effectiveness with the most pleasant experience for the patient.

Although I’ve had both male and female colleagues, women have always been closer to me and I’ve found it easier to establish trust and good communication with them