Episode 1 – Check-Ups & Dental Hygiene

Pete and Jodie are joined by Andrew and Ainslie Scott as they kick off the very first episode of More Than a Smile.

In this opening episode, we get to know the people behind Andrew Scott Dental Care, the thinking behind the practice, and why creating a calm, welcoming patient experience matters so much to the team.

They also dive into the topic of dental and hygiene check-ups, why people put them off, what actually happens during an appointment, and why oral health is about much more than just your teeth.

Plus, in the first ever Tooth Be Told segment, Andrew reveals the story behind his infamous red shoe “Devil Wears Prada” moment… and yes, it’s exactly as good as it sounds. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to More Than a Smile. From Andrew Scott Dental Care.

SPEAKER_02 0:04

The podcast where we have honest, relaxed conversations about your oral health.

SPEAKER_00 0:09

And we help you feel more confident about your smile.

SPEAKER_02 0:13

Hello and welcome to More Than a Smile from Andrew Scott Dental Care, who believe in going above and beyond in dentistry. I'm Pete, and I'll be asking the questions that we're all thinking but we don't always ask.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

And I'm Jody. I'm a dental hygienist, and I'm here to guide us through it all.

SPEAKER_02 0:30

And I'm so glad you're here, Jody, because we need someone that actually knows what they're talking about, not just me. So that's great. Right. So for this first episode, we've got a lot to unpack. Throughout the full series, though, we're going to be discussing important topics such as oral health, dental hygiene, dental anxiety, which is a big one for me for sure, and even sports dentistry. So we've got a lot of really interesting topics that we're going to get through. So for this first episode, let's start at the beginning. Getting to know the practice and talking about something most of us probably don't think about until we absolutely have to. Yes, those checkups.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

And on this very first episode, we're joined by Andrew and Ainsley Scott. It's great to have you both on. Welcome.

SPEAKER_02 1:12

Hello.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Thank you. Welcome.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

Thank you very much. So, Jody, does this mean that you're on a podcast with your bosses? Is that pretty much what's happening here?

SPEAKER_00 1:19

I believe this is where I find myself, yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

All right, okay, okay. So, Andrew and Ainsley, you're the first guests on episode one of your very own podcast. Why don't we start by well, let's hear a little bit more about you. Ainsley, do you want to go first? Tell us what you do at Andrew Scott Dental Care.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Sure. So I do everything that's mostly behind the scenes, that's non-clinical. So I'm in charge of managing the team, um, managing all the admin aspects of the business, the financial aspects, and also coordinating uh the team to make sure that they're up to date with their training, their um the protocols and procedures are all followed. So that's what I do.

SPEAKER_02 2:01

So you really keep things moving.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

Yeah, maybe maybe that's uh way to describe it. But yes, I I try and do everything that isn't necessarily obvious to everyone. Um but uh I try and make sure everything's good and make sure that patient experience is positive and make sure that the place is clean and tidy and organized.

SPEAKER_02 2:21

Excellent. Okay. And next up, Andrew. Yes. Tell us a little bit about your role. You've named the practice after yourself. Andrew Scott Dental Care.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

Yes, that uh we thought about it long and hard and eventually came up with this name. So yeah. No, I think it's uh it's good to put her name on it and uh it's recognizable and uh yeah, so going well.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

And tell us about your role then. What what what what's your role in the practice?

SPEAKER_03 2:47

So basically, yeah, I because uh Ainsley keeps everything running so well behind the scenes, my work is basically just as a dentist, mostly. She does let me in on some of the shared decisions. So Yeah, but basically uh I'm just doing um my dentistry from day to day.

SPEAKER_02 3:08

Okay, and as a dental practice, I think that you certainly stand out as being quite different, and we're gonna hear a lot more about that as we get through all of these episodes. So let's start with the practice then, because I think people have a certain idea in their head when they hear the word dentist. If someone's never been to Andrew Scott dental care before, what do you think they might notice when they walk in?

SPEAKER_01 3:29

I think we are trying to break the mold a bit in terms of um the standard dental practices. So when you walk in, hopefully it feels a bit more like you're arriving in a nice boutique hotel rather than a dental surgery. Uh the reception, we don't have ringing phones, as the the phones are answered downstairs in the main office. And that means that the receptionist is always available to meet and greet you and make sure that your journey starts off very positively. The waiting room itself is very comfortable and relaxed, and it overlooks a really nice garden so that you can try and imagine that you're somewhere else, maybe sat in a nice hotel waiting for your margarita to be served rather than waiting for your dental checkup.

SPEAKER_02 4:11

So and is that all deliberate? Because I'll be honest with you, we had we had a catch-up, we had some planning meetings ahead of producing this podcast, and I stepped into the waiting room and I thought, am I in the right place? I was waiting for a barista to come and bring me a coffee. It looks so nice and so different to any dentist I've seen.

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Yeah, even get a coffee, actually, because we've got we've got Lindsay, um our hostess as well, and um she tries to she's there purely to sort of make patients feel more comfortable and and give them coffee and water and tea and yeah. So you're not far off.

SPEAKER_02 4:44

All right, okay. If I'd known that, I would have ordered myself a cappuccino. But that is such that really does stand out as being quite different. And is this all on purpose? Did you want to create this this kind of atmosphere?

SPEAKER_03 4:54

Yeah, yeah. We really want uh people to come along and, you know, enjoy the environment and the setting as well. So it makes them more relaxed.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Aaron Ross Powell We're keen to uh ensure that the patient journey is very positive, that people are really feeling good about their treatment and that they're they're coming in and that they're well looked after.

SPEAKER_02 5:13

When it comes to planning the practice and designing it all, how did that all come about? Because you must have thought, right, we are gonna create something very different.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Yes, well I I'm an architect, um, so that's why we the the design was very much a focus for myself. So I project managed the the construction of the project and um did all the interior design as well.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

Aaron Ross Powell I didn't know you were an architect. We're finding out so much already, but that explains a lot about the fantastic design uh of the building that that you have. Is there any was there any further thought in that when people come in and leave the building? What do you want people to think and feel?

SPEAKER_01 5:48

We want them to feel like they've really they've really had a good experience and that it's from the moment that they walk through the door right through the dentistry, because we're we're talking about the interior and the experience at reception, but actually the the the dental treatment's a key part of it. So we make sure that the clinical side's really up to sp uh speed in terms of training and that our team are uh excellent at each of their specific areas of interest. So it it the whole experience should be positive, but we try and really think about each step of that journey that's uh from the moment that they pick up that phone to book up uh book their appointment.

SPEAKER_00 6:25

Okay. Yeah, that first impression is really important. People often say it's not what they expected, actually, and it's such a joy to witness that transition from a new patient coming into the front door and them being quite anxious to them uh sort of leaving and almost feeling so Yeah, you can see it on their face. They're they're calm and relaxed and pleased that they've come in. Yeah. It's really rewarding.

SPEAKER_02 6:48

Yeah, brilliant. Okay, and that's very unique as well for a dentist, I would imagine. So I think that's probably a good place to start because for most people, the dentist is something that you don't really think about until you have to. I'll be honest, I'm definitely guilty of that myself. Jordie, you see this day in and day out. So uh I'm probably gonna lean on you for a lot of the conversations that we have throughout this. Okay, let's get into our main topic today. We're here to chat about checkups and hygiene, because I know checkups are one of those things that you know you should do, but it's easy to put off. Maybe Andrew, from your side, what does it look like when people come in for a checkup?

SPEAKER_03 7:24

Well, for the first time that they come in, um I like to try and have a little bit of a chat with them to try and get to know a little bit about them, let them, you know, tell tell me a wee bit about themselves so that we can ha you know get a little bit of um a rapport and uh it also helps us to understand, you know, where they're at, sort of thing. So obviously we want them to then sort of tell us, you know, what their concerns are, what they would like to achieve out of their treatment if it's the first time that they've come along. Okay. So yeah, we w we want to like uh make treatments specific to what they're looking for. So a first checkup's a bit different from a routine checkup where they've already, you know, got themselves pretty well sorted out and they're just coming to check everything up.

SPEAKER_02 8:15

Yeah, okay. So there's a bit of a difference between new patients and people who are c kind of coming back. Um what about those who have maybe put it off? What what do they tend to say when when when they come in? What's the most common thing you might hear from someone who's maybe been putting off a checkup?

SPEAKER_03 8:30

Thank goodness I've been bursting to get here for a long time. I'm delighted to be finally here.

SPEAKER_02 8:36

Do they say that? Is that right?

SPEAKER_03 8:38

No. Not exactly no. Um they usually, you know, uh come in and uh there's usually something that's prompted them to um get them to come here. So they will kind of uh we do ask them about what that is, and they're usually wanting to kind of tell us what it is that they'd like to achieve from their treatment.

SPEAKER_02 9:02

Can you talk us through what a checkup actually is? What actually happens at a checkup? Because people sometimes maybe build it up, build it up into something far bigger than what it is. What actually goes on from a dental, from a from your side of the chair? What happens? What are you looking for?

SPEAKER_03 9:17

So we want to look for any uh signs of decay, obviously, in teeth. So we want to check for any broken teeth as well. We want to look for signs of tooth wear, we want to look for signs of uh how healthy the patient's gums are. So uh there's all these sorts of things that we're looking at. Um so basically we want to just try and have everything as healthy as possible. And if they've got any issues that we see that they might not be aware of, then we will highlight that for them so that we can have a discussion about that.

SPEAKER_02 9:55

Okay. I mean that makes sense. From my side as a patient, I know that there's a lot of poking and prodding and scraping and sharp little things going on. What's all that about? And I guess what tends to surprise people the most? Is there any surprises when people come in?

SPEAKER_03 10:10

Yeah, well, we we try and obviously be as gentle as we can. But we do need to probe around the gums a little bit as well. Sometimes you can feel a little bit, but it's really not bad. So we go very gently with that. Um so we're we're looking for things like you know, if the probe just uh you know goes further than it should, signs of inflammation of the gums. Um so the dentist will probably do that as a preliminary thing, then send them to the hygienist who'll do a wee bit more detailed.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

Okay. So you've done your bit, then it's over to hygienist Jody. So what difference does it make if someone comes in regular?

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Oh, a huge difference. It's so important. So one of the reasons why I love working at Andrew Scott Dental Care is that we've got the best of the best equipment. Um so our equipment actually removes um 100% of the bacteria on the the teeth. Um, and actually that's proven to be much more efficient than a normal clean that you would get, um, just as known as a scale and polish, I guess. Um so having that removed often and regularly actually mitigates a lot of the risk of of dental diseases, and um it's just a really healthy thing to have done on a regular basis.

SPEAKER_02 11:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

So prevention of dental decay and gum disease issues as well. And um certainly if there are any existing issues with gum disease, and it it definitely helps to manage that and keep it under control.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

Aaron Ross Powell So spotting things early is obviously important. And how does that change things for a patient?

SPEAKER_00 11:52

So one of the one of the things that I I loved when I before I even started uh this job and before I went to do my degree is that I learned that almost all of dental diseases are in are preventable.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 12:05

And that actually shows how much control a patient can actually have over their own oral health. So I really like to empower patients to to really understand that. So the more that they do to take care of their mouth at home and in terms of coming in regularly to get cleans, the more control they have. Um and therefore their oral health will be better.

SPEAKER_02 12:27

Aaron Ross Powell Are you the one that sends people away with those little interdental brushes that they have to use?

SPEAKER_00 12:32

All the colours of the rainbow.

SPEAKER_02 12:34

Okay, great, love it. Andrew, on the flip side then, what's the risk of someone who leaves it too long or doesn't come in for a checkup? What might happen?

SPEAKER_03 12:42

Yeah, well, obviously the sooner that you detect things, it means that the smaller the treatment is that's required to fix it. Um so normally people won't get symptoms from small areas of decay in their teeth, but we can still detect them. So it's a simple filling then to fix that. But if treat if they don't come in and get their treatment, then you know the decay gets to a late stage and it gets onto the nerve of the tooth, and then they're needing bigger, more costly, more time-consuming treatments like Okay. Like a good old root canal. Like a good old root canal or or worse.

SPEAKER_02 13:24

Or worse, no. Uh okay, right. So I think part of the reason people avoid coming in is maybe that feeling of if I go, they might find something. How do you how do you handle that when someone comes in with that kind of mindset? What do you say to people?

SPEAKER_03 13:40

Well, yeah, I think it's best, you know, you say to them, obviously, you know, if we do all the checks and x-rays and things and we find nothing, then that's a really good reassurance for people that everything's looking good and that they're they can then feel confident that everything's in good shape for a good period of time. But even if we do find something small, then it means that we're treating it at the earliest stage and it's just uh, you know, a smaller treatment that they're acquiring rather than a bigger treatment. So we always want to keep the treatments as minimal as possible.

SPEAKER_00 14:14

Aaron Ross Powell I always say as well, knowledge is power. So for patients who are worried about finding out that that there's something the matter in their mouths, I always say, you know, it's better to know about it and you're you're in a really good place because we do this day in, day out. We're not afraid of this and we we can help you to fix it. And it's better to know something than than to just sort of bury your head in the sand with it.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Okay. No, I kind of get that as well. And it's almost like even for those more nervous patients, and I know we're gonna we've got uh an episode coming up about dental anxiety, but even for those nervous patients, it must be a bit of a weight off their shoulder once they're actually there, and once they're actually on the chair, and once they see that lovely waiting room that you've got as as well. Is there anything else, Judy, that maybe you might say to patients to re to reassure them about things?

SPEAKER_00 14:59

Hand on heart, all I can say is that I'm biased of course, but our team is amongst the loveliest people I've ever come across. Yeah. And uh we all really care about our jobs, we're very passionate about what we do, and we really want it to be a a fantastic experience. So just for any sort of anxious patients out there who are maybe a bit worried, uh all I can say is that hopefully you'll feel the passion and the care that we we generally do our best every day to make it a really good experience.

SPEAKER_02 15:28

Okay, and mindful. And we're gonna talk more about that whole anxiety, because that's a huge thing for so many people. So we're gonna talk more about that next time. Okay. So look, let's just make this really clear then. When someone comes in, what does that first visit maybe look like for someone who's maybe a little bit unsure?

SPEAKER_03 15:48

Andrew? Well, yeah, they'll come in uh to the meet the receptionist. The receptionist uh the receptionists that we've got are all really bubbly and friendly.

SPEAKER_02 15:59

Receptionist slash barista.

SPEAKER_03 16:01

Yeah, yeah. So yeah, they'll invite them in, show them around a little bit, um, the reception and waiting room area, and offer them a water or a coffee or tea or whatever, make sure they're sat down and comfortable. Uh so they'll have a um a sort of uh hopefully nice experience getting to the waiting room and and waiting there. The waiting room's really a nice area. People comment how they would like to have it as their living room in their house. And I can quite believe that because it looks so cute. Okay. And then uh then we bring them in for their um, you know, new patient exam and and obviously uh come out to the waiting room to get them and have a wee chat with them then uh about how their day's been, just you know, not dental stuff necessarily to just start with and uh just to get them a little bit relaxed and then we can have a wee chat about what it is that's actually, you know, brought them to see us about their specific kind of dental kind of concerns.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

So that first visit then does it always lead to treatment or is it maybe just understanding where where things are at?

SPEAKER_03 17:11

Normally at the first visit uh we wouldn't do any actual treatment unless it was something like an emergency kind of treatment. So we're just uh just to try and help them out. But um we normally would just see do do the sort of investigations, do the checkup, take any x-rays that's necessary and discuss the kind of uh concerns that they've got. So we wouldn't be normally doing any treatment at that first appointment. And just trying to like it's really important to find out what the patient's desires from their treatment are uh so that we can like make a specific bespoke plan for them.

SPEAKER_02 17:47

Okay. So look, if someone is listening to this and they're thinking that sounds like me, they've maybe been putting things off. What would be a simple first step for them to try? Ainsy, you might want to jump in here as well.

SPEAKER_01 18:00

Well, we offer um patient information events. So perhaps if someone really is a bit nervous about taking that first step, they've not gone to the dentist for a number of years. They could come to a patient information event. Uh we even offer appointments we have people that come in just for a chat with the dentist and they say, I don't want to check up just yet, I just want to come in and see the environment and just have a meeting with the dentist to see if they connect with that dentist. Again, we can offer that. That is something that we we do on occasions just to um make people feel calmer and more confident about moving forward with uh appointments. And I think Gregor will be able to speak a bit more about that when he speaks to you about dental anxiety. So we really try and make it as uh accessible for everyone as possible so that even if you're you have that anxiety, you're you're able to uh take it in small steps and uh move forward.

SPEAKER_02 18:54

Yeah, and that's good. That's really reassuring. And is it true that some of your patients just pop in to have a cup of coffee in a chat?

SPEAKER_01 19:00

We have a couple of uh older ladies who do like our reception staff so much that they do pop in and just have a coffee and a chat.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

I mean, if that's not a sign that Andrew Scott dental care is a good place to be, I don't know what is.

SPEAKER_01 19:13

Yeah, I think I think it it does show that it's uh quite a nice environment to be in. We we do try and make it as pleasant as possible.

SPEAKER_00 19:19

I think Danielle, our receptionist, knows pretty much everyone by name, just by seeing them, and she knows about the what's going on in their lives and you know, house renovations and everything. So she's great.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

Okay. So nice personal touches throughout. Okay, I've got to say this has been so interesting so far, but let's move on to this next segment of the podcast. I thought this could be good. We could do a segment called Tooth Be Told, Little Dentist Pun. Did you see what I did there? Very good. Thank you, thank you, thank you. So, Tooth Be Told, why don't we make this about those funny things that might happen at Andrew Scott Dental Care, whether it's patient-related, staff related, to kick this one off. I don't know the full story, but Andrew, I've heard something about you wearing red shoes. Can anyone confess or tell me a little bit more about this?

SPEAKER_03 20:11

Yes, I was uh recently um we were doing a uh nice little fun video, uh little spoof of The Devil Wears Prado and just being released. Okay. Big film. So they did uh want to make me out as the evil boss woman. So I can see that. I can see that Luke, yeah. Yeah, and uh so I had uh they got me some uh nice big red shoes as big as they could find and and uh high heels, and uh so I was uh filmed wandering in the front door of the practice and into the reception, and uh of course first take didn't I s slide on the floor and in my high heels uh and nearly fell. So yeah, not really used to them.

SPEAKER_02 20:59

So you're now going viral for wearing red shoes. Yes. And and who who whose idea was this, Jody?

SPEAKER_01 21:06

I believe it was Ainsley's, wasn't it? Yeah, all the best ideas are mine, yes.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

But just not on you, someone else has to do them.

SPEAKER_01 21:14

Oh yeah, absolutely. Always pass it off for someone else to do.

SPEAKER_02 21:17

There we go. So I guess if you just Google dentist, red shoes, Aberdeen, that's gonna come up. Brilliant.

SPEAKER_01 21:22

I suspect so, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:24

Okay, we're gonna do truth be told again on the next episode. Okay, before we wrap things up, let's do a little bit of quick fire, quick fire questions, no overthinking. I'm gonna come to you first, Jody. Anyone can jump in at any any point though, right? So, first question what's the ideal gap between checkups?

SPEAKER_00 21:45

So, for a sort of normal risk patient, we would say every six months is best. Um, there are some people that will need to come in more frequently depending on their risk or less frequently, um, and that's decided by the dentist who's seeing them. Uh

SPEAKER_02 22:01

Okay, right. Not sure I got an answer there, but yeah, I kind of get what you mean. That's fine. Next question then. What is something people don't realise about their dental visits?

SPEAKER_03 22:10

Andrew. Okay, so whenever we uh after we do the dental checkup and check in for all those other things that we mentioned earlier, uh we're also looking at, you know, the outside of the patient's face as well, and maybe scalp and uh nose and ears and we're we're looking for any kind of suspicious lesions as well that we might find there. So it's rare, but occasionally, you know, we can spot something like that. And of course, if people, you know, don't necessarily get regularly seen at their doctors or anything like that. So the dentist is where they are most often getting seen close up. So sometimes we can spot uh suspicious um kind of lesions. So in fact there was one recently that Jody um spotted on a patient and they uh went and got it checked out and it did turn out to be something a bit more sinister. So they've had uh early treatment for that, which uh appears to have been successful.

SPEAKER_02 23:13

Okay, but that's good. So that's really important, but also it tells us that it's more than just teeth.

SPEAKER_00 23:17

Absolutely. There's lots of um things that we can see that might suggest that there are other systemic issues at play. So um you know, I'll give an example. Uh if someone's got sort of really severe gum disease, I might be wanting them to go to the GP and just check for things like diabetes. Um because there's lots of relationships between those problems.

SPEAKER_02 23:39

Okay, interesting. Right, next question. What tends to make the biggest difference to someone's oral health?

SPEAKER_00 23:45

Good habits, I would say. So just being really consistent, it's better to be I always say it's better to be uh consistently imperfect, so doing a really good job than um being inconsistently perfect. So yeah, two minutes a day, twice a day with brushing and flossing. Oh no flossing.

SPEAKER_03 24:03

I know Jody Jody's really good at getting, you know, patients motivated and and it's the patient care at home that's the most important thing overall. So you know, uh get getting the patient to just change their habits a bit so that they can make the the biggest improvement themselves.

SPEAKER_02 24:21

I think we all need a Jody in our bathroom at home.

SPEAKER_00 24:24

Come on, floss. I always say if I could come round and clean your teeth every day, I would, but I I I wouldn't be able to. So yeah, home care is very important.

SPEAKER_02 24:32

Right, I think you know the answer to this one. What is one habit people could start straight away?

SPEAKER_00 24:37

Electric toothbrushes are my favourite oral hygiene hack. Yep, I love an electric toothbrush.

SPEAKER_02 24:41

Reminds me I need to charge mine. Yes. And what is the biggest myth you might hear about checkups?

SPEAKER_03 24:47

That they hurt.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

Okay, there we go. I think that's a good answer, right? Fair answer. That's a fair answer, and that is our quick fire round. Thank you. So we're almost out of time today. I think the big thing for me, even just from chatting today, it's actually a lot simpler than people think. It doesn't need to be a big deal, and it's more about staying on top of things rather than waiting for something to go wrong. Is that fair?

SPEAKER_00 25:11

I would say so. Sounds good.

SPEAKER_02 25:13

Good. Okay. So if you've been listening and thinking you've maybe been putting things off.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

The team at Andrew Scott DentalCow are always happy to have a chat, whether that's over the phone, online, or just popping in.

SPEAKER_02 25:25

Even for a bit of advice. Andrewscott Dental.co.uk, you can check out the website there. So there we go, episode one over. Before we know it, much like a first dental appointment. Thank you again, Andrew and Ainsley, for joining us today. And of course, Jody. Next time on More Than a Smile, we'll be talking about something a lot of people will definitely relate to dental anxiety. That is next time. We'll catch you then. Bye. Bye. Bye.