Providing beautiful smiles with the best dental care

Dr Madhu Jaiswal is an orthodontist who practices dentistry at her private clinic - The Dentists Pvt Ltd (Advance Orthodontics & Aesthetic Centre) - in Sanepa. Her love and enthusiasm for dentistry, and genuine concern for her patients have made her one of the good dentists in Kathmandu Valley.

Educational Background
Jaiswal was good in her studies in her school days. Her favourite subjects were Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology.

After her high school, she completed Bachelor of Dental Surgery ( BDS) at Government Dental College and Hospital in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. After her graduation, she decided to specialise in Orthodontics. As a result, she studied Orthodontics at Banaras Hindu University from 2012-2015. Thus began Jaiswal’s journey in dentistry.

Motivation behind Dentistry
When asked what motivated her to choose dentistry as a career, Jaiswal said that her parents had a dream to see their daughter as a doctor. She worked hard and eventually fulfilled their dreams.

Her love for Orthodontic grew when she was doing an internship during her college days. "While pursuing my PG, I gained exposure to many patients. While performing, I found myself lacking in braces treatment," she said. Jaiswal is among those who love facing challenges and improving on their weaknesses. Therefore, in her final year, she worked rigorously and finally improved braces treatment.

Advancement
Jaiswal today notices vast differences in orthodontic treatment like Digital X-ray & 3D dental imaging that allow a detailed look at the structure, and gives immediate access to the image. Similarly, NiTi wire is used now which is less painful.

Moreover, advancement has also been seen in braces. The new transparent braces have helped the patients efficiently attend programmes without any hesitation. The mini implant is also introduced which helps shift stubborn teeth and supports braces. Likewise, other lingual braces, invisalign aligners, and clear braces are also improving the appearance of patients. Lastly, another great advancement is adult orthodontic treatment that can be done at any age.

Similarly, Jaiswal has also keenly observed the advancement of materials. "We use Transbond Light Cure Paste Adhesive for bonding teeth. The patients feel at ease with this dental cement and have given positive reviews," says Jaiswal

Challenges
After her post-graduation, the new dentist found herself in a difficult situation initially. There were many dental clinics and several dentists in the market. This resulted in fewer vacancies and opportunities. However, Jaiswal decided to take destiny in her own hand. She opened her own clinic and started practising dentistry freely. Now, she has a good flow of satisfied patients.

Another set of challenges Jaiswal observed was unethical practices by those who are not specialised in Orthodontics. This type of practice results in affecting the look of the patients. Orthodontic treatment should be done according to the nose lip face. Generally, dentists lack these factors. Being an orthodontist herself, she has always worked on providing the best treatment to her patients.

Dentistry in Nepal
There are many dental colleges in Nepal. But a question arises as to whether they have embraced the new advancement and technologies in dentistry. Jaiswal believes they do. She shares with New Business Age that an oral surgeon, who graduated from a local dental college, joins her for surgeries at her clinic. “He uses the new equipment confidently and is exposed well to the process as well,” she added.  

Dental Insurance
In Nepal, only a few insurance companies cover dental insurance. According to Jaiswal, dental insurance should be introduced and encouraged for many reasons. Firstly, oral health is neglected by everyone. "If there were dental insurance, people would start caring for their oral health and visit the clinic often," says Jaiswal.

Secondly, this will spread awareness of dental and oral hygiene. In 2020, there was a study published in BMC Oral Health by A Singh and his team. The researchers surveyed 310 participants from Dharan. The participants were given questionnaires on oral hygiene and cost as treatment barriers were used. Results were that nearly 40% deferred dental visits due to financial problems. Of those who visited the dentist, 60.6% of the participants could not afford the treatment and had to postpone.

"If the Government of Nepal provides effective dental insurance and spreads awareness about dental health, then it would surely be a boon to many who cannot afford treatment," shared Jaiswal.

Qualities of a Good Dentist
Jaiswal has been working in the dentistry field for almost eight years now. She has seen a number of patients with various cases. Looking back at her practice, she elaborates on qualities that a good dentist must have.

"Seeing my patients leave with a wide smile gives me utmost pleasure from within," says Jaiswal. She emphasised clearly that dental hygiene education is very vital for an overall successful treatment. Her research paper "Dental Hygiene and Aspiration Pneumonia” published in an Indian journal covers this matter. She mentioned in her research paper that poor dental hygiene leads to high chances of bacterial colonisation in the teeth, and pneumonia is also related to dental bacteria. Therefore, dentists should educate or explain to their patients about dental hygiene properly, she adds.

A good dentist should communicate well and have a patient-centred practising style. In this style, the primary focus is on the patient allowing open questions and creating a personal atmosphere for better communication.

"I prioritise my patient's questions and answer them using medical jargon and explaining it to them," says Jaiswal.