For Siesta Key dentist Dr. My-Huong Ta, looking ahead to celebrating the first year of business is an achievement of which she’s rather proud.

So, she’d like to celebrate. On Dec. 10, Ta will host a festive reception at her office at 5136 Ocean Blvd. in Davidson Plaza. Between 3 and 6 p.m., food and champagne will be served while guests enjoy live light jazz.

“I am very grateful this holiday season,” Ta said.

Launching a new medical practice after relocating here from mid-town Manhattan in New York City, where she practiced for 25 years, was an event she planned for with great care. Yet, like so many other small business owners, building a dental practice in the midst of a worldwide pandemic was an event for which she wasn’t prepared.

“The practice grew,” Ta said, “primarily by word of mouth, one patient at a time. Now, a year later, here we are at Siesta Village Dentistry, seeing patients daily, as I knew was possible. We’ve become a thriving dental practice.”

And she feels a kinship with other new arrivals to the area.

“Like so many other people who are moving here or have moved her recently, my family and I knew that this was the right place for us. I can relate to my patients who have fallen in love with this area and want the best dental care for themselves and their family.”

Siesta Dentistry focuses on dental care for adults and older teens. Aware of Siesta Key’s popularity among short-term tourists and seasonal residents, Ta also saw the importance of offering emergency dental care.

“We have so many patients who come in after losing a crown, chipping a tooth while playing Frisbee and all kinds of other issues that arise,” she said. “Accidents happen, and sometimes it means that there’s a sudden dental issue that needs immediate care. While people are away from home, and they may be here on vacation or for a few months, this is where they can turn for professional dental care.

“And, like me, if they decide to move here full time, we’re here for them then, too.”

The prime mission of the practice, Ta notes, is to assure that people have a healthy mouth and functional bite.

Achieving that goal involves general dentistry, routine care and, in some cases for people that have neglected their teeth and gums for years, full mouth rehabilitation.

Since opening in December of last year, Dr. Ta has added new state-of-the art equipment to the practice, including the Picasso Laser used in promoting periodontal health.

“The laser is very good at killing periodontal bacteria,” she explains. “It’s very healing for the gums and helps areas with deep pockets.”

Another procedure that she has feels strongly about is the use of “bio-simulation.” Stimulating the gums, she explained, improves the cleaning process.

It is also useful in healing canker sores and other sores of the mouth.

“We want our patients to be aware of the importance of dental health. Bacteria can be transmitted to the heart,” Ta said. “Dental health can have a great effect on a person’s overall health and well-being.”

Her bright and welcoming compact office, decorated with art that celebrates Siesta Key, holds three examination rooms. In each one, the chair is equipped with a massage function, and a large-screen TV. 

For X-Rays, Cone Beam CT-Dental Imaging allows Ta to see, in a single scan, a three-dimensional image of a patient’s teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone. 

For plaque removal, she uses the Sirona Cavitron Ultrasonic Scaling System, instead of traditional hand scaling.

 Ta has also brought periodontist Dr. Reihaneh Mauer into the practice. She specializes in full mouth reconstruction, extractions, implants and placement of implants as well as aesthetic dental work.

Source: https://siestasand.us/one-year-down-many-to-go/

By: Jane Bartnett