Gregor Hočevar, dr. dent. med. introduced the modern dental clinic in detail.
What makes a dental clinic excellent?
There are many factors. First and foremost, the dentist’s professional education is crucial, not only his general education but also his ongoing training and keeping up-to-date with innovations. Then there is patient care, the effort put in, experience, the sense for aesthetics and professional and competent staff. A strict adherence to regulations with every procedure should also be mentioned, along with all the details, amendments and upgrades. And last but not least, the choice of the right material and equipment. In light of all this, combined with an excitement for new technologies and design, we regularly participate in professional trainings that introduce us to global innovations and materials which we continuously incorporate into our practice as well.
You mentioned professional education. What would you point out in your practice?
In 1996, I received the Oražen Award as the best graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dentistry, and the Prešeren Award for my research. Following these two awards, I was invited to The Division of Stomatology in Ljubljana where I worked as an assistant for six months. However, I was more interested in working with patients in the field, so I was employed in 1997 in the Škofja Loka Medical Center.
I also furthered my knowledge and received advanced training at stomatology clinics in Vienna, Barcelona, Berlin, the University of Oregon (USA), and many professional seminars in Slovenia and abroad. I am very proud that I was accepted to the German Association for Aesthetic Dentistry in 2009, as this is a confirmation that I am on the right path since the Germans demand detailed specifications and documentation about your cases upon becoming a member.
You began employment at the Škofja Loka Medical Center in 1997. What has changed since then?
In 1997, I began my employment at the Škofja Loka Medical Center, and in 1999 I opened my own private practice with a concession agreement. At first, I worked in a small office with one dental assistant, and today we have two offices with a waiting room and two dentists, two dental assistants, and an administrative manager. At first, 600 patients were registered at the office; we now have more than 2,100 on concession agreement alone, and then there are also numerous self-payers.
Professional and trained staff goes hand in hand with high quality equipment.
We realize that we need to keep up with the times, so we invest a lot in equipment. Both our offices are thus equipped with state-of-the-art European equipment, and we are most proud of our two modern chairs. Furthermore, we record the treatment with an intraoral camera to show the patient the state of his teeth and periodontal tissues. We purchased a digital RVG x-ray this year – its radiation is lower than with a classic x-ray and the image is available immediately, which saves time. It is also not necessary for the patient to visit other offices for such services. We aim to provide extensive, high-quality treatment in our office. Patients can also purchase dental hygiene products and receive our advice. We only offer the best products on the market.
What is the motto of Ran LLC?
I trained for minimally invasive dentistry and the use of composite materials in Germany. This is also our motto. We aim to be minimally destructive, meaning that when treating and drilling, we try to keep as much of the healthy tooth as possible and mend any defects in a quality manner. Most commonly, our material of choice is high quality composite material, some sort of plastic ceramics, which remains especially hard after it is activated with a special light.
