Dr Ibrahim at DSD Residency 2 course in Seville, Spain
A question we are frequently asked by dentists who are considering working with DSD is: ‘What does the DSD journey involve?’
We believe the best way to answer this question is to share the many success stories of real dentists who have implemented DSD principles in their clinics.
Meet Dr Leena Ibrahim, a dental practice owner with 20 years of experience and two thriving clinics in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her commitment to delivering high-quality dental care and growing her business has been the driving force in her journey, from attending her first DSD course to becoming a certified DSD Clinic in less than two years. This is her story.
Always putting patients first
As a clinician striving for excellence, Dr Ibrahim found herself pursuing goals that many dentists can relate to:
Delivering the highest standards of care efficiently and consistently
Remaining competitive as a dental clinic
Implementing best practice systems through up-to-date team training
Harnessing advanced patient communication tools and strategies
“As a professional, it’s my responsibility to offer my patients a certain level of quality” she explains. On the recommendation of a technician in 2019 she started to learn more about Christian Coachman and Digital Smile Design, which ultimately led her to book a seat to her first DSD course in Madrid, Spain in 2022.
Get started with your DSD journey...
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The DSD journey begins
A suggested starting point for doctors embarking on their Digital Smile Design path is the educational route, with a variety of popular courses to select from.
It was immediately after attending one of these courses, DSD Residency 1, that Dr Ibrahim knew she had found what she was looking for. “It was a mind-blowing experience. I wanted to implement everything right away”, she recounts.
An ideal starting point for the DSD journey is attending one of our popular courses, such as DSD Residency 1
Impressed by the possibilities this course had opened up for providing high-quality care, she enrolled in the DSD Mastership program without hesitation and registered for the DSD Residency 2 course as well. In the meantime, she also began to deliver smile test drives to her patients to gain valuable experience in implementing the workflows presented in the course.
The DSD Residency 2 course demonstrates the clinical solutions presented at DSD Residency 1 on real patients in a clinical setting. “Surgery-wise, I’ve upgraded my game. What I like about DSD Residency 2 is the live surgeries and the specific tips we get on how to perform these surgeries. Seeing this now, it all makes sense, the dots are connected,” she explains about the impact this course had on her.
Embracing the transformative power of DSD
Another highlight of the DSD journey was her experience in the DSD Mastership program, a 12-month, portfolio-building, personalized training plan. During this time she worked closely with a DSD mentor and the DSD Planning Center to perform cases as never before, gaining the confidence to present the final case necessary to complete the program.
“This hands-on approach was immensely rewarding, boosting my confidence significantly. It transformed how I view patients; instead of merely checking for cavities, I now assess them holistically. I begin by observing their facial features and listening to them, enabling me to offer a comprehensive facially integrated full-mouth rehab experience. I’m just offering my patients a lot more than what I did before,” she continues.
Invaluable support at every step
With another course and a DSD Mastership qualification under her belt, the obvious next step was for her to opt for the customized in-clinic team training offering of the DSD Team Consultancy. This two-day program is exclusively designed for clinic team members to learn DSD protocols and workflows, and ultimately take on the majority of tasks relating to DSD implementation.
The ongoing support she’s received from DSD during the whole process has been exceptional, she tells us, not just during the courses, but throughout the whole journey.
“DSD’s availability for calls to discuss various cases, whether it's related to Invisalign, veneers, or a start-to-finish guide for mock-ups, has been invaluable. They've been incredibly supportive. It's reassuring to know that there's always someone to turn tofor guidance and assistance when needed.”
After a recent successful surgery, she messaged one of the DSD Concierge team members to say, “My first All-on-X guided surgery with the Clic Guide and immediate loading went exactly how we saw it in Residency 2, everything exactly according to the plan. I keep raising the bar higher and I’m so glad I get the guidance from the best. Very happy to be part of DSD”.
Becoming an official DSD Clinic
Dr Ibrahim with mock-up patient Genoveva during the DSD Team Consultancy at her clinic, iSmile Tandartspraktijk
It won’t come as a surprise to know that she pursued the DSD journey all the way through to receive DSD Clinic certification and join the prestigious network of dental clinics around the world. DSD Clinic status means she has unlimited exclusive access to the DSD Planning Center, specialized DSD team training, and bespoke marketing campaigns in addition to professional support.
In the process, she has gained significant headway in achieving the goals she identified at the beginning of her DSD journey. She sums it up like this: "DSD is THE BEST thing I can offer to my patients, now that I know this way of doing dentistry I feel I wouldn’t honor my patients if I did it in any other way.”
Start your DSD journey today
To start with DSD is to start with a course. It’s here that dentists will learn the DSD philosophies in depth and meet fellow dentists who are also in pursuit of excellence. Explore our course program to find which course is best suited to you to start your DSD journey today.
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