I am obsessed with live dentistry.
There is something special about watching a dentist work in real time. Seeing the treatment unfold in the room, watching the patient’s reaction as it happens, catching the emotion both behind and in front of the camera, and connecting with people before, during and after their treatment.
It is like a film production from start to finish, and yet almost no one gets to see any of it, apart from the before and after photographs.
So whenever I pick up my camera and take a quick clip of my dentist at work, it is always a reminder of the sheer hard work and planning that goes on behind the scenes. The effort and the energy that go into creating a single smile is something you rarely get to hear about.
There is a before, and there is an after. But there is also the during, which is around ninety per cent of the work, and it is the part we should never forget.
This matters when you are choosing a dentist.
There are really two good ways to find the right one. The first is a trusted recommendation, ideally from someone whose own treatment you have seen and admired. The second is to ask the dentist directly to show you a portfolio of their work.
Both are perfectly valid, and often the best choice combines the two.
But whichever route you take, do not stop at the before and after. Ask to see every stage in between. Ask for the photographs of the preparations. Expect your dentist to share those images and videos openly, so you can see what was actually done beneath the restorations that were fitted, not simply the surface that sits on top.
A great dentist showcases their work at every single stage.
We believe it is important to share this openly, both with the patient in the chair and, for educational purposes, with the next patient who is about to have very similar treatment.
Because the finished smile is only ever part of the story.
