People’s lives are getting faster by the day, but few seem to mind. Last year, a Pew survey showed that only 11% of Americans see the fast pace of their life as harmful to their health. Still, according to the CDC, out of ten adult Americans six will have a chronic disease — one that might be caused by bad habits and poor choices and exacerbated by the fact that good choices require more time. Eating healthy requires more time as does working out.
Dr. Katie To, a wellness and cosmetic dentist from Katy, Texas, is doing her best to help people claw back some of their time, and she does so by teaching people — colleagues and patients — some of her wellness secrets. Powered by a holistic approach to dentistry, as well as health and wellness in general, Dr. Katie To manages to achieve real results.
There are many benefits of the holistic approach. “We EVALUATE blood work on our patients, as well as a physical exam,” says Dr. Katie To. “That way we can find out if there are any circumstances that might affect the procedure, its outcome, or the recovery beforehand.”
If she finds out the patient has a vitamin D deficiency, for example, Dr. Katie To knows that the patient is likely looking at a longer recovery time. Both the doctor and the patient can then adjust to keep recovery time to a minimum.
The holistic approach to health and wellness looks beyond the physical body. Dr. Katie To is concerned with two other types of bodies — emotional and spiritual — that are interconnected with one another, as well as the physical body, and therefore influence one another. “When one of those things is out of whack, everything is imbalanced,” says Dr. Katie To. “Dentistry is more than just the clinical aspect — it’s finding the balance for our patients wherever we can.”
Dr. Katie To’s approach to the holistic nature of her practice goes even further. Because of her natural curiosity and propensity to learn, Dr. To is always on top of the latest developments in her industry. That’s why she practices digital dentistry. “We let our patients test drive the smile first,” she explains. “They can have a feel and a look at what they would look like at the end. That gets them motivated.”
Some more traditional dentists might have a hard time understanding the quirky new way of practicing dentistry, but that doesn’t bother Dr. Katie To. She sees it as an opportunity to change their mind, which she does through coaching. “A lot of the colleagues I coach, work less without a dip in earnings and are a lot happier and healthier,” she explains. “Whether we’re teaching colleagues or treating patients, with holistic health and wellness we always find the root causes and not just fix the symptom.”