Dr. Dennis Macaulay
At some time in our life, we’re all faced with the challenge of finding or, perhaps changing, our dentist. Never a fun experience, but it’s an essential part of maintaining our overall, good health. If you’re like me, I consider some key criteria when making that choice.Foremost, my dentist must be committed to providing optimum oral health and patient care and to establishing a dentist/patient relationship based on the highest level of trust and superior customer service.
Additionally, I look for a dental care provider that offers state of the art technology. Let’s face it, if a dentist doesn’t have the most advanced tools available, are they really passionate about their practice?
The dental office of Dr. Dennis Macaulay prides itself on having a state of the art facility to provide the best possible dental care. Dr. Macaulay’s office utilizes digital x-ray images that allow him to take a closer look at your teeth along with the surrounding areas of the mouth. This procedure can produce up to 80% LESS RADIATION than standard x-rays. Now, that’s technology I want from my dentist!
We caught up recently with Dr. Macaulay . . . here’s a bit more of what we found out!
FF: How long have you been in practice and at your current location?
DD: 37 years
FF: Do you see children as well as adults?
DD: Yes, 6yrs or older
FF: What is the latest in dental technology?
DD: Oh, this list could be a mile long, but I'll just hit some highlights:
1) Digital x-rays - excellent quality with much less radiation - we've been using them for several years now.
2) Velscope - a special frequency light for "seeing" soft tissue abnormalities MUCH earlier than we can with the unaided eye - an excellent cancer screening aid that we use on all patients
3) The best and most effective bonding/filling materials that allow us to actually strengthen the tooth with a filling, instead of weakening it
4) Laser treatment of gum tissue problems that speeds healing and reattachment of gums around the teeth - a big improvement over previous methods such as gum surgery and reduces the amount of surgery that is necessary at the gum specialist
5) Electronic communication with patients such as confirming appointments by email, a simple feature patient’s love that is quicker for all of us.
FF: How does our mouth affect our overall health
DD: It serves as an early warning sign for many conditions - if your gums bleed a lot that could affect the heart in some cases and there is a definite connection between inflammation anywhere in the body and in the gum tissue.
FF: Are silver fillings safe?
DD: Silver fillings are not, nor have they ever been "unsafe" - but they are now an inferior way to restore teeth that leave the tooth weaker and much more vulnerable to decay in the future. Now that we have these materials there are much better reasons not ever to need to use silver - we haven't used them for almost 20 years now!
FF: What Causes Periodontal Diseases? How can we prevent this disease?
DD: Bacteria that has not been removed adequately by good brushing, flossing, and regular cleaning by the hygienist. Regular care will raise awareness of the need for flossing and the proper technics for doing it - and soon there will be no more bleeding, no more periodontal disease, etc.
FF: Which is better: a manual toothbrush or an electric? Which do you use?
DD: A manual toothbrush is theoretically as good as an electric one, but most of us - including myself do better with the help of an electric brush - less bleeding. We are all humans subject to impatience and the temptation to hurry, including brushing - since I've been using an electric for several years now my own "bleeding scores" have really improved - but FLOSSING is still the single most important aid in keeping the gums healthy.
FF: Do you specialize in certain treatments?
DD: Yes, I definitely am an "unofficial" specialist in bonding - the ability to bond everything we do to the tooth has dramatically improved the longevity of all of our restorative dental work. I have spent hundreds of hours on learning and keeping up with changes and improvements in this field and I follow closely the work and research of several world leaders in the field - resulting in high degree of confidence in the restorations I place for people. That confidence makes practicing dentistry much more rewarding and fun, as you might imagine.
FF: Do bleaching kits from drug stores perform as well as the custom ones a dentist makes for you?
DD: A "qualified" yes, but only if you have a high degree of patience! It takes much longer to accomplish the desired results and most people get discouraged waiting to see those results - so most people are happier paying a little bit more and having the hygienist accomplish the desired results much more quickly and with a pretty high degree of satisfaction.
FF: Which professional dental associations do you belong to?
DD: American Dental Association; California Dental Association; Santa Clara County Dental Association; Silicon Valley Implant Study Group, etc.
FF: With such a huge variety of toothpaste available, does it matter which brand I use?
DD: Not really for most people - except for a few patients highly susceptible to decay - I just advise patients to use whatever toothpaste they like the taste of - the brush bristles can do all the work without even using toothpaste so what you do with the bristles is more important that what you put on them.
FF: Are you accepting new patients?
DD: Yes, we have a very busy practice, but in this demographic we have people moving out of the area now and then and so we always accept new patients to replace them.
FF: How long does it take to get an appointment?
DD: Depending on what the appointment is for, usually 2 or 3 weeks, but if there is an emergency involved of course we will see the patient immediately to get them comfortable
FF: What’s your favorite movie?
DD: My personal favorite would have to be three movies, actually - the "Triumvirate" by a recently deceased Polish/French director Kieslowski - titled successsively "Red", "White" and "Blue". They were wonderful, quiet, introspective films - very creative and brilliant - made mostly in the early, middle 90s. They remain, for me, some of the best films I've ever seen!
FF: If you were not doing your current job, what would you be doing?
DD: Pursuing either some kind of musical career or my favorite activity - skiing! - Although neither of those would be very lucrative.
FF: When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up?
DD: Can't even remember thinking of that at that age.
FF: What’s your favorite part of the day?
DD: Late at night - it's quiet and time for reading or listening to music.
FF: Do you read your horoscope?
DD: No - don't waste any time on things I don't believe in - and astrology is definitely one of those!
FF: What’s your favorite Ice Cream?
DD: Rocky Road
FF: Name three inventions you’re most grateful for.
DD: Dental Implants - I have two of them!; Smartphones - I use it constantly, everything from calendar to email to getting the weather anywhere in the world; "Time Shifting" - using TiVo, or any similar device - saving me time and frustration being forced to view commercials against my wishes.
FF: What’s the best piece of advice anyone’s given you?
DD: Don't ever refinance your house - and pay off your mortgage early. I didn't follow that advice at first, but it would have been the best advice if I had followed it sooner!
FF: If they made a movie of your life, who’d play you?
DD: Don't know - can't imagine - I'm too boring.
FF: What’s a typical day like for you?
DD: Up early - 6:00 am - at office for 8 hrs. watch some TV and then read or computer work before bed - I told you I was boring.
FF: What’s the toughest part of your job?
DD: Difficult to reach teeth that I can't see very well!
FF:Is there something else you would like to accomplish?
DD: See all of Shakespeare plays - the whole cannon - about half way there.
FF: What book are you currently reading?
DD: Thomas Jefferson - a biography by Christopher Hitchens
FF: Who’s been your biggest influence in your life?
DD: Parents (both good)
FF: Where is your favorite vacation spot?
DD: Hawaii
FF: If you could give a 16 year old advice what would it be?
DD: Study hard - forget what contemporaries think of you - follow your own interests, not the masses. (And never refinance your house - pay it off early!)
FF: Whose? Your favorite TV or Movie star?
DD: Comedian Bill Maher.
FF: What do you like the most about living in the Bay Area?
DD: Weather - climate.
FF: What’s your favorite holiday?
DD: July 4 Why? We can celebrate what humanity has done (the US constitution) instead of what religion tells us to celebrate.
FF: Have you ever met anyone famous? Who?
DD: Classical musicians - backstage after a concert.
FF: If you could have lunch with one famous person, who would it be?
DD: Someone alive?? - Actor Tom Hanks; Someone from the past? - Charles Darwin
