I TRY STUFF | Enamel: 'I've never been to a dentist like this before in my life'

News24's lifestyle editor, Herman Eloff, has a fear of going to the dentist. When he gets an invite to visit a luxury clinic in Cape Town, he approaches it with trepidation and a healthy dose of scepticism. Will he make it into the big chair? This is part of a series of articles titled 'I Try Stuff'. 

"The first thing I tell my patients is that the only way we're going to have a good relationship is if we trust each other. It goes both ways. I need to trust you, and you need to trust me 100%," Dr Mark Bowes says.

You'd be forgiven for thinking I might be speaking to my psychologist. But that's not the case.

Dr Bowes is a dentist and a very good one at that.

Truth is, going to the dentist is right at the bottom of my to-do list, with renewing my driver's license and cleaning the filter of my washing machine. I only do it if I really, really have to.

When Enamel Clinic in Cape Town invited me to their dental practice for an independent review, I clarified that I would not get in the chair. I'd be keen to observe, ask questions, and snoop around.

I have a history of unpleasant dentist visits and do not desire to relive that.

Based in the upmarket neighbourhood of De Waterkant, I knew it would be fancy, but I was never ready for how grand it would be. The space has a fresh, bright, modern design with a light green pop of colour combined with sparkling white and natural wood tones.

Walking in, my first thought was not "dentist". It had a "spa" feeling and smelled like one too.

I later learned that the zesty fragrance was exclusively developed for Enamel Clinic. Two of your primary senses are automatically triggered by just walking in through the front door. The pristine white shouts hygiene and the scent reminds of cleanliness.

The entrance to Enamel Clinic. (Photo: Supplied)

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Enamel is very much a one-stop dental shop, if I could call it that. You can get everything done from general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry, Invisalign or aligner therapy, oral hygiene, endodontics (focused on dental pulp), and periodontics (focused on the gum).

The practice is named Enamel because that's the most important thing in dentistry. The whole outer layer of a tooth is enamel. Enamel protects the tooth; if it's intact, a healthy set of teeth is guaranteed.

The waiting area reminds me of a health café with a long bench curling along the wall. There are also tables and chairs where patients can wait. There are currently 13 team members dedicated to dental care at the practice.

Enamel was founded by principal partners and directors Dr Bowes and Prof Howard Gluckman.

"We've now been open for two years. We signed our lease six months into the pandemic. We were so convinced that we had the right concept that the pandemic wasn't going to deter us from understanding and developing a clinic that really had the ability to treat all our patients in one place," Dr Bowes explains how a dental practice opened during the pandemic would turn into the futuristic haven, it is today.

Dr Mark Bowes and Prof Howard Gluckman. (Photo: Supplied)

I sit down with Dr Bowes in his office in comfy lounge chairs by the window. The Mother City provides a beautiful backdrop through the large glass windows, and the TV mounted on the wall is rebroadcasting a rugby match. If it wasn't for the oversized green orthodontic chair to my right with its glowing halo, you'd have thought we were sitting in a rooftop penthouse.

I express my doubts, fears, and concerns about visiting a dentist and reveal that I hate my smile. I never like showing my teeth in photos.

In his 42 years as a dentist, Dr Bowes has seen and heard it all, and he's got the art of dentistry down to a science. He immediately addresses my insecurities, "I think two things stand out for me here. The first is that, at some point, you probably had a terrible experience. Someone didn't treat you in a way that made them feel positive about dentists. Second, dentists are bad at communicating, talking, and explaining things. Telling people what's going to happen and being honest."

"When we trust each other, then you will love dentists. Okay, maybe not love dentists, but you'll have zero anxiety about walking in through that door. You'll feel completely relaxed. Of course, you'd rather lie on the beach, but at some point, hopefully as little as possible, you will have to get something done. My job is to ensure you have as little dentistry as possible, but if you need something, there's no stress."

Wearing a navy-blue uniform and trendy white sneakers, Dr Bowes talks me through my potential problem areas and treatment methods.

The dental industry has evolved rapidly, and patients can be treated much more sophisticatedly. Dentistry is now driven by tech and AI.

"Many of our scanning software is completely driven by AI and helping us make decisions. I can show you some of the stuff that we've done. Everything is digital. Everything is 3D. Everything is planned on computers."

Not only do dentists understand the importance of trust and communication with their patients, but the technology around the industry has evolved so much that everything can be done online within minutes.

"When you walk out that door, I want you to think, 'Wow, that was so easy,'" Dr Bowes says with a smile.

And just like that, without fear or hesitation, I take a seat in the big green chair.

Dr Mark Bowes. (Photo: Supplied)

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News24 was invited to visit and review The Enamel Clinic independently. Following the visit, the writer of this article decided to continue visiting the practice for their own personal dental journey, which they are financing themselves.