Kristie CerutiWhen the Tooth Fairy was searching for real estate and practice design assistance, the first person she called was Dr. Phing Saurer.
The 2018 Incisal Edge 40 Under 40 honoree accepted the challenge with gusto, and the area of her practice dedicated to young patients at River Park Dental, in Dublin, Ohio, has never been the same.
Nestled in the midst of a handpainted mural from the book Where The Wild Things Are, and alongside stations for video viewing and games: a Tooth Fairy dental office.
Every day, her patients’ reactions convince Dr. Saurer that it was the right decision.
“Most are curious to see a small door in the wall.
Every time a child looks in, they come running out and excitedly tell their parents about it. They are always in awe and truly believe the Tooth Fairy works there.
We have tiny envelopes and paper we give to parents to write a note for their child from the Tooth Fairy when they lose a tooth as well.”
Tooth Fairy Construction Job 1: No Small Feat
“It took me three, four-hour days to paint the mural because I free-handed the mural on three walls. Painting relaxes me, so it was very enjoyable,” said Dr. Phing Saurer.
“I put a lot of thought and planning into the space so I’m really proud of all of it. As a teenager, I used to paint murals for a job, so painting one in my office was an absolute must. Where the Wild Things Are is one of my favorite childhood books because it’s all about being imaginative and creative.”
“The Tooth Fairy room took a little longer because I built some of the cabinetry in the room with supplies from Hobby Lobby. I have always loved miniature things, so to be able to make a miniature dental room was a lot of fun for me.”
“I love creating this feeling of magic and make-believe for the kids,” said Dr. Phing Saurer.
Backstory with a Spoiler Alert
Raising three children under age 7 with her husband, Dr. Saurer had some experience with the legend of lost teeth.
“I built the Tooth Fairy room for my son because he was afraid of losing his teeth. So, I made up a whole story about the Tooth Fairy needing it for her dental room. Because I have a healthy obsession with all things miniature, I built a miniature operatory to make my story more believable.
When I started construction on my new office, I had my project manager install the room into a wall. Even the construction crew loved it!”
Dr. Phing’s Powerful Inspiration for Her Project
“I’m not a pediatric dentist but I love children. As a mother of three young kids, I know how stressful it can be to bring kids to a doctor’s appointment so I wanted to create an environment where kids are excited to come visit and also to ease the parent’s stress when it comes to entertaining their kids while at the appointment.
I want children to look forward to coming to the dentist and not be afraid. I have a lot of adult patients who have had bad dental experiences as a child so it was important for me to make it magical and fun.”
Advice to Spare, Tips to Share
To other doctors creating unique areas tailored to their patients of different ages, Dr. Saurer offers a few suggestions:
“Try to put yourself in the perspective of your patients. Sometimes we focus too much on things that patients don’t necessarily care about. When I designed my office, I made a list of patient complaints I had heard throughout all my years of practicing and addressed those concerns through design touches and also the latest technology. Patients want to feel like they are being heard and taken care of and everything in my office caters to that.”
There’s No Magic Wand…
for balancing career, family and life. But judging by her success as a dental professional and mom, Dr. Saurer may have found a formula that works … and she’s willing to share her secrets:
- Be kind to yourself, ask for help when you need it, and always, always show your appreciation to those who support you.
- I think we live in a world where “having it all” or balancing everything is plastered all over social media.
- No one is perfect or has the perfect life so don’t compare yourself to anyone.
- It’s easy to get caught up in the hype or the latest trend, but always stay true to yourself.
- Just be happy with who you are and count your blessings and try to remember why you went into this profession in the first place.”
If you follow Dr. Saurer on social media, it’s obvious that she spreads that happiness by busting a move:
https://www.facebook.com/riverparkdentaldublin/videos/2123707564585135/
