Dr Valeria Nechita

I could say that it chose me, or rather, that it was meant for me. With several options in mind, my French teacher, with whom I’d been having private lessons since Year 3, told me at one point that dentistry would certainly suit me. That’s when I started toying with the idea. I had a dentist I’d been seeing for many years; I gradually became more interested and attentive during my check-ups and noticed that I liked the atmosphere in the surgery and the results they delivered for patients. That’s where it all began.

It was much simpler here. At university, I explored all the specialisms, and Orthodontics was by far the one that sparked my interest the most, as it is a field that involves a great deal of planning and organisation. Furthermore, the spectacular results you can achieve have both aesthetic and social implications. When you see a patient whose self-esteem rises when they smile, who seems to take flight and feel they can achieve any goal in life, that is when you feel a sense of satisfaction as a doctor.

Let it be the smile you no longer want to hide, the one you want to show everyone.

Eight and a half years ago, shortly after I finished university.

Yes, it is the FACE course, a modular programme spanning nearly two years, which has made me see orthodontics as a far more complex specialism. The curriculum begins with a detailed analysis of the patient’s dental and facial aesthetics and places just as much emphasis on occlusion – the patient’s bite – as this is what ensures dental health. It really is a course that I can say has changed my entire perspective on the diagnosis given to patients and, by extension, on treatment solutions.

I believe there are two very important things patients need to know: there is no age limit for orthodontic treatment, and regardless of the age at which it is carried out, it can extend the lifespan of the teeth in the dental arch.

Because during the growth phase, with an accurate diagnosis, the development of certain abnormalities can be prevented. So our aim is preventive. Furthermore, when it comes to treatment, treating children has the great advantage of the patient’s growth, which helps us to guide both tooth development and bone growth in a favourable direction.

Orthodontic treatment between the ages of seven and ten can completely correct certain abnormalities and can also simplify and shorten treatment during adolescence.

In orthodontics, as in other specialisms, the future is digital: from taking impressions, through diagnosis and treatment planning, to the fabrication of dental appliances.

My mentors at the moment are the lecturers on the FACE course: Dr Renato Cocconi, Dr Domingo Martin and Dr Alberto Canabez. They are the ones who have broadened my horizons.

“A healthy smile enables a person to reach their full potential in life.”

Because every patient is different and, in practice, it’s a new challenge.

Organised, determined, reliable.

Let’s ask them. I can describe how I see myself in relation to my patients: patient and keen to help them understand their diagnosis, the treatment objectives and the purpose of each piece of equipment.

Patient satisfaction at the end of treatment, when we compare the initial situation with the final result and the fact that they know we have made positive changes, both in terms of appearance and function.

During the treatment planning session – the one where the patient and I set our shared goals – we discuss both the process and the outcome, and what I always tell my patients is that I will take all their wishes into account, provided that fulfilling them is within my power. My patients also know that, although the journey can sometimes seem difficult and long, the results will be well worth it.

A mum to a five-and-a-half-year-old boy, who loves the mountains, reading and spending time with friends.