Dr. Valeria ȘTEFĂNESCU

Here, it was much simpler. In university, I went through all the specializations, and Orthodontics was by far the one that sparked my interest the most because it involves a lot of planning and organization. Additionally, the spectacular results you can achieve have both aesthetic and social implications. When you see a patient whose self-esteem increases when they smile, who seems to gain confidence and feels they can achieve any goal in life, that’s when your satisfaction as a doctor comes.

A healthy smile is one you never want to hide and want to show everyone.

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

Yes, it is the FACE course, a modular course spread over almost two years, which made me see orthodontics as a much more complex specialization. The topics start from the detailed analysis of the patient's dental and facial aesthetics and place equal emphasis on occlusion, the patient's bite, which ensures the health of the teeth. It is truly a course that I can say changed my entire vision of diagnosing patients and, consequently, the treatment solutions.

I believe there are two very important things that patients need to know: orthodontic treatment has no age limit and, regardless of the age at which it is performed, it can prolong the lifespan of the teeth on the arch.

Because during the growth period, with a proper diagnosis, the development of anomalies can be prevented. So we have a preventive goal. Also, if it involves treatment, treatment in children has the great advantage of the patient's growth, which helps us guide both tooth growth and bone growth in a favorable direction.

Orthodontic treatment between the ages of seven and ten can completely correct certain anomalies and can ease and shorten the treatment during adolescence.

In orthodontics, as in other specializations, the future is digital: from impression taking, diagnosis, and treatment planning to the creation of dental appliances.

My current mentors are the lecturers I have at 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 allows a person to reach their full potential in life.”

That each patient is different and practically presents a new challenge.

Organized, persevering, serious.

Let's ask them. But I can say how I think I am perceived by my patients: patient and eager to help them understand the diagnosis, the treatment objectives, and the purpose of each appliance.

The patient's satisfaction at the end of the treatment when we compare the initial situation with the final one and knowing that I made positive changes, both aesthetically and functionally.

In the treatment plan meeting, where the patient and I set our common goals, we discuss both the process and the outcome. What I always tell my patients is that I will consider all their wishes, as long as fulfilling them is within my capabilities. My patients also know that although the process can sometimes seem difficult and long, the results will be well worth it.

A mother to a two-year-old boy, a wife, passionate about reading and bike rides.