The Future Of Beauty: “Digital scanning technology in dentistry will remove the need for impressions” With Dr. Inna Chern
…In the next 4–6 months, we will be introducing digital scanning technology which will remove the need for impressions and will allow patients to see a virtual rendering of their mouths. The technology, similar to many virtual beauty technologies, will aid in people seeing what their issues are and visualizing the correction of those issues.
As a part of our series about how technology will be changing the beauty industry over the next five years, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Inna Chern, a mother and entrepreneur based in New York City. At her practice, Dr. Inna is focused on meeting every client’s needs and improving total health and wellness. Dr. Inna is available for interviews and is passionate about entrepreneur and business related topics, as well as her holistic approach to dentistry. Dr. Inna has been seen in popular media outlets including Fast Company, Well + Good, NBC, Women’s Health, New York Magazine and more.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I was 15 and like most teenagers, I wanted some financial freedom. A friend offered me a job at a dentist’s office close to my house and I gladly accepted it, not knowing anything about the field other than I loved my own dentist of 6 years. This chance encounter led me to my career path. I loved working with my hands, art and interacting with people. Dentistry provided me with the perfect outlet to enjoy all those aspects of what I enjoyed in life. I worked as a dental assistant then office manager throughout college and dental school. I look at myself as one of those lucky people who found themselves and their passion at an early age. The added bonus of healing and making people feel more confident was a perk I learned later on during my practice.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
I think it’s hard to pinpoint a particular story as there are quite a few but a general theme to my stories is the realization of what a profound difference you can make in someone’s life by contributing to their wellness and self confidence. I like to think of myself as a dentist who also fuses medicine into her practice. I have sent people to correct their bites and to ENT’s to address their sleep issues. Many have come back to me and thanked me for changing their lives for the better. Identifying systemic issues as a dentist can be rewarding when patients come back from their journeys with improvements in their sleep, energy levels and overall wellness.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?
Early in my career I struggled through failures due to bad choices which stemmed from personal insecurities. I had a partnership for 8 years that failed 4 years in. The last 2 years were very difficult and wore on my self-confidence as a practitioner and as an entrepreneur. I was truly at a personal rock bottom and decided to work on myself and my clinical skills. I immersed myself in continuing education in clinical dentistry and took time to find myself and my passions within my field which led to the rebuilding of my confidence. After a year and a lot of soul searching, I realized my passions again and also what led me to make poor decisions in the past. I truly believe in the quote:
“Only after disaster can we be resurrected. It’s only after you’ve lost everything that you’re free to do anything. Nothing is static, everything is evolving, everything is falling apart.”
I looked at my previous mistakes and learned from them. I looked at this blank slate as a means to re-brand and redirect my vision for the practice. This was the golden formula which led me to regrow my practice from scratch in solely my vision. My biggest issue previously was that I didn’t have the confidence to start my company and believed I needed a partner in the practice. A partnership is always a compromise and a wrong partnership much like a bad relationship can cause you to lose yourself and your individual visions. Through education and self-work, I discovered I was enough for myself and my advanced dental skill set allowed me to find new love for my career and the confidence to create my dream practice. It’s been 2 years now and I couldn’t be happier. I am all I need and I get to have a clear path to providing care and direction for my practice.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I can 100 percent give credit to my husband. I know that may sound a bit cliche but I am so grateful for his support and his enthusiasm for me and my career. Not to mention he is SUPER handy and a computer whiz. He went through a major career change when we first met 7 years ago. I really believed in him and didn’t want him to get stuck with a job he hated. I always loved dentistry and knew he could eventually find his dream career as well. After he was settled on his new journey, he motivated me to take whatever time I needed to take courses and always reassured me in moments when my career path was a bit rocky. He stepped up to the plate with child care and home care responsibilities ( yup he cooks, bakes and does laundry…I am super lucky). He is truly my silent business partner and I am his. These relationships are invaluable for peace of mind, support and confidence.
Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?
I have introduced an online education portal for patients. The portal provides 2–3 minute videos which explain procedures from simple hygiene instructions to extensive surgical procedures. This advancement has been priceless in helping patients understand and visualize often complicated dental procedures.
I have invested in a DSLR camera for dental photography. This camera produces high resolution images for cosmetic cases and color matching purposes. The photos allow patients to see a comprehensive view of their mouth and their face as it relates to their mouth.
A few years ago, we invested in an intra-oral camera which takes magnified images of teeth so patients can better see issues in their mouth under high magnification. This technology has been paramount for patients to see small to large issues in their mouths.
Our newest addition is a diode laser. It is a great way to reduce surgical pain and reduce periodontal bacteria. It has a wide range of functions and can often be used without anesthetic. Lasers reduce pain and post operative discomfort. As a perk it also works great to alleviate cold sores and canker sores.
From a patient experience standpoint, I have invested in a patient communication portal. Patients can do everything from book appointment, pay bills and communicate with every member of our staff including myself in real time. I believe this has been the best investment for the practice as patients feel more connected to our practice and get the personalized attention they need at their convenience.
In the next 4–6 months, we will be introducing digital scanning technology which will remove the need for impressions and will allow patients to see a virtual rendering of their mouths. The technology, similar to many virtual beauty technologies, will aid in people seeing what their issues are and visualizing the correction of those issues.
Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
I don’t see any drawbacks. I believe the technological advancements in dentistry are all positive and help educate and empower patients to understand their dental wellness and the possibilities of what dentistry can offer from a health perspective and a beauty perspective.
Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?
1. I think the virtual try-ons are amazing. Consumers can visualize the cosmetic results before they invest in anything.
2. Personalization and AI (being able to custom design a product makes for ideal results)
3. 3D technology for better visualization
Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?
A false sense of reality and perfection can occur with all the advents in corrective technology.
You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)
I believe the basic premise is SELFCARE and whatever that means for you as an individual. Feeling good about yourself makes you beautiful on the inside which eventually radiates on the outside.
5 basic guidelines I live by are
1. SLEEP ( magic elixir for everything) Keeps your skin glowing and keeps you healthy (no colds here)
2. Eat Well and drink lots of water (eating clean keeps your body functioning optimally and water gives your skin a great glow) When I eat junk food, I feel its effects on my mood and how I look
3. Exercise released endorphins which contribute to happiness and that feel good about your self vibe
4. Have healthy, supportive relationships with family, friends and peers. Surround yourself with positive energy!!! That great support system makes you feel great and beautiful
5. Take time for yourself to reconnect and be self-aware. Stillness is under-rated ( I meditate, practice yoga and long distance run) All these activities give me gratitude and a feeling of beauty inside and out
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I think everyone should make a concerted effort to be kind at least a few times a day. It will become a habit and eventually a way of life that will improve society as a whole. I think my sentiment can be best expressed with a few of my favorite quotes.
“the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- they must be felt with the heart.”
“Kindness is loving yourself enough to love those around you”
“Kindness is free to give but priceless to receive”
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Only after disaster can we be resurrected. It’s only after you’ve lost everything that you’re free to do anything. Nothing is static, everything is evolving, everything is falling apart.”
This is a great quote summarizing my life’s journey. All great entrepreneurs have failed. How successful they become is based on how fast they moved past their failure and found a new path. I have been through a divorce and a partnership breakup. I have mourned those mistakes but managed to pick myself up again and try a new path. All those wrong turns led me to my current journey with my now husband and my newly re-invented practice. Each day is a victory and I am stronger for it!
How can our readers follow you online?
They can find more on my website: https://newyorkgeneraldentistry.com/
And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newyorkgeneraldentistry/
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
The Future Of Beauty: “Digital scanning technology in dentistry will remove the need for… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.