Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

Dr. Laya Bahrani joins Mountain Ridge Dentistry

By: Shelley Widhalm | The Surveyor | January 06, 2022 | Local News

Dr. Laya Bahrani joined Dr. Austin DePorter at Mountain Ridge Dentistry because she likes how he practices dentistry and treats his patients.

“I’ve seen a lot of different ways of practicing dentistry, and the manner I appreciate the most is where we give patients options, educating them (about their dental health) and deciding together the approach we want to take,” said Bahrani, DDS, an associate dentist at Mountain Ridge Dentistry.

Bahrani, who lives in Fort Collins, started at the Berthoud practice, 310 Mountain Ave., in December following her completion of a one-year residency at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. She provided general dentistry and worked in the operating room on oral maxillofacial surgeries of jaw fractures, cleft lips and cleft palates. She earned her degree in 2020 from New York University.

“I think it’s my role to take all the information and training I received and deliver it to patients in an individualized way so they understand what is going on in their body and collaborating together to arrive at a healthier baseline that they then can maintain on their own,” Bahrani said.

An Ohio native, Bahrani wanted to move to Colorado for the hiking and outdoor opportunities and “because it’s a beautiful place to be,” she said. She looked for a practice that had the same philosophy of dental care and level of ethics in patient care as she did. She and DePorter are similar in how they provide treatment, giving patients the opportunity to collaborate with their dentist about their oral health, she said.

“Dr. DePorter does a great job about that, really approaching it in a conservative, ethical manner,” Bahrani said.

Bahrani likes a tapered approach to dental care, where the dentist and patient have a conversation about next steps, giving the patient a sense of autonomy, Bahrani said.

“In any industry things are sold or convinced of instead of agreed upon,” Bahrani said, explaining that in traditional care, the patient shows up and respects the doctor’s degree, following what’s recommended without question. “I really care about stepping away from that, making it less of an exchange and more of a process.”

Mountain Ridge Dentistry, which opened in 2018, is tech-focused with cutting-edge technology that includes digital x-rays, panoramic x-rays and intra-oral cameras giving live action views. There also are five operatories, which are single rooms with individual patient chairs, a waiting room, a conference room, a consultation room and a collaborative room for staff.

The operatories include a number of comfort items to ease the treatment process, setting the practice apart from others, Bahrani said. The comfort items include things like stress balls, noise-canceling headphones, finger massagers and blankets, with the intention of helping patients settle into the dental chair, relax and ease their anxiety, she said.

“I love that it’s a warmer environment. Having those touches allows patients to enter the space, which is not often easy in a health care facility,” Bahrani said. “It’s tough to go in somewhere to receive treatment, especially if it’s been a negative experience.  … All those little things add up to a great experience and experiencing dentistry in a different way.”

Bahrani likes that she also can bounce off ideas of next steps with DePorter, who holds a doctorate in medical dentistry, she said.

“It’s been really wonderful working with a team, getting to know all the patients and being in Colorado,” Bahrani said.

Bahrani and DePorter work with a staff of three assistants, three hygienists and a patient coordinator. For more information about the practice, visit https://mountainridgedentistry.com or call 970-528-0900.

 

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