Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | November 25, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 11 Chelsea Perry Owner Elite Dental Studio, in Westborough Education: Bachelor's degree from Indiana University, Bloomington; doctor of medicine in dentistry from Tufts University, in Boston What are the best and worst parts about working in health care? The best part of working in health care is making a real difference in people's lives, whether through direct care or just providing a comforting ear to someone who has had negative past expe- riences. Positive patient feedback is incredibly rewarding and feeds my soul! The hardest part? Dealing with insurance: Navigating red tape, paperwork, and approval processes can be frustrating. But the chance to help others makes it all worthwhile! Dentist of the Year BY LAURA FINALDI Special to WBJ P atients entering Chelsea Per- ry's Westborough practice are in store for an atypical dental experience. Unlike an old-fashioned dentist's office, where patients leave hurriedly with a disposable toothbrush souvenir in hand, Perry's practice, Elite Dental Studio, offers a full suite of comfort options to clients, including massages, facials, and eye gels. It's no secret that people oen come to the dentist with baggage, Perry said. Just thinking about sitting in a chair can bring back bad memories of teeth scraping and drill noises. Perry decid- ed to take a different approach, one to potentially teach people to adopt an entirely different attitude around routine, professional oral care. "In certain patients, we're overcom- ing a lot of bad experiences or 'Meh' experiences. It's something people have to do, but they don't necessarily want to be there," she said. "But we want them to say, 'Oh, I can't wait to get my teeth cleaned because I get eye gels and a massage." Perry is the owner of Elite Dental Studio in Westborough, and the found- er and lead clinician at Sleep Solutions, which uses dentistry to treat people with sleep apnea. Her husband, Jason Eastty, serves as director of operations. Treating sleep apnea came as a natural progression of being a dentist, Perry said. CPAP machines are widely known as a treatment for the disorder, but some people can't tolerate CPAPs, so dental appliances can be a long-term solution, Perry said. "I look at mouths all day, but I real- ized if you look a centimeter past the teeth, there's the so palette, the throat, and the tongue, and all of that con- tributes to sleep apnea," she said. "e more I learned about it, I realized how common it was, and I got certified in extra education to be able to treat sleep apnea with oral appliances." With a licensed esthetician on staff, Elite Dental Studio takes skin care seriously. New patients get a free facial, Perry said, and when it comes to com- fort, no detail is spared. "I remember going to a dentist's office as a child: at smell was awful. So we use aromatherapy, with things like eucalyptus oil," she said. "Memory is tied to smell; we don't want people bringing back memories of their child- hood dentist." Orthodontist Nina Khedkar has known Perry for about a decade. ey met because they were office neigh- bors in Westborough, and since then, the two doctors have worked on cases together, Khedkar said. "She's an exceptional dentist who is clinically gied, great with patients, and customer service means a lot to her," said Khedkar. "She's really above her peers in terms of clinical care and patient interaction." Khedkar works in Needham now, but she'll still send people to Perry because of the quality of service. "I have yet to see any crowns and veneers as natural and beautiful look- ing as she does," Khedhar said. "When someone needs quality restorations, I will send them to Dr. Perry because I know the results will be so excellent." Perry said her top priority is improv- ing the patient experience, but that's not just limited to aesthetic comforts. Last year, for example, she purchased a dental laser to treat cavities, an alterna- tive to a numbing needle and drilling. Patients loved it, so she doubled down and bought a second laser. Perry tries to be transparent; she'll show clients slides from her microscope so they can see exactly what's going on inside their mouths. With improvements in technology and an emphasis on patient care, Perry said she wants to transform what a Perry offers a comfortable dental experience H E A LT H C A R E F O C U S typical dental experience is like. "ere's so much dental anxiety out there. I think it's getting worse with time," she said. "But dentistry itself made huge strides in technology and comfort and things we can do." W PHOTO | COURTESY OF ELITE DENTAL STUDIO

• Cover