Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Balchi.
Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The practice is owned by Dr. Maryam Talaie. She graduated from USC Dental School in 1996 and took over the Century Smile in 2010. With the help of her amazing team, she transformed the old dental office into a state-of-the-art facility that focuses on preventative and cosmetic dental treatment.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Taking over an established practice and patient base can be a challenge. While most patients stayed with the practice, some patients did not want to hear ‘the new doctor’s’ recommendations and did not feel comfortable staying. Every doctor has their own ‘standard of care’ or set of principles when it comes to diagnosing and treating patients. This is based on many factors such as experience, knowledge, training, technology and continuing education. Some dentists stick to the old tried and true methods while others, like Dr. Talaie, learn the latest techniques and industry standards. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, however, you may want to consider replacing it altogether. Dr. Talaie and her team are innovative and pro-active when it comes to dental care. We believe in exploring new ways of making dentistry more efficient, less time consuming and more comfortable for our patients.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Century Smile – what should we know?
We are a full-service dental practice in the heart of Culver City, CA. near Sony studios. We specialize in general dentistry, preventative care, cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry and more. We utilize the latest dental techniques, modern equipment, safest materials and routinely continue our education to make sure we are bringing the best we can to service our patients. We are proud to offer and use laser therapy for gum treatment, cosmetic whitening, and cold sore therapy and TMJ pain management. Dr. Talaie, a USC grad, is also a member of the American Academy of Oral Systemic Heath which specializes in total body wellness and the connection between the mouth and body. We treat our patients the way we want to be treated and go the extra mile to work with them and make sure they are doing well after treatment.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
The practice took another drastic turn for the better last year when the practice was remodeled and new team members came on board. New systems centered around patient communication, satisfaction, and affordable care, really helped transform our patient retention stats. We are receiving more and more praise and positive feedback and direct referrals. This shows we are doing something right.
Contact Info:
- Address: Century Smile
9916 Venice Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232 - Website: www.centurysmile.com
- Phone: 310-836-6161
- Email: [email protected]
