By Humphrey Carter
Oral hygiene is extremely important, much more so than many people think, and according to the owner of Mallorca’s new British dental practice, Dr. Yasmina Adebibe, it is simple to maintain.Yasmina, of British and Moroccan heritage, opened the purpose-built (by her) Dental Clinic in Magalluf last October and she admits that the new venture is working extremely well, better than she had expected.
“It all began in earnest in June last year. I found a location in Magalluf but it was literally just bricks and mortar – I had to design the practice, acquire all the equipment, permits and licences myself and having never been a businesswoman it was all very new, not to say challenging. But I met some amazing people along the way who helped and guided me and we were open within four months and got off to a busy start because I guess I caught the tail end of the season. Now I’m very busy, which is good because I’m working round the clock to cover all the costs of setting up the clinic,” she said. Yasmina offers her services in native English including Spanish, French and Moroccan Arabic, which means she can care for a wide section of the community as well as holidaymakers.
Psychology“I am officially appointment-only based but it’s amazing, there are always people knocking on my door. If it’s an emergency, I will obviously deal with them, even if it means working late. But as I said, it’s all hands to the pump this year and I don’t have any other staff, which means I can keep my costs down despite it meaning more work,” she said.Born and raised in London, Yasmina first studied psychology obtaining a BSE at Royal Holloway University before opting for dentistry. Once she qualified at Queen Mary University London she worked as an NHS dentist before moving the family from London to Mallorca. “Initially we had plans to eventually leave London and move to Cornwall but my husband works in television and came out to Mallorca with Love Island.
First impression“At first the children were still toddlers so we would come out for family holidays and I remember my first impression was that you could swim in the sea in the summer without needing a wetsuit. Gradually we came out more often and in 2017 we decided to make a permanent move to the island. “For the first year or so I worked as a locum for the NHS so I was popping back to the UK and working where needed around the country for a few weeks at a time. It was financially more beneficial back then, while I waited for my qualifications to be ratified and recognised by the Spanish authorities.“Once that was done, I began working for an international dental clinic in Son Caliu before eventually deciding to go solo last year. And what a learning curve embarking on this new journey as my own boss with my own business has been. “But it all happened very quickly. Lots of people rallied round to help me and now, as a family dentist, I’ve already got a solid local client base, which is very gratifying after all the hard work invested in opening the practice,” she said.
Huge motivation“Ideally I would have liked a ground floor location so as to have been more visible to the passing public, but in the end, thanks to the power of social media, I’ve realised that it makes no difference being on the first floor. That was another skill I had to learn, and fast – marketing. “Initially I turned to Facebook, which worked amazingly well, and then other platforms. And from talking to my patients, I’ve realised that rather as I do when looking for a restaurant etc., people just use a search engine. Fortunately, I’m the first that pops up if searching for a British dentist in the Magalluf area. Furthermore, people can read the comments and reviews so in the end its a great marketing tool. Plus most people in the area can’t be bothered to go all the way into Palma to see a dentist so I suppose I’ve found a gap in the market,” she said.“Looking back it may have been a crazy idea, but I’ve got huge motivation and I’m channelling it all into the new venture,” she added.
Humbling experience“I try to work my hours round the school day with the two children. But during the season, with so many people working long hours all day, I’m always getting calls from people out of hours, so that’s something I’m going to have to work round and get a handle on, but I’m by no means complaining. “It’s been a very humbling experience. The feedback from patients has been extremely rewarding and encouraging, especially with regard to treating whole families. And, to be honest, for the most part, apart from accidents and emergencies, most of my patients only have problems of wear and tear to their teeth. The level of oral hygiene is relatively high and I would say that’s probably down to the sociodemographics of the area.
Wide section of the community“Being an English speaker that means I can care for a very wide section of the community from Britons to Americans, Germans, Scandinavians – anyone who speaks English – then I’m lucky with my other languages,” she said.“Having worked across England for the NHS, I’ve witnessed how sociodemographics and education do shape people’s well-being, health and overall hygiene, but it’s very simple to look after your teeth and gums.“Gum disease is generally down to poor oral hygiene. For example, leaving food, which is a foreign body, around the gums for too long can lead to inflammation, bleeding and eventually chronic gum disease. “Other factors which have to be taken into account are smoking, too much sugar, poor diet, a weak immune system, diabetes and vitamin deficiency – although in some cases it can be hereditary but that’s a totally different matter,” she explained.“The basic steps to good oral hygiene are brushing twice a day with a soft or medium toothbrush, brushing for two minutes and floss once a day. That way you get into the nooks and crannies – you get to places brushes can’t reach.
Vitamins and minerals“Try not to eat too much sugar, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to main high vitamin and mineral levels – vitamins D and C are important, for example – and visit a dentist every six months for a check-up, clean and polish,” she said.“Yes I know dentists are not cheap but people need to take into account the high operating costs involved. There’s all the equipment which not only needs to be installed but also maintained and repaired. Then there are all the materials needed to make and set a filling or a crown, for example. “There are also the lab technicians we work with for false teeth and other apparatus. So outgoing costs are high, but that’s no excuse for people not to take good care of their teeth, it’s very important and everybody likes a nice smile.“And your smile is in good hands here. The clinic provides a wide range of treatments for adults and children, focusing on prevention, restoration, and cosmetics. Services include check-ups, hygiene, fillings, extractions, dentures, crowns, bridges, veneers, mouthguards, and teeth whitening,” she explained.
QUICK FIRE ROUND
Favourite meal or dish? Vietnamese, a Vietnamese saladChildhood dream? Opera singer – as a child I was always singing opera round the houseFirst thing you do in the morning? Brush my teethIf you didn’t live in Mallorca where would you live? DenmarkFavourite film? The Godfather, all three of themBest career advice ever received? My dad used to tell me to ‘always be kind’What are you afraid of? The darkFavourite music? Everything, all kinds but I guess rockFavourite drink? WaterFavourite book? The White Swan