All-woman staff: Dentistry with a softer, gentler approach

By Joyce Coronel

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Drs. Roxane Huber, left, and Stacy Tracy have created an environment that combines advanced technology with an at-home feeling. [Billy Hardiman/Wrangler News]
Drs. Roxane Huber, left, and Stacy Tracy have created an environment that combines advanced technology with an at-home feeling. [Billy Hardiman/Wrangler News]
From the moment you walk in the door, it’s clear that Tempe Smile Design is more like a visit to a friend’s home than a dental office. There’s a scented candle flickering, for one thing. Then there’s the refrigerator stocked with ice cold water bottles and the generous array of coffee flavors to sip while awaiting treatment. Dr. Stacy Tracy and Dr. Roxane Huber, the two women dentists who run the place, want their office to feel more like home than a clinic. They’ve been in practice together nine years. Stacked stone and rich brown and olive hues as well as plush carpeting lend a soothing atmosphere to the Tempe office. “Having an all-female office is huge,” Tracy said. “Men expect women dentists are going to be more gentle. It’s the hand thing — our hands are a lot smaller overall than men.” The entire staff wears color-coordinated scrubs. “People feel freaked out with the white coat,” Tracy chuckled. There are no eerie strains of Muzak playing in the background at Tempe Smile Design either. Instead, patients get to choose from entertainment options. “While we are doing a patient’s treatment, they can watch movies or television or listen to whatever music they want to listen to,” Huber said. “They don’t have to listen to the sounds of our instruments.” Almost everybody opts for entertainment, including NetFlix and Pandora Radio. “It works great with kids,” Tracy said. “I had a 5-year-old in yesterday and she didn’t even feel it when I gave her the shot.” Some of their patients come with baggage, Tracy noted. They’ve long dreaded a visit to the dentist and feel mortified about the state of their teeth. Nicole Sartain can relate to that. “I pretty much didn’t go to the dentist between the ages of 15 and 22. I was just horrified and my family didn’t have insurance,” Sartain said. Ten years ago, a boyfriend finally managed to convince her to seek care. Sartain turned to Tracy. “I was so embarrassed. I was crying when they did the exam but she was very reassuring and told me, “It’s not as bad as it seems,’” Sartain said. “The laundry list was really long but she tackled one thing at a time.” Even though she now lives in Fountain Hills, Sartain makes the drive to Tempe in order to continue under Tracy’s care. “I’m really happy with her. I won’t go anywhere else,” Sartain said. Still, it’s more than just comfort Stacy and Huber offer. They’ve also got high-tech tools to offer: lasers. “The main benefit with the laser is you can do surgical procedures without a scalpel and without stitches,” Huber said. They use a hard-tissue laser for certain surgeries that require removal of bone. “There’s less swelling, pain and discomfort and faster recovery with the laser,” Huber said. Before having the laser, they had to use a drill and bur for procedures. “The laser is quieter — it’s not loud like the drill,” Tracy said. Helping patients feel better about their smile is one of the dentists’ primary aims. “We think people feel better if their teeth are nice,” Tracy said. And whether it’s fixing broken teeth or using Invisalign braces to straighten them, the two dentists say their practice is an artistic endeavor. “It’s fixing what’s broken but it is artistry,” Huber said. “You have to have an eye for it,” Stacy added. “We want them to walk out of here being proud to smile again.”

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