July 31, 2024 • 12 mins
We spoke with Dr. Abbas Mohammadi of Columbia Dental about his journey to success in the dental field and how he openedhis first private practice "for fun." Dr. Mohammadi shares tips on how to maintain dental health throughout the warm summer months and more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
No, I'm Alison de Mers and you're listening to Community Access.
Our guest today is doctor Abbas Mohammadi.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome, thank you, thank you for having me today.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So your dentist, and you're the founder and owner of
Columbia Dental. Correct, how did Columbia Dental come about?
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Well, that was like twenty five years ago, but it
seems like yesterday is you know, we're getting older. Yeah,
twenty five years ago. I started Columbia Dental in year
two thousand and I started from a very small, two
operatory dental office which is still is a part of
(00:44):
our corporation in headquarters in Manchester, Connecticut. And I opened
that office basically, just let's say, for fun, because I
already was working full time in a dentill another dental office,
and when I moved from the New York City to Connecticut,
(01:07):
and at those days, I was singing, so just fun.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Look, you know, I got bored.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I really I didn't know what to do with myself
in suburbs. I never had the experience actually living in
suburbs before moving to Connecticut. So I opened that a
small dental office just to operate after hours and on
(01:34):
weekends and when I opened it. After a month, I
got so many demands and I got so many patients
that they wanted to come after the war, and they
come on weekends. So I had to quit the other
job start full time my practices and the prep. Because
(01:58):
of the model that we program, that we provide services,
we open all the time.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Then I had to expand my business.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Obviously, I couldn't handle to see all those patients by myself,
so I started to expand. First, we expanded within the
same building by getting more spaces from other tenants, and
eventually we expanded.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Through the whole state of Connecticut.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Currently, we are operating through a state of Connecticut, from
Norwalk to Enfield and from New Milford to Bristore. We
have thirteen locations and we covered the whole state of
Connecticut after twenty five years.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
You know, it's a long way, but.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
You know, thanks to the community, all the whole world
started getting paid back.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Wonderful. Did you say thirteen I was in one three locations.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Or thirteen at one?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
That's amazing. Did you ever dream that it would come
to something like this?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Actually no, I never plan it that way again, It's
just maybe I came in a right time in a
right place. Twenty five years ago, there were not too
many dentists that they were open on weekend or after hours.
Many of them. They even were closed on Wednesday for golfing.
(03:37):
So the model it works. So really didn't plan it,
as I told you. I just opened it for fun,
and you know it started to become a.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
So you're not a golfer, not really, I'm not a golfer.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Now.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
You work hard, yeah, I do, yes, I do, but
I enjoy what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
I was very fortunate to have my daughter get braces
there years ago in Manchester, and I loved the service there.
I loved how people treated us and that the hours
were so available to everyone. So I can test for
myself how great it was. Thank you, You're welcome. So
what's happening now with the weather, with it being warm?
(04:20):
Does it affect our dental health?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Of course it does. You're not talking about the weather.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I heard today it might get to one hundred degree
or something like that.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So it is with the warm weather what happened.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You know, we get dehydrated, We lose water as the
result of less water in our body fluid volume or
salivary gland. They not produce and that much saliva. Saliva
actually is protect our teeth. Saliva has antibody and saliva
(04:57):
has a layer of the protein we call it glycoprotein,
which protake against the bacteria. There is a bad bacteria
in our mouth called a streptoco coast muteans that bacteria specifically,
it causes decay or cavity. So when we don't have
the protection, then those bacteria can invade the two frastructure
(05:24):
and cause the decay. So in a warm weather, especially
when our model are getting dry, yes we are getting
more prone to develop in decay. When we have that
dray march in we call it zuostomia. It is a
condition that it causes cavity. So if you are outside,
(05:49):
you're doing a lot of exercise, or you feel the hyrated.
I'm sure you know you hear that all the time
that you keep drinking water, which yes, you have to
do it to maintain your your healthy condition, but also
it helps you to have maintain a good dentation or
(06:10):
healthy tief as well.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
And water is best, not milk, not orange juice.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Well, of course water does not have shoe that's the
only thing it is.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
So when is the first time someone should see a dentist,
is it age one before their age one?
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Well, uh, age one according to American you know, pediatric
association is the recommended age. Obviously at that age is
not a lot to do any type of prophylaxi, is.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Cleaning and so on. So I had one.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
But is the age that we recommend to see the
pediatric dentists to see if any developed development or concern
or issue exists.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
So when you bring the baby and at age one
you'll just check.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Their mouths or any gale at all, any issue like
a cleft, pallad or any underlying anatomical condition.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
But by age two is the time that you can
start to go routinely for like even cleaning of the
teeth and so on.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So so should they use children's toothpaste?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Of course they am on because children they don't control,
you know, they're not that much self control as the adult.
So fluoride topically which contained on the toothpaste, is good.
That fluoride has we call it anti carriers effect. That
means fight against the big cavity, against those bad bacteria
(07:50):
that we call it a step toco coast mutants. So
they have that type of ANTOI carriers effect and also
hard than the tooth fest raal. However, uh, fluoride could
be toxic, so if you you know, can't you know,
swallow it in a bigger amount is not good for
(08:11):
your body for that reason. Yes, it's a different concentration
of the fluoride in the children toothpaste versus adult toothpaste.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Because they'll eat it.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Correct, Yes, yea, so I remember there was some kind
of service where you put fluoride on all of their
teeth when they were little.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Correct, yes, so that's what we call it. Topical.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Again, that is a higher concentration of fluoride, but only
we do it in a dental office because we have
a fully control We put the suction we call it
mister thirsty to our children inside their month to to
not to let that fluoride to get in the body.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So for parents who are listening and their children are
returning to school, maybe they haven't had a cleaning. How
often should.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Children go same thing twice a year? At least they
have to.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Go and flus every single day? Correct, Yes, brush twice
a day and fast.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
And flows twice a day. And the reason is that
study shows plaque plaque means an accumulation of significant amount
of the bacteria. It happened in twelve hours, so by
that time, twice a day is a minimum. You can
(09:39):
do it more doesn't hurt, but twice is definitely.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
So for adults, is it the same regimen?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Correct, it's the same thing because the plaque is accumulated
in the same amount of the time.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
The other thing is that the cavity it progresses faster
in the chairildren than the adult, so we have to
be more careful with the children and the adult. But
the other hand is dirtive are not permanent. They have
a primary TIF, so they're not designed to last forever
(10:14):
or artif are designed to last for way long.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Doctor, maybe you could tell us some more of the
services that you offer at Columbia Dental.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Colombia Dental is a multi disciplinary practice that has all
the disciplinary of dental dentistry including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry,
implant We do have periodantis that means gomet specialists. We
(10:47):
do have pedo dantists which means children dentistry. We do
have orthodontists which your daughter went to.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Just beautiful tea.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Yes, thank you, you and our goal at Columbia Dental
give our specialists the type of the work that they
are more expert, more trained, and more specialized to do.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
So well. For me, the blessing was going in and
there were video games for them to play to keep
them patient, and books to read and the television and
then when they go in, the gloves even had like
special sense to them, you know that smell like cherry
or bubblegum or whatever, and it just catered to whoever
(11:36):
was there and whatever they needed. So thank you so
much for the work that you do and our community
in the state of Connecticut. If you're listening, please go
to Columbia Dental dot com make your appointments soon, especially
for the kids going back to school. Thank you, doctor Mohammadi,
thank you, thank you so much. Alie, thank you, it's
my pleasure. Thank you for listening to community. Access eight
No, I'm Alison de Mers and you're listening to Community Access.
Our guest today is doctor Abbas Mohammadi.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome, thank you, thank you for having me today.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So your dentist, and you're the founder and owner of
Columbia Dental. Correct, how did Columbia Dental come about?
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Well, that was like twenty five years ago, but it
seems like yesterday is you know, we're getting older. Yeah,
twenty five years ago. I started Columbia Dental in year
two thousand and I started from a very small, two
operatory dental office which is still is a part of
(00:44):
our corporation in headquarters in Manchester, Connecticut. And I opened
that office basically, just let's say, for fun, because I
already was working full time in a dentill another dental office,
and when I moved from the New York City to Connecticut,
(01:07):
and at those days, I was singing, so just fun.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Look, you know, I got bored.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I really I didn't know what to do with myself
in suburbs. I never had the experience actually living in
suburbs before moving to Connecticut. So I opened that a
small dental office just to operate after hours and on
(01:34):
weekends and when I opened it. After a month, I
got so many demands and I got so many patients
that they wanted to come after the war, and they
come on weekends. So I had to quit the other
job start full time my practices and the prep. Because
(01:58):
of the model that we program, that we provide services,
we open all the time.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Then I had to expand my business.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Obviously, I couldn't handle to see all those patients by myself,
so I started to expand. First, we expanded within the
same building by getting more spaces from other tenants, and
eventually we expanded.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Through the whole state of Connecticut.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Currently, we are operating through a state of Connecticut, from
Norwalk to Enfield and from New Milford to Bristore. We
have thirteen locations and we covered the whole state of
Connecticut after twenty five years.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
You know, it's a long way, but.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
You know, thanks to the community, all the whole world
started getting paid back.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Wonderful. Did you say thirteen I was in one three locations.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Or thirteen at one?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
That's amazing. Did you ever dream that it would come
to something like this?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Actually no, I never plan it that way again, It's
just maybe I came in a right time in a
right place. Twenty five years ago, there were not too
many dentists that they were open on weekend or after hours.
Many of them. They even were closed on Wednesday for golfing.
(03:37):
So the model it works. So really didn't plan it,
as I told you. I just opened it for fun,
and you know it started to become a.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
So you're not a golfer, not really, I'm not a golfer.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Now.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
You work hard, yeah, I do, yes, I do, but
I enjoy what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
I was very fortunate to have my daughter get braces
there years ago in Manchester, and I loved the service there.
I loved how people treated us and that the hours
were so available to everyone. So I can test for
myself how great it was. Thank you, You're welcome. So
what's happening now with the weather, with it being warm?
(04:20):
Does it affect our dental health?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Of course it does. You're not talking about the weather.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
I heard today it might get to one hundred degree
or something like that.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
So it is with the warm weather what happened.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You know, we get dehydrated, We lose water as the
result of less water in our body fluid volume or
salivary gland. They not produce and that much saliva. Saliva
actually is protect our teeth. Saliva has antibody and saliva
(04:57):
has a layer of the protein we call it glycoprotein,
which protake against the bacteria. There is a bad bacteria
in our mouth called a streptoco coast muteans that bacteria specifically,
it causes decay or cavity. So when we don't have
the protection, then those bacteria can invade the two frastructure
(05:24):
and cause the decay. So in a warm weather, especially
when our model are getting dry, yes we are getting
more prone to develop in decay. When we have that
dray march in we call it zuostomia. It is a
condition that it causes cavity. So if you are outside,
(05:49):
you're doing a lot of exercise, or you feel the hyrated.
I'm sure you know you hear that all the time
that you keep drinking water, which yes, you have to
do it to maintain your your healthy condition, but also
it helps you to have maintain a good dentation or
(06:10):
healthy tief as well.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
And water is best, not milk, not orange juice.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Well, of course water does not have shoe that's the
only thing it is.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
So when is the first time someone should see a dentist,
is it age one before their age one?
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Well, uh, age one according to American you know, pediatric
association is the recommended age. Obviously at that age is
not a lot to do any type of prophylaxi, is.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Cleaning and so on. So I had one.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
But is the age that we recommend to see the
pediatric dentists to see if any developed development or concern
or issue exists.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
So when you bring the baby and at age one
you'll just check.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Their mouths or any gale at all, any issue like
a cleft, pallad or any underlying anatomical condition.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
But by age two is the time that you can
start to go routinely for like even cleaning of the
teeth and so on.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
So so should they use children's toothpaste?
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Of course they am on because children they don't control,
you know, they're not that much self control as the adult.
So fluoride topically which contained on the toothpaste, is good.
That fluoride has we call it anti carriers effect. That
means fight against the big cavity, against those bad bacteria
(07:50):
that we call it a step toco coast mutants. So
they have that type of ANTOI carriers effect and also
hard than the tooth fest raal. However, uh, fluoride could
be toxic, so if you you know, can't you know,
swallow it in a bigger amount is not good for
(08:11):
your body for that reason. Yes, it's a different concentration
of the fluoride in the children toothpaste versus adult toothpaste.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Because they'll eat it.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Correct, Yes, yea, so I remember there was some kind
of service where you put fluoride on all of their
teeth when they were little.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Correct, yes, so that's what we call it. Topical.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Again, that is a higher concentration of fluoride, but only
we do it in a dental office because we have
a fully control We put the suction we call it
mister thirsty to our children inside their month to to
not to let that fluoride to get in the body.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So for parents who are listening and their children are
returning to school, maybe they haven't had a cleaning. How
often should.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Children go same thing twice a year? At least they
have to.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Go and flus every single day? Correct, Yes, brush twice
a day and fast.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
And flows twice a day. And the reason is that
study shows plaque plaque means an accumulation of significant amount
of the bacteria. It happened in twelve hours, so by
that time, twice a day is a minimum. You can
(09:39):
do it more doesn't hurt, but twice is definitely.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
So for adults, is it the same regimen?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Correct, it's the same thing because the plaque is accumulated
in the same amount of the time.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
The other thing is that the cavity it progresses faster
in the chairildren than the adult, so we have to
be more careful with the children and the adult. But
the other hand is dirtive are not permanent. They have
a primary TIF, so they're not designed to last forever
(10:14):
or artif are designed to last for way long.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Doctor, maybe you could tell us some more of the
services that you offer at Columbia Dental.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Colombia Dental is a multi disciplinary practice that has all
the disciplinary of dental dentistry including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry,
implant We do have periodantis that means gomet specialists. We
(10:47):
do have pedo dantists which means children dentistry. We do
have orthodontists which your daughter went to.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Just beautiful tea.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Yes, thank you, you and our goal at Columbia Dental
give our specialists the type of the work that they
are more expert, more trained, and more specialized to do.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
So well. For me, the blessing was going in and
there were video games for them to play to keep
them patient, and books to read and the television and
then when they go in, the gloves even had like
special sense to them, you know that smell like cherry
or bubblegum or whatever, and it just catered to whoever
(11:36):
was there and whatever they needed. So thank you so
much for the work that you do and our community
in the state of Connecticut. If you're listening, please go
to Columbia Dental dot com make your appointments soon, especially
for the kids going back to school. Thank you, doctor Mohammadi,
thank you, thank you so much. Alie, thank you, it's
my pleasure. Thank you for listening to community. Access eight
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