ALLIANCE DENTAL
Dr. Spaska Malaric always wanted to be a dentist
Evena Rusaliycheva makes the trip from Fort Lauderdale to Fort Myers to visit her dentist. Three hours is a long ride for a checkup, but worth it, she says of Dr. Spaska Malaric, the Fort Myers dentist who has looked after her dental health for the past couple of years. “I wouldn’t trust anyone but Dr. Spaska,” says Rusaliycheva, a petite woman with a brilliant smile. “I mean, who travels for three hours to see their dentist?”
Few of us divine the future. Spaska Malaric, however, was introducing herself as Dr. Spaska as a small child, which isn’t too far-fetched considering she’s a third-generation dentist and hails from a family of physicians in her native Bulgaria. “It is what I have always envisioned myself doing,” she says. “It’s natural.”
Known to her patients as Dr. Spaska, she provides a large menu of dental services to a growing patient base, including such treatments as bonding, comprehensive exams, crowns and bridges, implants and restoration, oral cancer screening, cosmetic, cleaning and preventive services, porcelain veneers, gum disease, X-rays, dentures and other mouth care for every issue and age.
Gum disease is particularly devastating―and common. Researchers estimate that some 50 percent of those age 30 and up have some form of periodontitis, two-thirds over age 65. Poor dental care can also cause more serious issues such as heart disease, dementia, respiratory infections, diabetic complications, premature childbirth, osteoporosis and other problems prevented and resolved by visits to the dentist, according to health experts with the Mayo Clinic, who also recommend brushing twice daily, flossing, watching what foods are eaten and avoiding tobacco. Good dental health saves us from disease and pain, but also from drilling into our wallets, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates Americans spend millions in emergency repairs for poorly cared for teeth and gums.
Ultimately, we choose a dentist the same way we choose any other service: Am I comfortable with a first visit? Will I return? One indicator at Alliance Dental is a front-desk greeting from Janelle Kent, an office coordinator with experience in training others in customer service. It is a happy office. “Who doesn’t like to be greeted with a smile,” Kent asks, beaming.
The office reviews on social media are unanimous in praising Dr. Spaska. “Perfect as always,” one patient blogged. “Very knowledgeable and professional doctor and staff. Dr. Spaska, as everybody calls her, is one of these rarest gems you find once in a blue moon. You get the attention you need and all questions are perfectly explained. I strongly recommend this office to anybody who likes to be treated well.”
Ultimately, we choose a dentist the same way we choose any other service: Am I comfortable with a first visit? Will I return?