Here at Clinica Cloe, we are proud of the unique and welcoming dental clinic we have created in Madrid. We offer the very best in patient care as well as the latest dental treatments and technologies. We are proud to be a Digital Design Clinic, one of a select number of clinics across the world who are recognized for their qualifications and experience in creating confident smiles for patients. We have a passionate and dedicated team who love to make our patients feel welcome and comfortable at all times. What motivated us to design our dental clinic in Madrid in the way that we have? Here is the story behind what has inspired the work of Drs Victor Begara Medina and Mya Choufani for more than a decade.
What was your vision when you established Clinica CLOE?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: Delivering five-star dental work and VIP treatment for every patient at an affordable price is our vision for the clinic. When we started twelve years ago, we wanted to create a welcoming environment for our patients; we have always been very clear that customer service should be paramount in our work. We always try to create an environment where patients don't have to worry about anything once they arrive; every member of our team knows exactly what they need to do for that patient. We also want to make every patient feel like they are our only patient.
I always tell this story to every employee that comes to the office. Imagine that Mr Smith is coming in. He says, "Good morning," and then at the front desk they say, "Hello, Mr Smith. How was your trip to the Bahamas? Was it good? Yeah. How's your wife? Everything good? Yes." The moment he said "good morning," he was no longer a stranger. They offer to bring him a coffee, remembering it’s no sugar. He sits down, then an assistant comes in, "Hello Mr Smith, follow me." Then he sits down in the chair and we put on his favorite episode from this TV show he was watching -- we remember he was up to the third episode last time. And we tell him, now Dr Choufani will perform the treatment for today, which is a cavity on this tooth. The patient only said, "Good morning" but he's floating around the office and everybody knew him. Then you finish his treatment and at the front desk, the dental administrative assistant gives him his next appointment which will be in 10 days’ time. It’s scheduled for early in the morning, because we know this is the only time that he is available. He pays and then says his goodbyes. Mr Smith may think that he's the only patient because everybody knows all about him and he thinks it's impossible that we could have a thousand patients and do the same for each one.
What three words best describe your clinic?
Dr Mya Choufani: Quality, service, and responsibility.
What can patients expect when they visit your clinic for the first time?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: When patients visit the clinic for the first time, we want to make them feel comfortable. If they're in the waiting room, we like to give them all the information they need to know: when they are going to be seen and how long they will have to wait. From the start, we communicate to them that our team is here to take care of their mouth. We deliver any treatment that is needed, but we also focus on prevention, working with our patients to make sure that no new oral health problems develop.
We always call patients two days before to remind them of their appointment. If they have to come back after six months, we call one month before the six months are over to remind them that their next appointment is due. Wherever possible, we help our patients to stay on top of their appointment scheduling, giving them one less thing to have to think about.
What is the biggest compliment a patient has ever given you?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: One patient once told me: "I just wanted to let you know that I had a memorable experience." He described how he enjoyed every aspect of the appointment, from how friendly the team was to the dental treatment he received. I was very pleased, because this is exactly what we want to achieve for every patient.
What does every patient want from their visit to the dental clinic?
Dr Mya Choufani: They all want a short and painless experience. They want us to fix the problems that no other dentist has been able to fix before. Our dental cleanings are well known for being completely painless, so many people come to the clinic because they heard that we can offer this.
What do patients say about the clinic and the team?
Dr Mya Choufani: American patients always say how beautiful our office looks - in fact, they’re usually surprised at the esthetic appearance of the office. People in general always say our staff are very welcoming and professional.
What makes Clinica CLOE unique and different to other dental clinics in Madrid?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: The first thing is all the languages that our team is fluent in. We speak four languages in the office; Spanish, English, French, and German. All our team members speak very good English. Dr Choufani speaks French and Dr Andrea speaks German and we all speak Spanish.
We're also very efficient with great facilities and we deliver top quality treatments all under one roof. If you need an orthodontist we have a great one; we also have very good technicians.
Tell us about your team at the clinic?
Dr Mya Choufani: We have a team that's very loyal and hard working. One of our hygienists has been with us for 12 years, my assistant has been with us for 10 years, and our front desk receptionist has been with us for 5 years.
We have two dentists that are full-time with us, and an orthodontist, and they have been with us for 6 years. For every dental specialty, we have a specialist on our team. Whatever treatment needs to be delivered for a patient, every aspect will be done by a specialist.
What inspires you in your career and work at the clinic?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: I have two inspirations. I became a dentist here in Madrid and I studied in New York, where I was really inspired by a dental trainer called Dennis Tarnow, who was my mentor and is like the dental version of Maradona in football. Because of his teachings and influence on my career, I really started to love the profession. Then after that, I was inspired by a cutting-edge approach to dentistry called Digital Smile Design, developed by a dental technician and dentist called Christian Coachman. He completely changed the way I saw dentistry and made it more fun!
Another thing that inspires me is seeing our patients happy and satisfied with the treatment we deliver, happy to come back.
What do you enjoy most about working in dentistry?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: I have always enjoyed working in dentistry and I am passionate about using new digital technology in the clinic. I love to plan, and dentistry enables me to apply my planning skills to every treatment for every patient. Our clinic operates on extensive planning, which means our team works together like a machine -- I find this very inspiring.
What are you most proud of in your career?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: We are proud of what we have created (and are still creating); the business that we always wanted with loyal patients and loyal staff. We have created a welcoming environment for everybody and we started from scratch with zero patients.
What do you enjoy most about living in Madrid?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: It's a great city, with great weather, great people, and a great way of living. The quality of life is wonderful. You can access so many places without traveling very far, like if you live in La Palma or the Canary Islands, every time you want to go somewhere you have to fly to Madrid or Barcelona, and then you start your trip. Here in Madrid you have an international airport and we're four and a half hours away from Geneva, two hours away from London or Paris and Morocco.
Are you involved in any community projects or initiatives?
Dr Victor Begara Medina: We're very involved with many local schools. We visit schools to give away toothbrushes and teach the kids about keeping their teeth healthy. We are also involved in clubs like the American club. We're very involved with several embassies and diplomatic services, and we sponsor various local sports teams. We are also very committed to protecting the environment in our work; as a policy we only use products that contain no BPA. In addition, all the dental composite materials that we use are eco-friendly and they're not harmful to the body. We don't use amalgam, if we have to dispose of amalgam silver fillings we dispose of them in a special way. We are also committed to reducing the amount of paper we use in the office, with the goal of becoming completely paperless in the near future.
Step inside Clinica Cloe for yourself
To experience our state-of-the-art clinic in Madrid for yourself, book an appointment with one of our friendly dentists and meet the whole team! You can find out more and book here:
https://www.clinicacloe.com/
