Meet Our Staff: Q&A with Tania Wieclaw

Tania Wieclaw is the Front Desk Coordinator at Mulgrave Dental Group. She has been working in the dental industry for 10 years. We sat down and had a chat with her about oral health, how to stay calm in the waiting room, and more. Here's what Tania has to say.

Why is oral health so important?

Before I started working in dental, my dental IQ was quite low. You don’t get informed enough on how to keep on top of your dental hygiene - what foods are best for your teeth and what to avoid - while growing up.

Being that the mouth is a gateway into your health, it’s becoming more wider known that oral hygiene can lead to a healthier life in general.

Since I have obtained more knowledge on how to have the best oral hygiene, it has also allowed me to understand and has created a genuine want to continue to take care of my health in general, which is very important. Your health can really dictate how you live your life, and should never be taken for granted.

What do you enjoy about your job at Mulgrave Dental Group?

That’s easy, the patients!

How can I keep calm in the waiting room?

Talk to me. I find talking about anything other than the reason you are here, is a great way to keep your mind off going into your appointment.

On the flip side, if your fear is more of the unknown, asking me questions on what is being done and how it is being done, can help me give you a more in depth understanding, which in my opinion, can really help with anxiety at the dentist. We sometimes let our minds run away.

How can I keep my child calm in the waiting room?

By being positive and normal like you would at any appointment.

Sometimes we as parents, can project our fear or anxiety and try to over compensate with unusual behaviour, which children pick up easily.

By acting like it’s a regular day and not making a big deal of the appointment, we avoid them being suspicious that they are in for an unpleasant experience.

Introducing your child to the dentist at a young age, even if it’s to ride in the chair, can also help with their anxiety levels.

One other suggestion is to make the appointment early in the day and at the beginning of the week. After school, or after a week of school, can sometimes leave children exhausted and overstimulated, which can also affect how they feel while being here.

I was one of these anxious children myself. You could say I had a genuine fear of the dentist until I was 18, which my mum likes to joke about now I work in the industry!

How early should I arrive before an appointment?

Aiming to get to your appointment 5 minutes early is enough.

How can I book my next appointment?

You can book several ways. You can call, walk in or send an email.

Why are regular dental checkups so important?

Regular checkups allow the dentist to find any issues before they cause pain, or before they become to a point that they need extensive, expensive treatment that could have been avoided.

Usually when we experience a toothache, it’s too late and what you need done to fix it, can be a lot more than it needs to be.

Also at every checkup, we screen your mouth for other issues not related to the teeth, like cancer screening etc. Your dentist is the first line of defence when it comes to the health of your mouth.

Can I purchase oral care accessories at Mulgrave Dental Group?

Of course! We have a few oral health care accessories available on site, but if there is something you are after specifically, have a chat to me and I can see if I can order for you.

If you have any further questions about your oral health or to book an appointment, give Tania a call on (03) 9562 5156.