You now work at the renowned Apa Aesthetics in NYC. How did you land this opportunity?
I landed my opportunity to work with Dr. Apa from a lot of foresight and certainty of what I wanted early on. I met Dr. Apa by sneaking into a lecture he spoke at in Boston during my freshman year of undergrad at Boston University. I was 19 at that point and knew I wanted to be the best cosmetic dentist. After seeing Dr. Apa, who is the best cosmetic dentist in the world, I knew I needed to find a way to work with him one day. Through college, dental school, and residency there wasn’t a day my efforts and hard work weren’t directed directly at that vision. He ultimately offered me a job during my residency year after watching me do a veneer case.
What has your experience working alongside Dr. Apa been like?
My time working alongside Dr. Apa has been invaluable. The obvious is that he’s the best cosmetic dentist in the world and has been performing at that level for 22 years. There isn’t a clinician in the world that can say they’ve seen and done it all the way he can. From a clinical standpoint, I’ve learned an indescribable amount being around him. The less obvious part of working alongside him is seeing how similar we are personality and mentality-wise. We joke that I’m him 15 years ago, and in so many ways it’s true. He’s been just as influential on my clinical mentorship as he has been on my personal life mentorship. I’m a very lucky guy to have found a career I genuinely love, and on top of that to do it alongside one of my best friends.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received from Dr. Apa?
The best pieces of advice I’ve received from him have been how to handle people in difficult situations. In this business, especially being successful at a young age, shots do get thrown at you. He is an older, more experienced version of me—he has already been through every obstacle I come across. His guidance has seasoned me far beyond my years.
What can clients expect when they book an appointment with you?
When a client books an appointment with me, they can expect to receive genuine attention. I think my clients see I’m extremely passionate about helping them and that I really care about my work. I take my time getting to know my patients and explain my plan for them in easy-to-understand ways. Underneath the complexity and details of this work, what we’re trying to do is simple. I don’t look to overcomplicate this treatment or impress patients with technicalities. I’m a very down-to-earth guy that loves and believes in this work, and that loves working with my patients.
What are some of the biggest trends you are seeing in dental aesthetics from your celebrity clientele?
Recently I’ve noticed that people want a natural aesthetic. “Natural” is such an overused word in aesthetics. What people want when they say natural isn’t yellow-stained and chipped teeth. They want a result that compliments their style, their personality, and enhances their face in a way that they could have been born with. They don’t want people to know they got their teeth done. Frankly, I’m ecstatic when my clients, celebrity or not, ask for that. It lines up with our practice’s philosophy and my personal preference.
Why do you feel that there is such a high demand for smile makeovers?
Simply because it isn’t a secret how profound the impact someone’s smile has on overall appearance. Quite frankly, I don’t think any aesthetic treatment can provide more to someone’s beauty than a smile makeover (when done at a level of excellence). The contrast to that is I don’t think any aesthetic treatment can make someone look worse than a poorly done smile makeover. A smile is powerful. Going cheap is almost always to the patient’s regret. I tell clients if you’re financially not ready to invest with the best for this, just wait or don’t do this. It sounds rough to say, but it’s true. Everyone has seen a bad set of veneers, and a large percentage of our office’s cases are revision cases of other people’s work.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing what comes next for people after their smile makeover. I pour all of myself into every case I do. I obsess over these cases, and spend so much time and energy into creating something unique and custom for everyone. To see how something I made with my own two hands and eye plays into someone’s life improving, is a high that’s hard to describe. It’s energizing, and it’s what gets me out of bed everyday.
What makes you smile? Pun intended!
Seeing how the goals and visions I set out for myself at 19 years old have been playing out! I’ve worked so hard in the dark to get to where I am. I did things that had no promise of a return on investment for so many years, because I love this craft so much. Even now, I continue to do so much that nobody will ever see or recognize. It makes me smile to see how those genuine efforts in pursuit of being the best I can be at something I love.
What’s next for you? Any exciting projects coming up?
As corny as it sounds, what’s next for me is my next case. I don’t look far into the future because I’m exactly where I want to be. What’s next for me will play itself out through doing great things every day.
**All images courtesy of Dr. Nick Mavrostomos.
