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In all cultures, children are collectively depicted to have a fear of going to the dentist, or at the least a dislike of brushing, a sentiment that supposedly carries over to adulthood. No wonder then hat few survive adolescence with a healthy set of permanent teeth.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the spectrum, all people - regardless of language, have a shared appreciation and understanding of the simplest but most genuine of gestures: a smile. With a slight movement of the lips, boundaries are miraculously broken.

According to Dr. Sheila Ranido of Dental World, it is definitely the idea of giving patients their best smile which inspires her and her colleagues to do their difficult jobs. For her, a smile does not only instantly improve a person's looks, instead, it has the ability to change and transform lives.

"I once had a patient who neither had the confidence to talk to people and much more smile, not even in photos. Mother nature had not gifted her with a perfect smile so she felt embarrassed at the idea of others seeing her smile," recalls Dr. Sheila.

Through modern science and the combined effort of the Dental World family, Dr. Sheila's patient was able to get the solution to her problem - a smile makeover. A simple procedure had, in giving the patient the confidence to smile, changed her life in so many ways.

"Now that she has a fantastic new smile, she smiles a lot more. Actually, she can no longer stop smiling," shares Dr. Sheila, who believes that every person should invest in a good smile.

Indeed, it is with such in mind - the power of a smile, that Dental World Manila has made it its mission to help individuals, Filipinos and foreigners alike, in achieving their dream makeovers. Though admittedly no ordinary feat, Dental World Manila has proven itself equal to the task.

With expert clinician Dr. Malony L. Santos, leading a team of likewise extensively trained dentists, and other highly skilled medical and non-medical professionals, Dental World has become both a driving force in the community and a banner for the future of Dental tourism in the country.

By offering dedicated services in Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, Prosthodontics (Dentures), Oral Surgery, Periodontics, Root Canal Therapy, Orthodontics, TMJ Dysfunction Therapy, Restorative Treatment, Pediatric Dentistry, Oral Prophylaxis, Dental X-ray and diagnostics, Dental World is able to address a wide range of needs.

A winning combination of dental expertise, truly state-of-the art facilities and the latest technological advancements, Dental World has become the ultimate destination for "dental tourist" and locals alike. Even the strategic locations of the three clinics, opportunely spread throughout key areas in Manila, add to the avid traveler’s unique experience. With this extra dimension of convenience, trips to the dentist take on a more relaxed, even fun and enjoyable feel.

Whether chilling in the art and bar scene at Cubao Expo, mixing business with pleasure in Ayala, or simply indulging in food and shopping to their heart's content by the bay, there is a Dental World Clinic ready to service tourists. These centers are St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City, the ML Santos Dental Cosmetics and TMJ Center in SM Mall of Asia, Pasay, and the Glorietta Dental Center in Makati. Quezon City, Pasay and Makati are respectively, the country's premier hub for art, entertainment and business.

Certainly, Dental World has come along way from its 1996 beginnings. Taking pride in its list of high profile clients: prominent business executives, politicians, celebrities, Dental World has likewise earned the trust of foreign nationals. With loyal patrons from US, Australia, Guam, Canada, Norway, Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland, it is perhaps true that a smile given away will surely come back another day.

How does one get a perfect smile? “Either you are born with it or you’re not” says Dr. Malony L. Santos, head dentist of Dental World Manila, formerly ML Santos Dental Cosmetics and TMJ Center. Even so, Dr. Santos assures, those who are not naturally gifted with a perfect set of teeth can achieve it. And his clinic has made that possible for many patients, transforming them into gods and goddesses of beauty.

With 16 years of dental practice under his belt and a long list of high-profile clients, Dr. Santos was chosen as the head judge for the Best Smile award during the 2008 Miss Earth pageant.

All things considered, Mother Nature has been generous to all the 85 candidates, but Dr. Santos and 3 associates from Dental World Manila carefully evaluated each one to determine which of the ingénues wins the award and the P15,000 gift certificate from his renowned clinic.

The criteria the judges used very well define what a perfect smile is: well-aligned and pearly white teeth, complete dentition (no missing teeth), caries-free, good bite, a smile not reaching the gum line, and pinkish gums. After deliberating, the judges declared Miss Brazil the winner. On coronation night, Miss Brazil sailed through to the finals and won Miss Fire.

In the run-up to pageant night, the Brazilian, along with the other Miss Earth contestants, visited Dental World Manila. All were more than eager to consult with Dr. Santos and discover the treatments that would enhance their beauty even more. The gorgeous environmental ambassadors were particularly interested in cosmetic procedures, teeth-whitening, and dental veneers, and keen on getting a complete smile makeover. They stayed in the clinic for a while, enjoying the hearty local meals prepared for them, getting acquainted with the staff, and having a photoshoot with the expert team of dentists.

Dr. Santos aims to provide the less endowed the opportunity to look as good and be as healthy as the Miss Earth candidates. There is, indeed, no shortcut to a perfect smile, but his team is more than capable of creating it for patients.

Dental World Manila is composed of highly skilled dentists, whose fields of specialization cover the major and critical branches of dentistry. They are supported by state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, including an in-house laboratory for diagnostics, X-ray, and surgery. All these make Dental World Manila a complete hub for dental care. Transcending general cleaning and healthful treatments, the clinic, with Dr. Santos leading the way, provides total makeovers that will change one’s overall aura and appeal perhaps worthy of a pageant crown.

Dr. Malony L. Santos came from a family of lawyers from Bulacan: his grandfather, his father, and a cousin are all lawyers. Naturally, the interest ran through him as well, citing Social Studies and Current Events as his favorite subjects in high school and Jurisprudence in college. But during summer vacations, he would assist his mother in their fertilizer store as an errand boy. This sparked a passion in Dr. Santos and he has never looked back.

Years later, already a dentist, Dr. Santos chose to set up his practice in Manila not in the province, against what his family wanted. He believed that dentistry is more lucrative and sophisticated in the big city, and his room for growth as a dentist would be limited if he were to stay in Bulacan.

With a few basic dental equipment provided by his parents, Dr. Malony rented a small, existing clinic at the Virra Mall in Greenhills, together with a classmate and business partner. Neophytes as they were, they encountered many difficulties upon opening their clinic. They relied on walk-in customers, but there weren’t a lot of people that pass by their location. Soon enough, sustaining the clinic began to be a problem. His dental partner eventually got discouraged, gave up, and pursued another career.

Determined to see his dental practice come into fruition but still equipped with his basic dental equipment, Dr. Santos gathered what was left of his savings and searched for another possible location for his dental clinic. As luck and great talent would have it, he ended up at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City. Armed with the lessons he learned from his previous venture, he slowly rose back up and ultimately became affiliated with the renowned hospital.

As the modest income from his clinic gradually grew, he was able to invest on the latest dental equipment to upgrade his facilities. He complemented this with various dental training courses to expand his expertise, all while running the clinic by himself, aided only by his secretary.

The hard work paid off, and his dental practice steadily flourished. Soon, he was able to expand his manpower resource. With more staff members to assist him in the clinic, Dr. Malony was able to open a branch at the SM Mall of Asia. Initially, He had difficulty maintaining the MOA branch, since it is a mall-based clinic rather than at a hospital. Some privileges and conveniences are unique to St. Luke’s. For example, Dr. Santos had to comply with stricter rules and regulations from the mall management, particularly with regards to clinic hours. In spite of this, he plowed on and soon learned the ropes of effective branch maintenance.

While the mall location had more walk-in customers, he wanted to market his clinic more aggressively. He was soon listed on the Yellow Pages, and Dr. Malony launched his own website promoting his services. These benefited him greatly. Balikbayans had read about his clinic. They came home for his dental services, and now comprise Dr. Malony’s main clientele.

Another opportunity for expansion opened up, this time, in Glorietta in Makati City called the Glorietta Dental Center. Adept and much more experienced now in handling a mall clinic, Dr. Malony re-upgraded his dental facilities and equipment, transforming his practice into a highly profitable business.

With 3 branches, 8 associate dentists, and 6 auxiliary staff members, Dr. Malony achieved his goal of a successful Manila dental clinic. He plans to open 3 more dental centers.

For Dr. Santos, success in the field comes from good dental office management skills and a keen eye for details. He shares, “At all times, do your best, and exhaust every possible means to make your patients happy and satisfied”.

Dr. Malony is a graduate of Centro Escolar University in Manila (1994). He took his dental externship at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center and finished his preceptorship courses at The Asian-American Academy of Functional Orthodontics and TMJ (1996), and the Philippine Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (2004). By 2007, he had finished a 14-month course on Osseointegration Implants under the Philippine Society of Osseointegration.

He had his training on Implants at IMTEC SENDAX and learned of the Mini-dental Implant System. He also had his post-graduate course in Periodontics.