Dentist gives H'wood star reason to smile

MUMBAI: If Hollywood actor Michael O'Hagan smiles back at you from the silver screen in his next film, he owes much credit for his pearly whites to a city dentist. The 68-year-old who has featured in films such as Speed 2: Cruise Control, I Hired a Contract Killer and acted in London theatre, has had 11 dental implants fitted at a Juhu clinic. Pleased with the "cost' ' and "professionalism'' , he keeps returning for more procedures.
O'Hagan is one of the 'dental tourists' who make their way to Mumbai , in a trend that has been gathering momentum each year. Leading dentists say their experience with Bollywood prepares them for the "needs' ' of tinsel town tourists, be it actors such as Hagan or models.
"My face is my source of livelihood . I had one implant fitted by a cosmetic dentist at Beverly Hills, which left me writhing in pain and with a severe gum infection,'' says Hagan as he contrasts it with his tryst with cosmetic dental surgeon Dr Suchetan Pradhan from Juhu.
O'Hagan says he was shooting with Bollywood actor Gulshan Grover in Hyderabad last year when he related his tough time with dentists. "He recommended that I come to Mumbai for treatment and there's been no looking back,'' he says with a wide grin.
Dr Pradhan, who has been working on Hagan's smile since March last year, says he first studied the actor's X-rays over e-mail . "He had gum infections and we could have salvaged only a few teeth. We extracted the teeth and fitted 11 implants (seven in the upper jaw and four in the lower) under sedation,'' said Dr Pradhan. He is now down for a dental face-lift .
Dentists estimate that nearly 5 to 10% of their patients are foreign tourists; the statistics nearly doubling with each passing year. "There are two category of people who come down. The first come for the cheaper costs or because of long waiting lists back home. The others come because of recommendations,'' explains dentist with cranio-facial expertise Sandesh Mayekar who runs a clinic in Dadar. He points out for instance that his clientele of beauty pageant contestants have been coming through word-of-mouth recommendations.
Dr Pradhan says experience with Bollywood helps them in treating actors . "While treating an actor, we have to understand the expectations of the camera. We can't give bright white teeth like models as they will take away from the expression,'' he points out.
Dentists say that's where India scores on dental tourism for filmyfolks as compared to other popular destinations such as Singapore and Thailand, which don't have such a film industry. For O'Hagan , who coughed up $1,000 per implant as compared to $ 6,000 each back home in Los Angeles, it was totally value for money. But dentists say India still has a long way to go. "There is need for accreditation before we promote dental tourism,'' said an expert from the National Accreditation Board recently. Dr Mayekar also says dentists must have a complementary colleague in the tourist's hometown to ensure follow-up and prevent complications.