Dentist to stars, beauty queens opens own clinic

CEBU, Philippines — So many trends have dominated the lifestyle of the new generation. From social media challenges to fashion statements, up and coming trends have taken over a significant part of our daily lives including the way we do our make-up, style our hair, work out, take care of our skin, and even eat.

Most of the time, people spend their waking hours obsessing on clothes, food and the latest look. Unbeknownst to many, the best assets have already been given to us and just needs a little more upkeep. We look up to celebrities and try to figure out how they got their overall style. We know the brands they wear, the products they use for their hair and make-up. We know what diet they’re in.

But have you wondered how your favorite celebrities and personalities got their picture-perfect smiles?

Lucky for you, dentist to the stars Doctor Frank Vicoy, DDM has just opened shop early this year. The 27-year-old dentistry graduate from Cebu Doctors’ University began his craft as one of the general practitioners in dental clinics in Cebu, earning through commissions from the clients he attends to daily. It wasn’t until he and his partner decided to put up a Facebook page called “Smile Creations by Dr. Frank” to reach more people that Dr. Frank eventually got his big break.

Located at the second floor of Pacific Square, F. Cabahug St. Mabolo, Creation of Smiles Cosmetic Dentistry clinic is the fruit of Dr. Frank’s labor. But even before this massive blessing, he has taken care and provided for the smiles of beauty queens, media personalities, and businessmen who have helped better Cebu one way or another.

But that doesn’t mean Dr. Frank only attends to the rich and famous. Despite being costly, his drive for cosmetic dentistry exceeds the fact that this is his source of living.

“My mission, since day one, is to create good smiles. It can change your life. It makes you more confident. It brings many changes, so much that it is life changing,” Dr. Frank shares during the opening of Creation of Smiles last February 18.

The dentist says that attending to people’s smiles provides him fulfilment. After working for almost a year in his partner’s clinic, Dr. Frank soon gained his own patients. More started to seek him out, and eventually asked him about having his own clinic. He and his partner decided to put up a page online.

“It came to a point nga ni-hit. People were looking for me, wanted me to be their dentist. I gained patients who are into pageantry, and then I was surrounded by people from the same industry like show business and modeling,” Dr. Frank recalls.

Since then, he had a smooth flow of patients coming in and was soon able to save up to open his own clinic.

“I feel very blessed. God gave me this clinic at the start of the first quarter. I’m thankful that I have a home for my patients. I want to be the one to provide them with their smiles, because it helps a lot—having nice teeth. I want to build a home for them,” he adds.

Cosmetic dentistry refers to dental work that aims to improve the appearance of teeth, the gums, and even bite. It focuses on the improvement of dental aesthetics from color, position, shape, size, alignment and overall appearance of one’s smile. Other treatments include bleaching, bonding, crowns, veneers, and reshaping and contouring of the teeth, resulting to solving many oral issues, as well as giving one the boost to be more confident with their smiles. That’s what Dr. Frank considers his forte.

Dr. Frank is also a general practitioner. Meaning that he does what every other dentist does like tooth extractions, fillings, root canal treatments, among many other procedures. But his expertise lies on the cosmetic side, where he does facial profiling to improve, or even fix your smile and make sure that it suits you and will look natural.

Having made a name for himself and now running his own clinic with a string of constant and satisfied patients after just four years of practice, you wouldn’t think that cosmetic dentistry wasn’t his first choice.

The dentist, who is also into cars, also runs an online auto sales shop. He first studied nursing at the request of his mother who wanted him to achieve her dream in his place. But after considering whether or not he was up for the pressure, Dr. Frank decided to shift to dentistry. His professors were able to see his potential and encouraged him to pursue the field.

“This really wasn’t my dream, but I know for myself that I have a soft spot. It has always been the patient over the money. I guess, all that is just coming back to me. I guess God saw through me. I feel blessed, and I feel like this has something to do with what I’ve done. Whatever you do, it just comes back to you,” Dr. Frank muses.

From pageant candidates, beauty queens, television and radio hosts, models, and businessmen, Dr. Frank has had a hand in their success through his labor of love.

A few years ago, it had been difficult to convince people to take care and look after their smiles, but with the influence brought by his patients, and his refined work, people are slowly coming to realize that their best assets were right under their noses, all this time.

“When I started the practice around four years ago, people think that a filling is just a filling. Why spend my money on a filling when I can buy other things? I used to convince them to be concerned about their smiles. People don’t realize right away how important their smiles are because for now, you feel good, and you look good with them. But in the long run, you might need the help,” Dr. Frank quips, sharing that he is somewhat relieved that people are taking strides to save their smiles nowadays before it becomes too late.