Margaret Bradley, DDS

Bringing out the smiles, one song at a time

Dentists study and train for years to provide high-quality dental care. While the education and experience received during those years provides a solid foundation to perform skilled procedures, every dentist knows there’s more to comprehensive care of a patient. Dentists who form relationships built on trust have patients who are more comfortable and compliant for treatment.

Dr. Margaret Bradley has been practicing dentistry for 8 years in the surrounding communities where she grew up. She is in her fourth year of ownership of her family and cosmetic dental practice in Highlands, Texas. Dr. Bradley quickly puts patients at ease with her approachable personality. She finds ways to uniquely connect with them — making them smile and laugh eases any anxiety they had and instead makes a trip to the dentist a fun experience.

The singing dentist

Growing up in a small town outside of Houston, Dr. Bradley knew she wanted a job that was enjoyable and would make a difference. She loved going to see her dentist as a child and set her heart on this career path at a very young age. She attended Texas State University and the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston. After achieving her dream of becoming a Doctor of Dental Surgery, she never forgot why she started — to be in a positive and happy environment and create meaningful experiences for her patients.

Dr. Bradley has always enjoyed singing while she works. Patients quickly connected with this habit and almost always respond positively to the welcomed alternative of focusing on the typical noises heard in a dental office.

“I have some patients who haven’t been to the dentist in years, for various reasons,” Dr. Bradley explained. “Whether I am performing a simple filling or preparing a tooth for a crown, singing makes the experience fun for everyone. I tell them there’s no extra charge for the serenade — it’s free — and I do take song requests!”

Dr. Bradley has become known as “the singing dentist.”

“I certainly don’t consider myself to be a professional singer, but I enjoy it, and when it can bring a smile or a laugh to a patient who hasn’t had a big smile in years — I feel like I have accomplished my goal,” Dr. Bradley said.

Finding your comfort

Dr. Bradley is a proponent of finding ways to make procedures comfortable for her patients and herself. She finds confidence in using instruments that are comfortable in her hands and give her precise and repeatable performances.

Dr. Bradley knows how crucial it is to have good quality materials. “Patients need to feel at ease when they come into my office, and having the right tools lets me do the dentistry with confidence,” she said. “It lets me focus on maintaining the positive energy and joy in the room while I am building the patient’s trust in our relationship.”

Dr. Bradley believes it takes repeated good experiences to override negative experiences that may have caused trauma.

“A dentist can be highly skilled, but with an instrument that is awkward or uncomfortable to use, it can make even a simple procedure challenging,” Bradley said. “If an instrument has the right weight and balance, is easy to grip, and is engineered to access tight areas easily, it gives me confidence in successful outcomes for my patient. My go-to is Karl Schumacher Dental instruments — they are the right fit for me in my practice.”

This information was provided by Karl Schumacher Dental.