For Dr. Sam Bernardo, providing quality dental care is not simply about offering advanced treatments. It also means making those services accessible while ensuring that patients, particularly those with dental anxiety, feel heard and comfortable.
The founder and CEO of Awesam Smile Dental Clinic spoke to LionhearTV about how her clinic balances premium dental care with affordability, as well as the approach she takes when dealing with patients who are afraid of dental procedures.
Asked by LionhearTV how Awesam Smile makes high-quality treatments more affordable for a diverse range of patients, Bernardo pointed to the clinic’s access to dental supplies through a direct supplier.
“How do I balance? Siguro, essential talaga siya na I have my own dental supplies. Although, hindi naman lahat is available sa amin, but at least dahil meron kaming direct supplier, kaya mas nakakapag-provide or nakakapag-offer kami ng mas affordable treatment for our patients,” she said.
The arrangement, she explained, allows the clinic to manage some of its costs while continuing to offer professional dental services at more accessible rates.
But affordability is only one of the barriers Bernardo hopes to address. Another is dental anxiety, which can discourage patients from seeking treatment even when they already need professional care.
When LionhearTV asked about the protocols Awesam Smile uses to help anxious patients feel more relaxed, Bernardo said her approach begins with patience rather than immediately proceeding with a procedure.
“For me, patients with dental anxiety, what I do, and our team, and, associated this, we prepare ourselves first. ‘Di ‘yan agad yan, gagawin namin. Talagang mahirap,” she said.
Bernardo, who also performs oral surgeries, explained that patients can sometimes mistake the pressure involved in certain procedures for pain. Tooth extraction, for example, naturally requires some pressure and force.
“Ako personally, I do oral surgeries, no. If the patient is not comfortable, minsan kasi napagkakamalang pain, sa pressure, ‘di ba? Like for example, sa bunot, of course you need to have pressure and force, para matanggal natin ‘yung ngipin,” she explained.
Instead of dismissing a patient’s discomfort, Bernardo said she pauses the procedure and checks on them.
“Pag nakikita ko ‘yung patient, hindi siya comfortable, gusto niya, approach sa dentist, madalas ganun. Ang ginagawa ko talaga, like I pause, kailangan, i-validate mo, like, coach the patient, ‘Okay ka lang ba, masakit ba?’” she said.
For Bernardo, acknowledging what a patient is feeling can make a significant difference in reducing fear.
“Kasi, ‘pag alam mo parang minamadali and hindi natin vinavalid ang emotions, mas lalo silang natatakot. So ako, gusto ko I build the trust of the patients first before doing any procedures,” she added.
And when a patient has reached their limit, Bernardo believes dentists should be willing to stop rather than force the procedure to continue.
“And if the patient is not okay na or hindi niya na kayang ngumanga, then just stop. Ganun lang siya, and then come back,” she said.
Bernardo’s visibility has expanded beyond dentistry, helped in part by her association with celebrities and personalities including Daniel Matsunaga, Mika Salamanca, G22 and Bianca de Vera.
Her increasing presence in entertainment circles has also sparked conversations about whether the celebrity dentist could eventually venture into show business herself.
Bernardo, however, sees her growing platform as an opportunity to bring conversations about oral health to a wider audience.
“We’re not just expanding our reach; we’re amplifying our message. Together with my ambassadors, we will make dental health a priority for more Filipinos,” she said.
Whether that eventually leads her to an entertainment project remains to be seen. Bernardo has kept herself open to possibilities, joking, “Sa panahon ngayon, choosy pa ba ako?”
For now, her priority remains the advocacy behind Awesam Smile: encouraging Filipinos to become more proactive about their oral health instead of seeking treatment only when dental problems become painful.
Through patient education, preventive care and an emphasis on building trust between dentist and patient, Bernardo hopes to make a visit to the dentist not only more accessible, but also less intimidating.