Engineering Success
By Alison Werner
David Caggiano, DMD, MS, followed a unique path to the orthodontic profession. As the son of an engineer, Caggiano excelled at math and science, and eventually entered engineering school. “I loved engineering, but near the end of my schooling, I really thought about the quality of life and what I wanted to do, career-wise,” Caggiano says. “I realized that I wanted to work more with people and less with machines.”
In addition to his talents as an engineer, Caggiano also had a creative side that could not be suppressed. Finding a career that satisfied both his love of science and his willingness to be creative was an objective for Caggiano. “For me, dentistry was a good mixture of engineering and art,” he explains.
In 2001, he completed the dentistry program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), earning a Doctorate of Medical Dentistry, and went to work as a general dentist. After 7 years’ experience as a general dentist, Caggiano received his specialty certificate in orthodontics, also from UMDNJ.
From the beginning, Caggiano wanted to practice orthodontics in his own unique way. “I approach orthodontics with the mind of an engineer,” he says. “For me, it’s like a puzzle, figuring out how to most efficiently make the teeth fit together.”
Most often, Caggiano solves challenging orthodontic puzzles with the help of modern technology. Since purchasing his practice, Caggiano has implemented numerous technologies that have advanced the capabilities of his business. Every patient who comes to Caggiano Orthodontics receives computerized treatment. Patients are treated with technologies such as OrthoCAD iQ, Insignia, Invisalign invisible braces, lingual Incognito braces, and self-ligating brackets. The most recent addition to this high-tech office is a low-dose 3D digital x-ray machine (Carestream 9300C).
| Practice Profile: David Caggiano, DMD, MS |
|
Practice Name: Caggiano Orthodontics Location: Parsippany, NJ Specialty: Orthodontics Patients per day: 70-90 Years in practice: 4 Days in private practice per week: 4 Web site: MorrisCountyBraces.com |
In the immediate future, the practice will be adding SureSmile, which consists of robotically bent archwires. And Caggiano is an advocate for the Cadent iOC technology, which creates a digital impression. “We scan a patient’s mouth digitally for a more accurate impression of the mouth,” he explains. From this digital scan, the teeth are aligned using software to simulate precisely how the teeth will look when treatment is completed. Using the OrthoCAD iQ technology, a computer-guided laser places the braces in the precise position of each tooth, which will shorten treatment and provide a more reliable outcome.
Like any successful orthodontist, Caggiano has a wide range of expertise when it comes to treating patients, and using advanced technology makes his area of expertise even vaster. “We really excel when it comes to difficult cases,” Caggiano says. “Much of our success in this aspect is because I work with general dentists in the area to coordinate difficult treatment plans for patients. I don’t treat every patient in the same way,” he adds. “With my engineering background, I often work with a general dentist to develop unique treatment plans for every patient. It’s about getting the ideal end result, most efficiently, without sacrificing quality,” he says.
Caggiano is now taking that same commitment to efficiency and quality and applying it to the building of his new office. This state-of-the-art facility is specifically designed to expand and support the efficiencies and the technologies that have come to define the practice in the 3 years since he purchased it.
When the practice moves to the new building later this year, the space will feature a separate imaging area—something his current office lacks—as well as two consultation rooms. The new building will allow for a total of five treatment chairs and two consultation chairs. Each chair will include a computer, allowing the practice to go completely digital.
Caggiano embraces technology willingly, knowing full well that it’s a constant race to keep up. He makes a point to stay on top of the latest developments, reading industry journals, going to meetings, and participating in study clubs. And while his background in biomedical engineering gives him a leg up in understanding the mechanics behind the orthodontic technology being developed, he admits that the profession likely hasn’t seen the best yet.
“I think that whatever technology we have in our office today, 5 years down the road it’s going to be even more impressive. The technologies that I’m most excited about are the technologies that are still to come,” he says.
Caggiano is excited about the individualized care this technology will allow him to offer his patients in the future. At the end of the day, it only enhances his skills and furthers his goal to provide efficient, quality care to his patients.
