Restoring Trust
Whether he’s enhancing a patient’s smile or serving the community, Dr. Edward Magida of Newtown Dental Care excels at finding effective solutions to the problems at hand
The Philadelphia region brims with talented dental professionals, and any dentist among them will say standing apart from the crowd is no simple feat. Edward Magida, D.M.D., has left a lasting impression through his thoughtful demeanor, his welcoming staff, and his comprehensive approach to treatment at the Bucks County practice, Newtown Dental Care.
Dr. Magida has maintained a high standard of care at his practice by staying on dentistry’s cutting edge. That’s true whether a patient needs a general checkup and cleaning, orthodontic care through either Invisalign or conventional braces, or cosmetic dentistry to restore the health and beauty of a smile. Regardless of the need, Dr. Magida applies his years of clinical experience, artistic eye, and sympathetic chairside manner to deliver the best possible outcome for each patient.
“It’s always a team effort between the patient and me,” Dr. Magida says. “I also work with a really good laboratory in the area that does beautiful work [for cosmetic restorations]. I always like to credit them because, without their expertise, we would not have the success that we do with our cosmetic work.”
In addition to general and cosmetic dentistry services, patients seek out Dr. Magida for his expertise in obstructive sleep apnea, which can have deleterious effects on a person’s long-term health. Clinicians often treat the condition with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, but Dr. Magida often prescribes oral appliances as an alternative to CPAP. He uses his membership in the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine to make sure patients receive the most effective, appropriate, and up-to-date techniques and technologies for treating the condition.
“A lot of people know they have sleep apnea but don’t do anything about it because they have heard horror stories about the CPAP machine or they have had firsthand experience with CPAP and feel that it didn’t work for them,” he explains. “Though people put up with it, most don’t really like CPAP therapy and want to know what other options they have. The oral appliances aren’t perfect for everyone, but they can be an effective solution for patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea who aren’t using a CPAP.”
Likewise, Dr. Magida suggests many patients who deal with the disorder or dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) suffer unnecessarily. He has noticed patients under increasing amounts of stress brought on by the global health crisis, which has triggered or worsened patients’ symptoms. In the past year, he has seen more broken teeth and problems caused by clenching and grinding than he has in all of his years in practice.
Effective solutions often seem elusive for people who struggle with TMJ disorder. Dr. Magida says some patients see multiple specialists in search of relief, only to relinquish hope and accept that they will have to live with the pain and discomfort. A custom night guard is a common form of treatment, but Dr. Magida says this treatment can worsen the problem for some patients. Night guards should be reserved only for patients who grind their teeth but experience no facial pain. For anyone who does experience TMJ-related pain, Dr. Magida has an able solution.
“I treat TMJ with an oral appliance that most patients are not aware exists or have never heard of before,” Dr. Magida says. “It’s not something that a lot of offices offer. But in the past year, we have had more of these made than ever before.”
Above and Beyond
Dr. Magida earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. After graduating dental school, Dr. Magida participated in an additional one-year fellowship in advanced general dentistry. He was then asked to remain at the dental school as a faculty member, and he spent several years teaching undergraduate and graduate dental students.
Dr. Magida earned his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. After graduating dental school, Dr. Magida participated in an additional one-year fellowship in advanced general dentistry. He was then asked to remain at the dental school as a faculty member, and he spent several years teaching undergraduate and graduate dental students.
While it’s clear that Dr. Magida is committed to the health, function, and aesthetics of his patients’ smiles, he is also devoted to the wellness of the community at large. Since 1988, he has been on staff at several nursing and convalescent homes. He has even committed to helping the dental community and those it employs by starting a school for dental assistants—OceanPointe Dental Assisting Academy—an effort that is truly above and beyond.
Like so many other industries across the country, the dental community has struggled with a labor shortage of late. Many local dental practices simply cannot find qualified clinical staff or office staff who are available to work. Although Newtown Dental Care has been able to retain its long-term team members, Dr. Magida chose to address the industry’s labor issues by becoming certified to educate others within his office.
“I started this effort three years ago when the field was starting to feel shortages—something the [epidemic] only made much worse,” he says. “It’s a 12-week course that trains dental assistants. We have gotten many calls from area practices wanting to know when we will have graduates who are ready to hire.”
Getting OceanPointe up and running has been no simple feat, Dr. Magida admits. He credits much of the work to his dental assistant who went through a program to become trained and is now helping to operate the school.
“It’s an intensive and skills-based program, and those who graduate will come out knowing everything they need to know to begin assisting the dentist,” he adds. “For dentists in the area who are really feeling the shortage, this will be an effective solution to having to take months to train someone themselves.”
The school is just one more example of Dr. Magida’s ability to dream up creative and effective solutions to the problems of the day. From patients to the surrounding community to his dental colleagues and peers, Dr. Magida strives to meet the same standard in service to each group: to make a positive, lasting, and significant difference in the world around him.
Newtown Dental Care P.C.
7 Cambridge Lane
Newtown, PA 18940
(215) 968-7787
www.newtowndentalcare.com
www.oceanpointephiladelphia.com
7 Cambridge Lane
Newtown, PA 18940
(215) 968-7787
www.newtowndentalcare.com
www.oceanpointephiladelphia.com
Photography by Jody Robinson
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, November 2021
