Caring Dental Care D r. Jessica Kakos is a contemporary dentist with cutting-edge equipment who main- tains an old-fashioned sensibil- ity about the way she practices dentistry. At her offices in Farmington Hills and Bloomfield Hills, patients always come first. "Our patients are the center of this dental practice," says the Uni- versity of Detroit Mercy graduate. And she means it. She and her staff are upbeat and caring and do what it takes to make patients feel comfortable and at ease. "We see patients of all ages," she says. "I'm a mother of four children, so I can relate well to children and parents." Her patient-centered approach means she takes time with each patient and cares about every smile. "Dentistry can be subjective. I take the conservative side as a dentist," she says. "I feel I am honest and practical and I want my patients to understand the big pic- ture, especially regarding aesthetic improvements. Function is key." "And I give patients all the choices and possible outcomes. I like people to be prepared. I do not want any surprises for my patients with regard to their treatment or costs. I want patients to be 100 percent satisfied with my work and my office." Dr. Kakos practices general and cosmetic dentistry. Her office is equipped with the latest technol- ogy, including digital X-rays for a comprehensive study of the mouth, a CEREC machine that makes it possible to create and attach com- puter-designed ceramic crowns in just one office visit. And she can fit selected patients 18 May 21 • 201! with Invisalign braces that require no metal and help patients whiten their teeth and brighten their smiles. Because of the high incidence of gum disease, Dr. Kakos has a periodontist visit weekly at the Farmington Hills office to handle gum issues and implants. Her Bloomfield Hills office is staffed by her sister, Dr. Jacqueline Jameel, a general dentist with the same philosophy toward patient care. That same philosophy came from growing up in a family where hard work and respect for others was ingrained from childhood. "We all have our own standard of care," she says, "and ours is very high." Dr. Kakos has been named Top Dentist multiple years in both Hour and Styleline magazines. In a field that is growing and becoming big business, Dr. Kakos stays true to dentistry, bringing a strong work ethic and sense of honesty to her practice. She stresses the importance of oral health and uses her vantage point as a dentist to look for warning signs in the mouth that might indicate more serious illnesses. On several occasions, Dr. Kakos has spotted signs of heart disease, diabetes and cancer and then referred patients to have further evaluations. "A simple visit to the dentist can prevent other health problems," Dr. Kakos says. "Most people don't realize we find these things, but