At the end of January, a new Horsham dentist, Designer Smiles, opened in East Street. This new dental surgery is owned and operated by Lizet Horn who is a familiar face in the town.
Designer Smiles is a warm and welcoming space, with a fresh modern feel whilst still preserving the integrity of the wooden beams and eccentricities of the historic building it’s in.
With two large surgery rooms (and plans to open a third surgery room later this year), state of the art equipment and an experienced team, owner Lizet has a very clear vision of what she wants to achieve. We caught up with her recently to find out more about who she is, why she chose Horsham, why dentistry and what’s special about Designer Smiles.
“I qualified as a dentist in South Africa in 2001 but after travelling, I settled in the UK and have been living and practising dentistry here since 2002. Although I originally lived in London, the arrival of my daughter and a chance encounter, led me to buying a dental practice in Horsham in 2011. The local community and that practice were a central part of my life until 2020. I valued the patients I met, who I got to know well over the years, and I loved the local business community who are close knit and supportive.
But in 2020, and after all the pressures of the pandemic, I knew I needed a little time out to redress my work life balance. My last practice was an NHS one and that means it had to be very target driven. But what I love about what I do is the hands-on nature of it. It’s not a case of listen and prescribe. With every patient you see, it’s proactive. You’re helping people, whether that’s with immediate relief from pain, or over the longer term. And that involves much more than just targets.”
Having taken a step back, last year Lizet realised that she missed both her work and her patients, many of whom contacted her, asking her to come back. It’s not hard to see why, as her relaxed approach puts you instantly at ease.
“About a year ago, I realised how much I missed dentistry, and the people. I had a relationship with my patients. Over the years, I’d see their children grow up. I knew them and they knew me. And as an industry, we’re still dealing with the legacy of Covid. Lots of dentists left the profession due to the extra demands. But also, lots of people didn’t see a dentist and as a result, have built up some residual problems, and now need extra or urgent treatment. There remains a shortage of dentists and so the time felt right to come back.”
The new practice is above Smith and Western in East Street and just down the road from a large orthodontic practice. So Lizet explained her vision for the future of Designer Smiles and what they’re offering that’s special.
“We’re an independent, family run business and therefore, what we can deliver is a personalised, individual and caring service. We have the time to get to know our patients and importantly, we can offer payment plans. We know that price can be a challenge, so we’ll put together a treatment plan. That might mean dealing with an urgent problem first, then coming back for repair work, and finally coming back for any aesthetics work. We make it as affordable as possible, so patients don’t feel overwhelmed, and it feels doable. After all, oral health is key to overall health. We’re really good with nervous patients and we pride ourselves on being calm and supportive. I find if a patient knows and trusts me, it helps alleviate nerves.
And yes, having an orthodontic practice just down the road is really helpful as we can refer patients to them. I know the people there well and it makes life easier for everyone.”
For more information about Designer Smiles or to book an appointment, call 01403 913765 or visit: Designer Smiles
