Delightfully Different Dentistry – that’s how the practice is described. Simply stroll past their upscale location on “Health Row” at Del Mar Highlands Town Center, or take one look at their web or social media pages and you’ll see that grace and technology have come together seamlessly at this outstanding North County dental practice. With great anticipation and fanfare, Bespoke Dentistry opened its doors in August 2022. And ever since, Dr. Leah Stempfle and her business partner and husband, Ryan Stempfle, have introduced San Diego to state-of-the-art dental care with innovative tools, equipment and a fresh approach to assisting patients.

Recently, I had an opportunity to experience both teeth cleaning and whitening treatments at Bespoke Dentistry. While I’ve had the pleasure of being a patient at a few upscale dental practices, this was dental care of an elevated caliber. The surroundings are unmatched with attention to detail throughout every corner of the space – all under the thoughtful care of Dr. Leah and her attentive staff. Having experienced the treatment and soaked in the tranquil, clean, posh yet comfortable surroundings, I wanted to get Dr. Leah’s take on the Bespoke approach to dentistry.

The Bespoke Dentistry approach

María: How would you describe the Bespoke Dentistry approach?
Dr. Leah: The Bespoke Dentistry approach is to change the way we think about a traditional dental office being old, painful, and uncomfortable. Everything we’ve designed, implemented and invested in has been centered around delivering the most optimal patient experience that is modern, pain free and spa-like! We make every effort to create a wow experience where our patients actually look forward to their next appointment, not only for dentistry, but for an overall hospitality, health and wellness experience.

Office aesthetics

The moment you walk through the office doors, you know you’re about to experience something unique. With interior design décor and styling by the inspired designs of Serena and Lily, attention to detail is evident. Inside Bespoke Dentistry you’ll find 18-foot ceilings supported by the practice’s signature moss wall and curved arches. Powder-coated dental chairs ensure patients receive their treatments in the most comfortable seating. 

Just sitting there, absorbing the office and dental room surroundings, my mind wandered as I soaked in the first few minutes of my initial entry – appointment preamble, explanation of services in the comfortable waiting room and being escorted to the private treatment room. I could have answered the question I was about to ask, given the last several minutes I had just experienced, but I wanted to get the doctor’s take on what she and her husband had in mind when they embarked upon such a technology-forward dental practice.

María: What sets your practice apart from other dental practices?
Dr. Leah: From the moment our patients hear about us, the experience begins with an easy online booking process where our real-time calendar is available for our patients to choose when is most optimal for them. Booking is simple and efficient for all family members, and all forms and insurance are determined before the appointment to make the day of treatment a breeze. 

Treatment day – services and technology

On the day of treatment, [patients will find] our digital check-in is fast— entering only your first and last name. Within seconds, our concierge will greet you and bring you to our private, quiet, glass encased pre-treatment room with orchids and spa-like music. Our concierge will bring you water, sparkling water or coffee. 

After your  preamble explanation [that explains] what to expect during your appointment… Our assistant meets you and brings you to your very own private room where you’ll relax in our dental chairs enjoying our custom list of comforts and amenities. Our amenities tell you, right from the start, how much we prioritize comfort, warmth and customization, and that is why we’ve included therapeutic eye massagers (truly they are the best!), fuzzy blankets, lip gloss, relaxing music, aromatherapy, noise canceling headphones — which can be paired to large 4K Frame TVs at every chair.

The technology you’ll be introduced to at this point are cutting-edge tools that, once again, represent elements of the practice which distinguish it from the vast majority of others. Dr. Leah states it simply, that this portion of your visit is “the most educational experience you can have to understand your own mouth and how it impacts your health for now and the future.” During this period of the exam, you’ll learn about your in-the-moment dental and gum status with some insightful tools at the dental staff’s disposal:

• Panoramic CBCT [x-ray] scan – features include:
  • Mobile (It meets you at your dental seat!)
  • Rotates outside the mouth
  • 80% less radiation than traditional x-rays
• Complimentary 5D iTERO scan
  • A  less than five-minute scan
  • 3D image of mouth
  • Intra-oral pictures of every tooth
  • Infrared heatmaps for:
    • Grinding awareness
    • Cross bites
    • Malocclusion 
    • Rapid, before-and-after visualization previews of Invisalign outcomes
      • All images digitally airstream to your dental chair’s 4K TV-facing screen

The Bespoke Dentistry mission

It’s clear that the practice is far and away an outstanding cosmetic and general dental practice that impresses its patients with purpose from the moment you make an online appointment. That process with purpose continues when patients are treated to the exceptional level of service, equipment and thoroughness. But the journalist in me wanted to know the why behind the technology, the exceptional patience services and office ambience. 

María: Why did you choose to create this innovative model for your dental practice?
Dr. Leah: Simply, we wanted to differentiate and create a wow experience in a unique way — delivering the best care, and the best experience in a way that no one has ever seen. Like so many new companies such as UBER and Tesla, we feel that innovation paves the way for the future, optimizing outcomes and experiences better than before. Dentistry was in need of disruption to break the mold and stigma of the past. Dentistry truly can be modern, fun, cool, and a place for comprehensive health and wellness. Bespoke Dentistry was planned to deliver just that! The new technologies make things easier, simpler, faster, delicate and more effective for our patients and staff. We not only strive to remove the stress, anxiety, and fear of dentistry but rather create the feeling of wow, excitement, and confidence.

María: While we’re talking about the whys of developing your practice, why was North County (and specifically Del Mar/Carmel Valley) the best location to establish your practice?
Dr. Leah: North County, (specifically Del Mar/Carmel Valley) , was the best location for our practice because it is literally the epicenter of North County, centrally located and equidistant from downtown through to Oceanside. We wanted to provide world class dentistry and make it as easily accessible to anyone in San Diego. Right off the I-5 highway!

Dr. Leah Stempfle

I’m sure it’s clear at this point that Dr. Leah Stempfle brings her calm, collected, and thorough style of communication to every interaction with her patients. With nearly 15 years of experience as a practicing dentist in Canada, and mother to four young children, Dr. Leah has mastered the art of interaction, with the ability to exhibit both her patience and listening skills in the areas of general and cosmetic dentistry. Having worked in both a pediatric and adult-centered practice at the top downtown cosmetic dental practice in Canada, Dr. Leah has the ability to cater and customize treatment for any one individual. Truly, after meeting Dr. Leah for a few minutes, you and your family will feel instant trust, comfort and confidence that you are receiving the best care you can possibly find anywhere in the world. 

I did wonder how this female dynamo in a dental jacket manages to balance it all. And since, here, at The North County Moms, we are keen on directing our attention toward moms who shine through their personal and professional personas, we had to get Dr. Leah’s take on pursuing her professional goals in the midst of motherhood.

María:  Dr. Leah, how do you balance motherhood with a successful dentistry practice?
Dr. Leah: Time management is key [and] keeping my children involved and excited about our dentistry practice, the technology and how we are helping people live healthier lives. Always spending the weekends as a family and focusing on quality time together [is a priority].

Patients

As we begin to  wrap up details for this first Bespoke Dentistry feature, I thought it was important to get a glimpse into the practice’s representative patient profile.

María: Who is your typical patient?
Dr. Leah: Our typical patient is between the ages of 35-55, (but we treat both children and adults) looking to enhance their health, wellness and appearance, [including teeth whitening], focusing on better hygiene, Invisalign, digital smile design, and same day technology to deliver the best results in an efficient way. Our patients are educated parents and professionals who have busy lifestyles, are technologically advanced, and who have expectations for great results and a curated experience.

María: How do you counsel children and their parents on daily preventative care for kids and teens?
Dr. Leah: Each patient and family have unique needs. Spending time together identifying what oral health requirements best suit their daily routines is an important part of prevention. Consistency is key, so [I stress] finding ways to establish consistent preventive practices. Make brushing part of the bedtime routine with children and make it fun with colored toothbrushes, mirrors, songs and colorful children’s toothpaste.

María: And lastly, what can patients do prior to visiting Bespoke Dentistry to optimize their experiences and on-going visits?
Dr. Leah: We want to encourage all our patients to attain PPO insurance (we accept all PPO-level insurance) or join our own in-house membership to ensure they are receiving optimal care at least twice a year from a prevention standpoint – ideally with an airflow and guided biofilm therapy (GBT) to reduce any need for a filling, crown, or implant.

María: Any final dental care suggestions for patients when they leave your office?
Dr. Leah: Brush and floss twice a day.

In the coming weeks, we’ll dig deeper into the unique features offered by Dr. Leah Stempfle at Bespoke Dentistry. Until then, reach out to Dr. Leah’s team – call or book an appointment effortlessly through their online-scheduling portal. Currently, Bespoke Dentistry is offering a New Patient Special (visit their website for details). Then, get ready to be even more amazed by the forward-looking use of high-tech in Dr. Leah’s approach to diagnosis and treatment in the care of your teeth. Finally, be prepared to be pampered by a warm, thoughtful, service-first team in an incomparable environment.

Bespoke Dentistry Wows North County

Photos & graphics provided by: Bespoke Dentistry

Written by Maria Felicia Kelley
@1MariaFelicia
The North County Moms