Whether practicing dentistry in his new state-of-the-art practice in Hughson, California, providing oral health care services in Mexico, or teaching other oral health care professionals the art of dental photography, Apolinar Madrigal, DSD, approaches each task with the same respect and quality standards.

“Many things led to me becoming a dentist,” Dr. Madrigal shares. “I’ve always loved biology and health; I like to be active; I love to interact with others; I’m a bit outgoing. And dentistry combines all of this.”

After meeting his future wife during undergraduate studies, he shared his dreams for the future—which aligned with her own. Before marrying, they both applied to and were accepted to the School of Dentistry of University of De La Salle in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. Here, they both pursued their passion for oral health, with Dr. Madrigal focusing on cosmetic dentistry (and his wife on oral surgery). Together, they graduated in 2016 before moving back to California. However, having spent significant time in this Central Mexico region, it was apparent to Drs. Madrigal that many citizens were suffering from lack of access to dental care.

“There is an incredible need in Leon for basic dental treatment and services, as well as a growing demand for esthetic dentistry,” Dr. Madrigal states. “Thanks to the flexibility afforded by this profession, I am able to travel there monthly to deliver care that addresses both needs.”

On any given Monday through Thursday, you can find Dr. Madrigal enhancing smiles in his new, six-operatory California practice. But come Thursday night, he is traveling to a lecture, conference, or Leon.

“Much like my practice in California, in Leon, I focus on veneer cases. But the difference is that the profits from my Leon practice, of which I’m co-owner, stay in Mexico. We use these funds to provide free dentistry to those lacking access to dental care,” Dr. Madrigal explains. “For example, there is an orphanage we work with that houses 50 children. Every other month, I go to the orphanage and donate my time and resources to ensure that these children’s oral health does not go ignored.

“Having a practice in Leon has allowed me to expand my clientele in this area more easily, which, therefore, allows me to provide free oral health care more easily, as well,” he adds.

Building a practice is no small accomplishment, but Dr. Madrigal’s commitment to quality has helped gain the trust of, and referrals from, his clients. Part of this journey has been the inclusion of products and services that compliment Dr. Madrigal’s desire to practice high-quality, minimally invasive dentistry. And in seeking out such products, he discovered DenMat Lumineers—ultra-thin veneers that are designed to conserve as much natural tooth structure as possible.

“Discovering Lumineers is what introduced me to DenMat,” Dr. Madrigal says. “Once I started working with DenMat, I realized that the company philosophy of creating quality products that last complements my approach to dentistry. That is, conservative, quality dentistry above all else.”

This positive experience led to Dr. Madrigal joining DenMat’s Smile Discovery Program (SDP) in 2018. This membership program was an easy sell for him once he learned about LumiSmile—the program’s proprietary smile-enhancement tool. “LumiSmile allows the patients to see what can be accomplished before committing to treatment,” Dr. Madrigal shares. “And the ability to show patients was can be done to enhance their smile is absolutely what sold me on SDP.”

Since joining SDP, Dr. Madrigal has enjoyed other DenMat products, including the NV PRO3 Laser, Firefly Cordless Headlight System, Core Paste XP, and Tenure A/B Dual-Cure Bonding System.

His contagious enthusiasm for the profession and these products, as well as his commitment to quality dentistry, led to a partnership with DenMat, in which Dr. Madrigal lectures on behalf of the company. This includes lectures/courses on composite placement and dental photography.

“Photography is something I’ve always loved,” Dr. Madrigal states. “It allows you to capture everything.” Pertaining to dentistry, however, photography is a powerful tool for patient communication. “As a cosmetic dentist, I would sometimes do a restoration and think, ‘I wish my patient could see this.’ Thanks to dental photography, they now can. It allows patients to see, acknowledge and appreciate what we do.”

Sharing his love for photography is only natural for the outgoing Dr. Madrigal. “Being able to share what I know with others it a blessing. It’s very hands-on; we bring in the cameras, teach dentists how to use them and then do hands-on practice with LumiSmile. By the end of the course, dentists are better equipped to communicate with both their patients and the dental lab through photography,” he says.

One strong example of this is a very memorable case featuring a patient named Felicia. “When Felicia came into my practice, we did a LumiSmile (as we do on every patient). She was blown away. She didn’t realize the potential in her smile. From this proprietary tool, Felicia committed to treatment utilizing Lumineers. Once her Lumineers were placed, she was so grateful and her smile could light up a room. And all I could think was that her smile finally matched her personality,” Dr. Madrigal says.

We are all capable of changing the lives of others when we harness our talents with the best tools and resources available. This is a secret learned early on by Dr. Madrigal, who continues to excel in all that he does—and DenMat is pleased to be part of his journey.

To learn more and view photography by Dr. Madrigal visit:
Dr. Madrigal on Facebook
Dr. Madrigal on Instagram