Beyond the Surface
Cosmetic dentist Maye Lazaar, DDS, saw how a change in scenery could benefit her practice, her staff and her patients
The space that houses Smiles by Design Dentistry in Los Gatos, Calif., wasn’t a dental office when Maye Lazaar first visited it.
The foyer wasn’t a reception area with a luxurious feel. There weren’t chandeliers lining the hallway between operatories.
That didn’t stop Lazaar from visualizing it that way.
Lazaar, DDS, graduated from dental school in her home country of Brazil 18 years ago and opened her first practice there. It was new and modern with an Italian style and, by all accounts, it was a beautiful space. Then Lazaar met her husband-to-be, Sam. And that was that for her beautiful new practice in Brazil. Lazaar moved to the U.S. with Sam, and practice ownership for her would have to wait a few years.
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“I was an associate at a couple of different practices after moving to southern California, and it was the perfect time for us to start a family,” she said. “Then, the opportunity presented itself to purchase a practice in [northern California]. We visited San Jose and looked at the practice and it made sense because my husband’s side of the family lives here.”
From a family standpoint, the move made sense. From a professional standpoint, Lazaar knew it would be a stepping-stone. The practice was older and Lazaar, who works primarily in cosmetic dentistry, said she never felt fully comfortable presenting bigger cosmetic cases there. So she waited until the time was right for the next stepping-stone, and step she did.