Drs. Masha Kogan and Virginia Romano think walking into the dentist’s office should give you a rush of soothing, good vibes, rather than a twinge of dread. After 5 years of searching for a new, larger office for their dental happy place, they found it on Post Road West. Working with Kogan’s sister, an interior designer, they combined clean lines and a neutral base with bold shapes, splatters of color, and playful art. The result is a space that is as cutting edge and freakishly fun as they are.
The Entry
The first visual treat is the herringbone floor. “It breaks up the front area from the back and sets a chic, elevated tone,” says Romano. The floor is made of engineered wood so it can handle high-traffic.
Look right and you’ll find a geometric art installation composed of candy-colored hollow Lucite hand-painted wooden blocks created by an artist from Valencia (Spain) that Kogan found. The room is furnished with curvy, cozy seating and tables, all purchased from CB2.
The Wall Unit
To the left is their favorite piece of furniture, a wall unit they designed and had built. Kogan explains, “It’s filled with little art objects we are always curating. Every piece has some meaning, like the ceramic eye that watches over everything and brings in only positive energy."
The doctors pride themselves on treating the whole patient by connecting lifestyle, diet, and mental well-being with what is going on in the mouth. For example, Romano explains, “if someone has a lot of wear on their teeth, we first ask if they lift weights or do cross-fit a ton because they might be clenching. They need a mouth guard or Botox to treat the muscle.” If they have tooth erosion, the first step might be diagnosing and treating acid reflux with their doctor. And a breast-feeding new mother might be getting some unexpected cavities because her nutrients are being depleted.
Therein lies the root of their holistic approach to design. “Our office appeals to all the senses,” explains Kogan. In addition to scented soy candles by Lulu Candle, patients are also greeted with a curated playlist on Pandora featuring stations and artists like Tep No and Empire of the Sun.
Behind the wood clad lobby desk hangs a large-scale painting they commissioned. Proceed on, and you might notice the feeling of spaciousness not typical in a doctor’s office. Kogan says, "the high-ceilings and the grand presence sold us on this space. There are multiple windows in every room looking out on nature. As the light changes, you feel your progress through the day." The central hallway is flooded with light on all sides, and punctuated by an original “Love” painting by local artist Kerri Rosenthal.
The Wallpaper
The piece-de-resistance is the Lips wallpaper in both bathrooms, by Voutsa (find them on Instagram). “We had been wanting to use this paper forever. We chose a different design and color scheme for each bathroom!” Kogan states enthusiastically.
There’s a whole room dedicated to sterilization and two new brand-new autoclaves, machines which use high pressure and temperature to eradicate bio-hazardous waste from the surface of tools. “We would have done this level of infection control pre-Covid, but with all the windows and two separate entrance points to the outdoors, we couldn’t think of a more pandemic-friendly space. We also have a new 3D digital scanner and top-of-the-line leather dental chairs, geeky but fun for us,” says Kogan.
Kogan elaborates, “we take our education in dentistry and add in artistry with our cosmetic services. We ask questions like, why are your teeth little, why is your bite off, what shape is best for you?" Then they work with a high-end lab and ceramicist. “We’ve studied advanced courses by world-renowned dentists to learn about proportion and aesthetics.” And now, their equal love of science and aesthetics is represented in their office as well.
Aside from their matching pink PPE and shared shoe obsession, you may also notice their easy partnership and friendship, which they attribute to synergy in their thought processes, values, and tastes in fashion, music, architecture and art. “This makes our relationship authentic. I think the patients can feel that,” says Kogan. “We both know the treatment plan for every single patient. And even though it’s hard to see our faces right now, we are both very smiley people. Our motto in life is to be positive.”
The Dental Center of Westport
175 Post Rd West, Westport