by: Michael Stuart
A former champion racing driver turned implantologist is now back on the podium as a speaker at major dental events around the world.
Dr. Arturo Llobell likes a challenge. Right from the start of his dental career, one specialty wasn’t enough. He opted to become both a periodontist and a prosthodontist, so no two days would ever be the same. It paid off. Today, Llobell enjoys a busy and varied daily practice in Valencia, Spain.
Though just 28, dentistry is not Llobell’s first career. To say his previous vocation was also fast-paced would be an understatement. As a junior racing driver Llobell was among the best in the world, twice being named Spanish national champion and finishing fifth in international competition. Many of Llobell’s former opponents became Formula 1 stars, and he previously tested cars alongside Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, both of whom went on to be World Champions.
Patient care comes first
Eventually there came a time when Llobell had to choose between a career as a clinician and trying to make the step up to Formula 1. A bad crash, among other factors, led Llobell to opt for dentistry and he hasn’t looked back since. Interestingly, he says the two fields are not as different as one might think.
“In both racing and dental surgery you need a significant amount of preparation,” Llobell explained.
“Then, during your task you need a high level of concentration and attention to detail. You also need to react to changing variables if you are to succeed.”
Today, Llobell has swapped one podium for another. He now appears at implantology events around the world as speaker and has recently accepted faculty positions at the University of Valencia, Spain, and the University of Pennsylvania, USA.
Dual specialties, one implant provider
At the heart of Llobell’s progression are the positive treatment outcomes he achieves for his patients. A Nobel Biocare customer since the start of his career, Llobell says its products have helped give him the confidence to use increasingly progressive treatment protocols.
“I started working with Nobel Biocare during my residency in both periodontics and periodontal prostheses. I chose Nobel Biocare because it is established as a leading implant company that offers products for both specialties.
“A number of important clinicians use their products on a daily basis, and that gives me confidence in the brand.”
“Primary stability without surprises”
Llobell is particularly impressed with the new NobelParallel Conical Connection implant.
“I find the NobelParallel Conical Connection implant easy to use in multiple clinical scenarios. It has a straightforward drilling sequence that makes it easy to maintain the direction during insertion, while also giving me the chance to achieve primary stability without surprises.
“Being able to achieve adequate primary stability permits me to opt for immediate loading protocols more often than before.”
A leader of tomorrow
Llobell was named as a member of the Emerging Leaders Program by the Foundation for Oral Rehabilitation (FOR), which he says helped him develop as a speaker.
“Being part of FOR’s Emerging Leaders group was a great experience for me as I had the chance to get in touch with world-renowned clinicians who were more than happy to give me and the other young clinicians involved a hand in every aspect of clinical dentistry, as well as lecturing advice.”
With its new Guide to Growth program, Nobel Biocare is hoping to help more aspiring implantologists follow Llobell’s example. Combining advanced clinical training with practice management advice, Guide to Growth seeks to help ambitious clinicians fulfill their potential by growing their implant practices.
Llobell is proof that with the right skills, partners and advice, the sky is the limit. Next year, he will appear on stage at Nobel Biocare’s 2016 Global Symposium in New York as part of a lineup that reads like a who’s who of implant dentistry.
“To be sharing the podium with some of Nobel Biocare’s top speakers is an honor. I’m really looking forward to it.”