Dr. Didem Aktan

As an 82-year-old with significant dental anxiety stemming from childhood experiences, I approached Dr. Didem Aktan with trepidation for a full-mouth rehabilitation. From the moment I entered Acibadem Maslak Hospital, her team treated me with exceptional patience. Dr. Aktan didn't just see teeth—she saw a person. She explained my complex bone grafting and implant plan using a 3D model I could hold, speaking slowly and checking my understanding. During the four-month process, she personally called after each major procedure. The result isn't just functional teeth; it's the ability to eat corn on the cob for the first time in fifteen years and smile in family photos without shame. Her blend of technical mastery and geriatric empathy is extraordinary.

Our 7-year-old son developed a severe dental abscess that swelled his face overnight. We rushed to Acibadem's emergency department at 3 AM. Dr. Aktan met us there within 20 minutes, still in casual clothes but completely focused. She knelt to our son's eye level, showed him her 'tooth superhero' tools on a tablet animation, and performed the drainage with such gentle precision he didn't cry once. What impressed us most was her follow-up: she video-called two days later to check on him, and sent a personalized 'bravery certificate' to his school. She transformed a traumatic emergency into an empowering experience—he now says he wants to be a dentist 'like Dr. Didem.'

I'm a professional wind instrument musician requiring precise anterior crown work. After three failed attempts elsewhere left me with embouchure issues, I consulted Dr. Aktan for what seemed impossible: crowns that matched both my natural tooth shade under stage lighting AND maintained exact millimeter dimensions for mouthpiece placement. She spent two hours just taking impressions and photographs, then collaborated with a master ceramist in her onsite lab. During the temporary phase, she had me bring my saxophone to appointments to test the fit. The final zirconia crowns are undetectable and, crucially, my high notes have returned. This wasn't dentistry; it was biomechanical artistry tailored to my livelihood.

What began as a routine checkup revealed a rare odontogenic keratocyst in my jaw—a diagnosis Dr. Aktan delivered with compassionate clarity. She coordinated a multidisciplinary team including an oral pathologist and maxillofacial surgeon, presenting me with three detailed treatment pathways complete with success rates and recovery timelines. During the enucleation surgery, she used piezoelectric ultrasonic instruments to preserve nerve function, a technique she explained minimizes paresthesia risk. Her postoperative care included nightly WhatsApp check-ins for the first week and customized nutritional guidance for my liquid diet phase. Six months later, my follow-up CBCT shows complete resolution with no nerve damage. She managed a frightening diagnosis with the precision of a surgeon and the heart of a caregiver.