I’ve noticed some strange things going on in dentistry lately – namely, the proliferation of dental clinics that offer not only the standard services of dental care, but extras, all the way from massages to pedicures to aromatherapy to hand-waxing treatments.
Hand-wax treatments?
In the name of growing their revenue stream, I would have to assume, it appears some dentists’ clinics are offering a vast menu of spa-type treatments along with check-ups, veneers, whitening and the services patients expect when they walk into a dentist’s office for oral care. Why not style their hair at the same time?
I believe this is multi-tasking gone wild.
Some may say that the non-dental service of administering Botox that my clinic offers might fall into the “multitasking” category, like getting your cuticles trimmed. I would disagree. Botox administration is a medical procedure, conducted under the most sterile conditions by a professional trained in the musculature of the face and in the injection of this product, as I am. To me, it is logical to have a dentist, who knows facial anatomy – like the back of his hand – administer Botox. But the offering of spa services seems irrelevant to the dental experience.
I am all for patients being relaxed, and perhaps not inhaling medicinal smells that have characterized dental clinics in the past. At my clinic, we do our utmost to make sure patients are comfortable.
We do this by offering the highest quality of professional care, friendly staff, music, televisions, changing window décor to reflect the seasons, and dental-health related takeaways from the office, such air-travel sized bags filled with a toothbrush, paste, floss and lip balm. We build relationships with our patients so they trust us and our skills. We don’t feel we need to give them a mani-pedi to build that trust.
I think patients are sophisticated enough to know that paraffin-waxed hands and glossed nails are not the types of things that will make them choose one clinic over another. In my experience, patients evaluate things like the expertise and qualifications of the dental practitioner, the kindness and courtesy of the front-office staff and the overall physical surroundings. They want to walk into a clinic that evokes the feeling their dental needs will be looked after in the most professional way.
Spa services are nice, but I am not convinced that they belong in a dentist’s office. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Many people want to know what veneers can do for their smile. Pictures can tell you more than we can - although we can certainly talk about veneers forever :)
This patient wanted a beautiful white smile. We could give him what he wanted with 8 front veneers. He was thrilled! Don't even me started on the bottom teeth - he is fine with them and they are healthy so ....
What does the economic downturn have to do with your dental and mouth health?
Well, for one, even though we are seeing signs of improved economic times, the past two years of global financial uncertainty and disaster has sent many people’s stress levels sky high as they wonder about their jobs, the value of their houses or their declining retirement portfolios.
That stress can take a toll on your teeth and gums in a variety of ways.
One way stress affects oral health is through the practice of “bruxism,” or tooth grinding. The habit can cause damaged teeth, jaw and face pain, headaches and tooth sensitivity.
Stress also weakens the immune system, leading to an increased risk of oral infections including those of the gum tissue (periodontitis), canker sores and temporomandibular joint disorders, which are potentially painful conditions involving inflammation of the joint that connects the jawbone to the skull.
And anxious people are more inclined to soothe their stressed selves with alcohol or cigarettes – both of which can have negative effects on oral health. They may even neglect their oral health overall by failing to adequately brush or floss. That has been linked to other health issues such as heart disease.
A study in the respected Journal of Periodontology last year found stress and depression could play a role in the onset and progression of periodontal disease. In addition, it found that there was oral-care neglect during times of stress and that was linked to missing teeth. Study participants who said they neglected oral care in stressful times or periods of depression had more missing teeth than those who didn’t neglect their oral care in depressing or stressful times.
The study also suggested a link between the stress hormone cortisol and periodontal disease.
During stressful times, try to maintain proper oral hygiene and practise a healthy lifestyle. Remember – a failure to brush and floss regularly leads to teeth and gum problems, and that can only increase your stress!
With the Internet, the potential to be taken in is rising fast. There are so many special offers out there that promise something to make you prettier, healthier, and happier, all with the simple click of a button – and the entry of your credit-card number.
Among the more galling of these scams is an apparent blog (in reality an ad) for a teeth whitener. It comes with a folksy little twist. Instead of some mega-corporation advertising it, the angle is that the product was “invented” by a single mom on the prowl for a product that would whiten her stained teeth without breaking her budget.
Sure enough, the mom happened to find two different brands of teeth whiteners. She thought she’d use two “free” trial samples of each product together to whiten her teeth, and bingo! Success. And all for just a few dollars.
Of course, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
This is what
really happens – and I know, because a member of my staff tried it out so we could see if this “single mom’s” experience was true.
You sign up for the two products and pay a small amount. We ordered samples of something called “Purely White” and another product called “Dazzle Smile.” We paid $2.95 for each sample. We were then sent a thank you e-mail for our purchase of the “risk-free” samples.
Risk-free indeed! After a few weeks, we found, to our dismay, that our company credit card was being billed $87.62 for each product! When we called to ask why, we were told we had not cancelled our initial registration for the trial (we thought this was a one-time deal), and that our next shipment had been sent out. BUT – we never received any additional product. And, there was no prominent notice that you had to cancel to avoid being billed regularly for more products. It is mentioned in the small print, but realistically, how many consumers get all the way through that? And that is what these scam artists are banking on.
It was almost impossible to cancel. Ultimately, the only way for me to stop being charged was to cancel the credit card, a rather drastic action to stop unwanted billing.
The thing about this scam is that they get you twice for two ‘different’ products. That means they sell twice as many of their products and make it twice as difficult to cancel.
If you want whiter teeth, visit your dental professional and do it right. These Internet scams will cost you a lot more than a few bucks per trial offer. If you have been fooled, you should cancel your credit card immediately to stop the billing.
The operators of this scam provide the gift that keeps on taking – from your pocketbook.
Curiously, when I did a recent Google search of Purely White Teeth Whitening Free Trial Samples, I found this notice: “Unfortunately; Purely White Teeth Whitening Free Trial Samples Offer Has Just Ended!”
You can draw your conclusions.
Welcome to
smileblog, my new blog.
In the friendly and comfortable office of the Dr. Shannon Dental Clinic (
www.dr-shannon.com), my staff and I provide general dentistry and restorative and cosmetic services to clients. We’ve been in practice in the heart of downtown Vancouver since 1987, making people feel good about themselves by giving them not just dazzling smiles but great oral health care, too.
On this blog, I intend to let you know as much about what’s going on in dentistry as I can – not just the latest things taking place in my own office, but in the field of dentistry overall. Only by being informed can clients receive the treatment that is right for them.
So I plan to post about a variety of topics. I may give my views on the latest dental products or services, such as implants and what role they may have in dentistry down the road. I won’t pull my punches if I don’t think something new on the market is good for clients. Or, I may share things I learned at a trade show I may have attended. I lecture a lot around the world and I’ll let you know when and where I’m doing that, and what I’ll be talking about. You can be sure I’ll give you information from these lectures.
The clinic is not run exclusively by me. I am lucky to have a team of dedicated and caring professionals who help me and my patients out. I want you to get to know them, too. So, from time to time, they will introduce themselves to you and describe what they do. That way, the next time you come into the clinic, you’ll know more about everyone you meet here.
The clinic also strives to be an active and responsible member of its community (see
http://www.dr-shannon.com/social-responsibility), so from time to time I might discuss some of the clinic’s work around giving back, being socially responsible and being environmentally conscious.
At the end of the blog there is an opportunity for you to comment or ask questions. I’ll do my best to answer them. And please feel free to suggest a topic you might want me to take on.
So sit back, relax and read on. It won’t hurt a bit!