A spa with a smile

Remember that game you used to play when you were a kid: "Which item in this list does not belong: exotic flowers, aromatherapy, gourmet coffee, soothing music, a foot and hand massage and a dentist's drill?" In this case, they all belong.

Dental spas are a growing trend in our smile-conscious world. If you haven't been to one, what follows is an example of what you're missing. At the Bayside Smile Design and Dental Spa in New York City, patients enter a soothing reception area, scented with meticulously placed aromatherapy candles, where they are given their choice of imported gourmet coffees, freshly squeezed juices and chilled bottled water. They are escorted to the pre treatment room where their hands are placed in warm paraffin wax. Then, they are taken to the state-of-the-art dental studios where they recline in massaging dental chairs. After having a heated neck pillow placed under their necks, patients can tune in to their favorite music, movie or television show. Once the scraping and drilling is done, they are provided with lemon-scented towels.

"Going to the dentist is a necessary evil, but I hope to appease all anxieties and make dental checkups a more pleasurable experience for my patients, even those with extreme dental phobias," says Jerome Vitale, D.M.D. "If a patient is relaxed, I can focus on providing the high-quality dental care my patients expect."

Some critics question if this new approach is good dentistry or just another passing fad. "It's not about gimmicks," says Vitale. "It's treating people the way they want to be treated." Best of all, some dentists offer the spa treatments at no extra charge. Apparently, patient referrals and repeat business cover the spa services' extra cost.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Aerobics and Fitness Association of America
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group