CHICAGO – When you think of relaxation, chances are dental drills and Novocain injections don’t come to mind.
So it seems odd to see “dental spa” written across the clear glass doors of a dentist’s office in Chicago’s Water Tower building, and to hear soothing classical music as you lie on a cushy massaging reclining chair while the hygienist readies her tooth scraper.
It may seem odd, but it’s getting more and more common. Spa dentistry is a growing niche carved out by tooth doctors trying to take the bite out of going to the dentist.
At the Mitchell Dental Spa in Chicago, patients can watch flat-screen TVs watch while the dentist is drilling, or get 10-minute spa treatments, including cooling eye masks and back massages by an on-staff massage therapist – all free with usual dental care.
“If you have to have a dental procedure, nobody’s looking forward to it. If we can create an environment so people can relax, have something to eat … give them a back massage afterward, I think we can start to turn it around and make it a really positive experience,” said Dr. Margaret Mitchell, who turned her regular practice into a dental spa a few months ago.
How about a tingly peppermint foot scrub while having your fillings replaced? That’s offered at The Hills Dental Spa in Austin, Texas, where amenities also include herbal teas and lavender aromatherapy candles.
American Dental Association data suggest that about one-fourth of U.S. adults avoid dental visits because of fear of pain or a previous bad experience. To make the experience more comfortable, dentists have begun offering television and headphones. Spa services are an extension of that trend, said Dr. Matthew Messina, a dental association spokesman.
An association poll of 427 U.S. dentists in 2004 found that about half offered services including headphones, neck rests, warm towels and free snacks, while about 5 percent offered more spalike amenities such as massages, facials and manicures.
Still, Messina said, “fundamentally, the dentistry has to be well-done, or the rest of it is just all smoke and mirrors.”
Damian Clark, 24, a new Mitchell patient, said his first visit to the Chicago office was an eye-opener.
“It was shocking to me at first because it’s totally not something I’m used to at all. I felt very posh,” Clark said. He said the distractions made a recent painful gum procedure almost pleasurable.
“I’ve been referring my friends,” Clark said.
That kind of free advertising is part of the point of offering a spa-like environment, said Dr. Mitchell Charnas of the Manhattan Dental Spa. Charnas said patient referrals at his office have increased substantially since he began offering spa services about two years ago.
Still, not all patients want to be pampered.
“There’s a pretty good mix of America that just wants the dentistry done and to get it over with,” Messina said.
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