More and more dentists are adding spa amenities as a way of making their patients more comfortable and more apt to schedule regular appointments, according to an article in the August/September issue of AGD Impact, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) monthly newsmagazine.
Making an office more "spa-like" can be as simple as offering homemade bread or scented candles, or it may be as fancy as adding day spa procedures such as facials or pedicures.
AGD spokesperson Eric Shapira, DDS, MAGD, employed a classical guitarist to play for patients and would have massage therapists stop in for crown and bridge procedures. "Many anxious patients came to my office for care, which prompted me to keep them as calm as possible so that they could have the dentistry that they needed," says Dr. Shapira.
More than 50 percent of 427 practicing dentists surveyed at the American Dental Association (ADA) annual session offered some sort of spa or amenity, and some dental schools are now offering courses on spa dentistry.
Glenn Alex, DDS, FAGD, operates a practice in Athens, Ga., a college town home to the University of Georgia. Five years ago, he approached his staff about incorporating the spa dentistry approach and held brainstorming sessions with them on what to do to make dentistry more appealing.
"For a lot of people, dentistry causes anxiety," says Dr. Alex. "The whole idea was to create more of a positive environment for the patient. Our patients love being pampered."
Dr. Alex's office now offers a full menu of extras including facials, massages and microdermabrasion. Some patients visit even when they don't need any dental work. Others make sure to schedule facials when they are in for longer procedures like getting a temporary crown.
Patients aren't the only ones reaping the benefits of spa-like offices. "Dentistry can be a stressful profession," says Dr. Alex. "This is a great environment for us to be in as well."
Spa amenities now available at some dental offices:
* Facials
* Manicures/Pedicures
* Massages
* Aromatherapy
* Live music/patients choice of music
* DVD selections and headphones
* Foot massagers
