Spa Dentistry

It is no surprise that the spa concept has made its way into the dental office. Over the past five years, the concept of the 'dental spa' has emerged On the surface, this is a perfect fit. A visit to the dentist frequently evokes stress and fear. Many people's fear is so great that often-needed routinue dental care is neglected. The dental spa concept offers a paradigm shift in the way oral hygiene is perceived by integrating traditional spa services into its delivery approach.
The most important and visible application of spa concepts, and the easiest to apply, is in the design and decor of the dental office. Creating a soothing and organic environment by integrating proper materials and colors, with the occasional water feature and tranquil music, is a good start. The actual spa service part, however, is much more difficult to mesh into a traditional dental practice. This can include massage, manicures and pedicures, aromatherapy, and healing options such as dietary supplements and herbal therapies. Providing these services adds to daily costs of delivery and many patients will simply not accept the added costs of the services. Selling the value of these integrated dental spa services will work for some higher-end practices but not for many mainline dental operations. Design and decor are relatively fixed front-end costs. Spa services are hourly expenses that ultimately are 'affordable' if they drive in new business, produce sustainable revenues from new spa treatments, or allow higher fees to be charged for dental services.
While the concept of a dental spa is not for everyone, it is waking up the dental profession to rethink its traditional models of delivery....and this is good for patients. Anything business model that encourages more regular dental attendance and care is a good thing.
Dr Barry Eppley
http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com/
http://www.ologyspa.com/
Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana
Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana
Indianapolis