Gone are the days of anxiety-inducing trips to the dentist – that is, if you’re going to one of the several dental spas that have cropped up around the country over the last couple of years. Industry research from SpaFinder estimates that there are now over 100 “pure” dental spas in the United States, which they define as an establishment that has “totally integrated and incorporated the spa/spa facility with dentistry offerings.” They estimate that there are also thousands of dental practices that have incorporated spa elements, like massage, manicures and spa cosmetic procedures with the aim of reducing patient anxieties. The International Medical Spa Association defines a dental spa in a similar way, adding that a dental spa is “a facility whose dental program is run under the strict supervision of a licensed dentist."

 

At Advanced Dental Techniques in Wayne, New Jersey, patients can choose to watch a DVD or TV show, while having a paraffin hand treatment. Even the dental chairs are different, with stress-relieving amenities like a foam pillow that conforms to each patient, as heat and massage units. Comfort Dental Spa in Farmington Hills, Michigan offers warm lavender eye pads, hand massage and hand mitts with each treatment, while Bloomfield Dental Arts in Bloomfield, New Jersey, provides massaging pads, aromatherapy and personal CD players.

 

SpaFinder also estimates that the overwhelming majority of dental spas offer teeth whitening services and that teeth whitening is by far the most-requested cosmetic dental procedure at the dental spa. While at-home, over-the-counter options have also proliferated the market, professional whitening is still the most effective option and often the quickest. Methods vary, from laser whitening to professional bleaching gel, with costs ranging from $300 to $2,000.

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