By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times
There are many wise old sayings involving a smile. Mother Teresa is credited with saying “We shall never know all the good a simple smile can do.” A Chinese proverb suggests that every smile makes you a day younger. It’s no wonder we show people how we feel with our smiles. Today a simple smile has become big business for corporate America.
It’s hard to watch TV anymore without big, bright pretty ads for some large corporate dental practices showing up somewhere between the Tide Pods and the Geico Gecko. Never forget all of these ads are trying to sell you something. The new do-it-yourself aligner braces, Invisalign storefronts where you can see what their computers can do with your smile, and best of all the ‘yes, you too can have a great smile in just one day’ are just of few of the services being marketed in our area. The fancy ads are designed to get you to want their product. These Madison Avenue advertisements are designed with only one thing in mind, that is to get your to spend your hard earned money with their big mega practices.
My purpose is not to discredit any of these services, for the right patient, they will work just fine. My purpose here is to say that a highly trained sales person will do whatever they need to do to close the sale. That’s how they get paid. A storefront in a high end shopping mall has tremendous overhead. That overhead is paid by the patient. Other places may use high pressure sales tactics including pushing their own financing agreements and other behaviors that may remind some of us of a used car lot, not a professional office.
My words of wisdom – if it feels like you are being pushed to accept treatment, you probably are. An investment in your smile is personal and should be managed with great care. Be a wise consumer and get the smile that is right for you. Speak with your dentist. If you don’t have a dentist or are looking for someone with training in current techniques, check out the ADA find-a-dentist program or the Academy of General Dentistry listings.
Since we are talking about smiles I am going to give myself a shameless plug. As a general dentist with more than 30 years of experience, I have seen my share of tremendous smiles and thankful patients. Each year for the last five years, I have devoted a morning in my office to nothing but free consultations and evaluations of patients who have questions or concerns about false teeth. We call it denture day, but it’s really much more. This walk-in no appointment necessary time allows us the opportunity to share our expertise with those who are looking to learn more about options for their smile.
Be sure when you visit your dentist, to ask your questions. If there is something you would like to change about your smile, your dentist can steer you in the right direction to make your smile your very best accessory.
All people smile in the same language.
***Free Denture Day October 12th, 8am – noon will be held at Rainbow Valley Dental 1208 W. Lincoln Hwy, Coatesville PA. For more information visit www.rainbowvalleydental.com .
Dr. Stephanie McGann, who has more than two decades of dental practice experience, is a resident of the Unionville area and along with her partner, Dr. Marie Scott, practice at The Brandywine Smile Center, a family-friendly dental practice in Concordville. Dr. McGann also owns a practice in Valley Township, Rainbow Valley Dental. She is a past President of the Chester/Delaware Dental Society and she is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.
