Scott Greenhalgh DDS - Cosmetic Dentistry

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Stem Cells and Cosmetic Dentistry

I am looking forward to attending the seminar tonight entitled; Stem Cells: Emerging medical and dental therapies and the dental profession. I have been interested in the potential of stem cells for years now. In fact a number of years ago Christine Chang of Channel 7 News did a segment featuring our dental office (here's the dental stem cell video).

I am currently working with two different companies (for example, BioEden and StemSave) that help patients collect stem cells from their children and even from wisdom teeth. The thought is to preserve these cells that can have the potential to regrow certain tissues (such as dental enamel). As these sciences develop I think those who save these cells now, will have some huge opportunities to treat some of their own complex medical problems in the future. There is no better tissue match than your own, or your direct family members.

While it's yet to be seen how stem cells will help in cosmetic dentistry, any advances that help people preserve their own teeth, or provide new options to repair them, ultimately leads to a better, healthier smile.

So, I'm sure I'll have some new information for you about advances in dental care and how to use stem cells. It may be possible to collect them from you, your kids or even grandchildren. For now, the first step will be to contact my office so that we can help you collect and preserve these precious cells.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 3:07 PM

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

What really is Service?

I'm doing some very exhausting research right now. Sometimes one has to go to whatever extent necessary for the sake of growth. A business partner of mine gave me a gift of a stay at the Ritz-Carlton hotel here in Denver. So my radar is going a thousand miles an hour soaking in EVERYTHING they do.

I'm already a fan of the Ritz as I have hired their firm to train my staff on customer service.

So... what really is service?

In it's most rudimentary, essential form it is understanding very clearly what your client wants to feel, and then delivering it in the most subtle, non-distracting way possible.

When it's done well- you hardly even notice it. It is the shortest line through what your client wants to experience. As a friend of mine Bryan Williams calls it, the Double Platinum rule of service: deliver to your client what they want before they even express that they want it.

I call it-understanding the movie that is already playing in your client's mind. They might have specific expectations or they may be vague and unaware. The key from practice is to read the subtle signs and act accordingly.

In my cosmetic dentistry practice here in Denver, we focus on that movie that is playing. I'm proud to have great people on my team, who genuinely want to take care of people. The rest is about the details (read about our comfort options).

We get constant positive comments from our clients (see our rave reviews), but we are not done yet. Great service is about constantly paying attention to our clients, constantly scrutinizing what we do and asking, " How can we make this better?"

OK-- it's time to go do some more research... : )


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posted by Dr. Scott at 12:16 PM

Saturday, December 5, 2009

It starts with the right people.

Friday night my wife, Tracy and I attended a great evening at Page1 Solutions Casino night. While it was a good time, more importantly at the end of the night, there was some good money contributed to the Second WInd Fund and the Jeffco Action Center.

I have known the owner, Dan Goldstein now for about 10 years. He runs a very successful website development and SEO company. I have watched Dan start with great people, and then continue to add more and more around them. Over the years, I have had great experiences with Bill, Jonathan, and Erika (OK-both of them). Maarit was the lead designer on my cosmetic dentistry website (which we found out recently won a Platinum Marcom Award!).

Great people, and a great time. I continue to be impressed with the whole operation.

One of my all-time favorite quotes completely applies to this firm: "There's just no OFF position on the genius switch".






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posted by Dr. Scott at 10:23 AM

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Why is good service so hard to find?




Maybe you are like me: I'm picky but not a pain in the neck. I like good service and some mental engagement from whomever is taking care of me or that whomever working with me has some vague understanding of what would make me happy. The service approach that drives me nuts is the "canned approach". Where I am forced into their "on-size-fits-none" rigidness. When they ask me what I want and then I actually tell them. Their face goes blank like I've suddenly started speaking French. And then the reply, "we can't do that...". Game over.

I had a new patient that was referred to my office today. I asked her what she liked or didn't like about her previous dentist/dental office. She described how when she entered the office that whomever worked there seemed too busy talking with the other girls nearby. When she when back into the office, she recounted how the staff were busy sharing their personal stories with each other-she said she felt like a "thing", instead of a valued client.

I am frequently disappointed when I hear about some of the experiences people describe in other offices. We make a focused effort to make sure our patients, have a great experience. One of our main concerns is easing anxiety in the dental office. At our cosmetic dentistry office in Denver, I have had the opportunity to hire the Ritz-Carlton for training on customer service. In a nutshell, "pay attention to everything, guess what the guest might enjoy next, take responsibility and act on it".
Our new patient today was beaming at me when I came in to meet her. She was almost giddy that we had treated her with attention and respect. That she had a warm, personal greeting when she arrived; that someone else offered her our complimentary spa treatment (see other amenities to help you relax). Even though she had been told what to expect on her first visit, She found out that we cared, and that we would do a good job for her.

So, there is no doubt that cosmetic dentistry really starts with service. We see people everyday that recount experiences where the dentist didn't believe them when it hurt, and just kept on going. Or didn't wait longer enough for them to be fully numb.
If you haven't really had THIS level of personal attention, then we believe you are truly missing out (contact us today for your own personal dental experience).

Oh, and if we pay that much attention to making you feel welcome, then just imagine how we'll pour ourselves into making an amazing smile for you!


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posted by Dr. Scott at 3:55 PM

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Dr. Phil and Cosmetic Dentistry


Every once in a while, I'll pass by a day-time TV on. Sometimes I catch Dr. Phil out of the corner of my eye. I'll stop and listen as he twangs out "So you think it's a good idea to steal money and give it to your boyfriend so he can buy drugs?" The guest sits there wide-eyed, speechless, then the camera pans to the audience. Two women tearing up, shaking their heads back and forth as if to say "NO, stop giving him the money!"

What does this have to do with cosmetic dentistry? I see people everyday who are like that girl. Hoping that Dr. Phil will say it's all OK, give them a big hug and make all of the bother of life go away. But if you've watched the show, many stories have a happy ending: the ones where people face into the real issue and are ready to make changes. Everyone hugs and cries and you can see the realizations of what has to happen going through their expressions. 

Other stories don't end that way. The other ones you can see the guest sitting there with a look on their face of "this is too hard to change" or "I really don't get what is at stake here", or "I don't really want to hear that."

After 21 years of dentistry in Denver, I can fix ANY smile, or repair any mouth problem. I still see people everyday with discouraging problems in their mouths, or major disappointments about cosmetic dentistry that they have had done in another office. 

My role is like Dr. Phil's. My role is to help you change and avoid the terrible pitfalls ahead. My role is to help you accurately see the REAL picture of what is going on in your mouth. Like Dr. Phil, most of our stories end well. I am happy to say I have a practice of many patients that have attained great results and will do well for the rest of their lives (you can read some of their stories in these dentist reviews.) 

I'm sad to say that I still too often see that dazed look, where people just can't believe what is really going on inside their mouths. But you know, just like on TV, pretty much Dr. Phil (or Dr. Greenhalgh) is right...

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posted by Dr. Scott at 3:30 PM

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Oral Cancer and Lance Armstrong



 The Tour De France bicycle race is in full force. Lance Armstrong is making an unprecedented bid to win an 8th time. After fighting cancer, winning 7 other times and at 37 years of age, he is within one second of the overall lead. I've never had cancer, but when I’m not busy with cosmetic dentistry in Denver, I enjoy cycling myself..

 

One of my theories on reasons why Lance has returned this year is that it gives him unparalleled visibility to speak about cancer survival. While he's still a celebrity in general, the whole world stops and watches when he is riding. That's a pretty good platform to advance your cause. 

With that in mind, we have chosen to make July Oral Cancer Awareness Month. Lance's LiveStrong organization is a great compilation of resources for people who have been diagnosed with cancer, and to support their families. 


My part in all of this is to try to prevent as many cases as possible, and to improve the odds for those who we identify it for. Oral cancer can be beaten when identified early (you'll hear more about how we are using new tests to identify oral changes earlier and more accurately in another blog next week). 

All this month (or while supplies last, we are giving away the popular LiveStrong yellow bracelet. Statistics show that 1in 3 of us have either had cancer or are close to someone who has had it.

 

Cosmetic dentistry is more than just amazing smiles. It’s also about creating and maintaining great oral health as well. One of my favorite patients-Bob, commented on how cosmetic dentistry changed his health-it’s true.

 

Specifically we are getting the word out that more people die from Oral cancer than either cervical cancer or skin cancer.  

Think about that for a second--how much attention and how much prevention is targeted at these diseases. For decades the dental profession has been unable to make an impact in these statistics. Now more than ever, you will hear more and more about the importance of regular oral cancer exams. Many other regular cancer screenings are performed, yearly like colonoscopies, PAP smears, etc. The oral cancer screening is not invasive, (you don’t need to be sedated or take your clothes off) and in a few minutes we have some new and reliable tests to identify early mouth skin changes. You don't have to be in a high risk group to be affected by oral cancer. For every new patient, we take the time to do a thorough oral cancer screening using state-of-the-art testing (click here for more information what else is checked at your first visit).

 

SO contact us today or phone us at 303 988 9060, to reserve your yellow bracelet. Join with us in supporting Lance in his race to win another Tour De France, and in the fight to beat cancer.

 

Go Lance Go!

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posted by Dr. Scott at 8:04 PM

Monday, June 22, 2009

How does a dentist choose a new dentist?


Well, OK it wasn't a dentist. It was the professional son of a practicing dentist who we saw in my office the other day. So if his dad still practices, why did he arrive in my office? Well, actually, I think he's a bright gentleman. His dad practices 1500 miles away, so it's just no longer practical to go home for everything. Since Denver is now really his home, he realized he need to get back on track with a new Denver dentist.

I checked out the Dentist/Dad's website. Most of the 
dental websites I've seen are dreadful. They should be for selling dog toys or something. (I'm very glad I found Dan Goldstein and his crew at Page1 solutions for my website). I was impressed and left with the impression that he was an excellent dentist. (I don't often enough get to say that). You can check us out here.

So, what do you say to a Dentist's son?  After a deep breath and a moment to REALLY focus... Well, actually nothing different than what I tell ALL of my new patients. We perform an exhaustive exam, checking MANY, many things. We spend a lot of time talking about prevention, talking about  unique things that they may be prone to. We take a LOT of photos, I showed him exactly what was going on with his teeth. HE could see exactly what 
I was talking about. If his dentist dad wants to see the pictures, HE will be able to see the same thing. It winds up being really simple. No pressure, no wondering IF there is a real problem-everyone can see it for themselves. In fact, it's the same way I do it when my kids come into the office, or if YOU come in. 

We try to find everything that's important. We try to help you know exactly what dental disease you are prone to, as well as what problems you are likely to have on the future. We educate you about how you can prevent problems. We give you options about how it can be fixed. We talk through all of your comfort options-no matter what you need there is a comfortable way to have it done. (We do it the same way for my kids, the other Dentist's son, and you).

So what brought him to MY office-why choose us? There is an online service called DrOOgle that collects comments about dentists. I have been fortunate enough to have many wonderful patients take the time to go post their comments on sites like these (thank you all again!) . In fact as of today, our practice is the highest rated Cosmetic dental practice in the Denver metro area. Surprisingly, we are also the highest rated Family dental practice in Denver as well. 


You'll see a new page on our website this month about How to read and Use online reviews. There is more to it than meets the eye. Like a lot of other things in life, you have to expend a little effort and think for yourself. 

SO if you are looking for a new dentist , check out some of our reviews, if you're already a patient here (thanks again), you might want to forward to one of your friends or co-workers. EVERYONE thinks their dentist is the best, we'll now they don't have to just take your word for it, they can see what (everyone) else is saying.


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posted by Dr. Scott at 11:42 PM

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Power of Unexpected Service


I recently attended the 25th annual session of The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. It was a great meeting presenting cutting edge advancements in cosmetic dentistry techniques.

 It's typically a very large meeting with thousands of dentists from around the world. With the economy being somewhat uncertain this year, I think it also filters what practices are really committed to cosmetic dentistry, and which just want to be on the bandwagon. In fact, this year only 900 dentists worldwide attended this meeting. I anticipate having the exact number of dentists from Colorado that attended, but I would guess about a dozen at the most from all areas of the state.

At big functions, customer service typically goes out the window because it's a captive audience. I have to say I had a number of really unexpected great experiences throughout the week. 

For example, before you can enter any of the lectures, you have your registration badge bar codes scanned. Typically these are people who have to sit at a table all day for hours. Not exactly fascinating work. I met probably the friendliest person of the whole week at one of these check in areas. I happened to have a number of my seminars in the same room, so there she was day after day. She used my name, "Hello again Dr. Scott!" and was all smiles. 

A number of years ago one of my study clubs brought the Ritz-Carlton to Denver to teach us the "Customer Service Secrets of the Ritz-Carlton".  Rule number one- "Always give a warm welcome". This was a talent for her, she genuinely enjoyed welcoming people. 

We hope you'll leave with that same happy feeling when you visit our cosmetic dentistry office. 



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posted by Dr. Scott at 11:00 AM

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Best of Cosmetic Dentistry

All this week I am attending the 25th annual session of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. It is the world's largest organization for cosmetic dentistry. I had the good fortune to be invited to serve as a New Member Concierge. This is a huge group, but what continues to impress me is the spirit of mentorship. In the past, I have enjoyed mentoring graduating dentists from The University of Colorado School of Dentistry. 

The thought of the morning is that it is important to be involved in teaching in your field. For me, mentoring allows me these things:
  • Share some hard earned lessons, maybe someone else can benefit from what I have learned along the way.
  • Encourage those younger in the field. Face it, ANY new career is hard at first. It takes nothing away from me to encourage a younger colleague.
  • Being involved in giving back information causes me to be a better teacher and communicator.
  • It gives me a good barometer of the successes I've had and illuminates areas where I can still get better.
As each year passes, Cosmetic Dentistry continues to offer more options and create more natural results. Every year, advancements in cosmetic procedures offer the power of a beautiful smile to more and more people. EVERYONE notices your smile. I am proud to be involved in an organization that impacts people daily. 

I look forward to bringing you the latest advancements in cosmetic dentistry through the week!

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posted by Dr. Scott at 12:29 PM

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