Scott Greenhalgh DDS - Cosmetic Dentistry

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

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

Monday, November 23, 2009

Missing Teeth, Dental Implants, and options

As a cosmetic dentist in Denver, I want to give you a few of my thoughts on why it is important to replace a missing molar, and what a few of the options are. (Click to find out more about Scott Greenhalgh, DDS).

I see people almost everyday that have had a situation where they have lost a tooth. Sometimes the best answer to a major dental problem is actually to remove a tooth. It shouldn't be the best answer too often, but realistically, sometimes it is. While in as fast as 24 hours, the problem: toothache, swollen jaw or whatever, begins to clear up and feel pretty good again, it can be misleading that that's the end of the story.

Unfortunately, the problem doesn't really end there. When a tooth is missing it starts a cascade of other dental problems. One problem is that the neighboring teeth can begin to shift. If they shift too much you can develop TMJ or jaw problems. In addition, the force that used to be on the problem tooth, is not spread onto fewer teeth. This can produce sensitivity and gum recession. It can even begin to loosen remaining teeth.

I see people everyday and ask them, "Has anyone ever told you about why it is important to replace a missing tooth?" Most disappointingly say, "No- no one ever has".

A missing tooth can be replaced with a dental implant (watch our short dental implant video). Implants have been successfully used for about 50 years now. The success rates are very high, usually in the neighborhood of 95%, so I always emphasize to patients that dental implants are not new or not experimental.

I have found that most of the time, a dental implant is the right solution, but not always.

You should be aware that there are other options including placing a "bridge", which is another type of permanent solution (meaning that you never have to take it out). Some people have the mistaken impression that a bridge is what their Uncle Joe had, that he would always pop out after meals, or that had those big silver hooks. That device is really a "partial denture" or "partial".

Partials are another way to replace missing teeth. It is better than not replacing them at all, but has limitations. Some of the limitations are that it can have silver hooks that show, or that you have to take it out frequently to clean under it.

After more than 20 years of dentistry in Denver, I have found that after a short conversation and a thorough examination, the right solution for YOU can be found. All that matters in the end is that YOU get the results, solution, approach and budget that fits for YOU.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 2:36 PM

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Sleep Apnea care in Denver

Yesterday I had a chance to speak with one of my patients about their sleep apnea concerns. From basic irritations like the snoring it produces. Sometimes I get the request from their spouse "Can't you do anything about their snoring?!?.

There are many other detrimental affects from sleep apnea including things like: waking suddenly in the middle of the night unable to catch your breath, poor sleep cycles, poor flow of oxygen to the brain while sleeping, and others.

One of my biggest concerns about treating sleep apnea is to find the right device that will help reposition the jaw, without producing other jaw problems as a side effect. Not everyone has a TMJ healthy enough to wear all of the devices currently available.

In fact yesterday during my examination of this patient, I found that they also had a strong tendency to clench their teeth, and jaw muscles that are overworked and fatigue easily.

After gathering a good history about what the patient has noticed, getting information from his MD about what level of sleep apnea he has from a sleep study, and my examination, we were able to create a plan that is likely to give the results he is after.

Like a lot of healthcare, I believe strongly that it has to be individualized and thoughtful. So even though we emphasis cosmetic dentistry in Denver, I feel strongly that great care addresses any and ALL health concerns. They are far more related and intertwined that we give credit to.

In about two weeks we'll have his device and they'll be off to better sleeping and less clenching at night. If this patient is like the others I've treated, they will feel more rested and more alert through their daily routine.

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posted by Dr. Scott at 9:49 AM

3190 South Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 300 | Lakewood, CO 80227

Phone. 800-757-6680 | Fax. 303-479-7599 | Contact Us

Office Hours:
Monday: closed Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Thursday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.