by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Open the door to this office and the senses are engaged. Scented candles add a soft glow, classic music tickles the ears, baked cookies beckon to be eaten, flowers beam with color and a bowl of fresh fruit waits for teeth to sink into it. This is a not a salon. It is a dentist’s office. Dr. James McCall wants his clients to think of it as a dental spa.
“The point is to take my patients’ minds off where they are,” he said.
The concept may not be fresh out of the box, but for the Jacksonville market, a dental office with a spa atmosphere is a new idea.
“This thing has been taking off across the country,” said McCall. “It started in Dallas. I began thinking about it a year, year-and-a-half ago. It’s a little off the wall. I wanted to be able to implement it and start having it very professional.”
To achieve this look, little modification was made to the office’s structure itself. Little touches, such as blankets for cold-natured patients or lavender oil scented neck pillows, culminate into an environment of comfort. Other perks for patients include headphones to listen to music or the televisions mounted in the ceiling with handy access to the remote. If a patient chooses to do so, they can also receive a paraffin hand wax treatment right in the chair. The individual wears warm mittens while the wax is softening his or her hands.
Yes, men are offered the paraffin wax as well. According to McCall, about 10 percent of them agree to the process.
“These are men that are comfortable with themselves and comfortable with us,” he said. For the women, that number is 60-70 percent. Altogether, the ratio of women to men clients has been split pretty evenly, even after the conversion to the new style.
McCall has been in business at his Baymeadows location since early 1994. The change to the dental spa idea was fairly recent. Staving off competition was the big catalyst for the unique approach.
“There are 450 dentists in this town,” he explained. “So, you have to be different.”
Different for McCall means that all four of his chairs overlook the adjacent golf course and are equipped with optional heat and massage options, adjusted to the clients’ likings.
Another touch is a personalized welcome sign greeting new patients. In the reception area, the fresh flowers and baked goodies (choose from cookies, muffins or wafers) mask that clinical smell. After a dental procedure is completed, the patient is offered chapstick for dry lips, orange juice to restore energy and a hot, lavender-oil towel to wash the face.
McCall is considering adding chair massages to his list of services for lengthy operations to relax those that are oral hygiene phobic.
Just like most any other dentist’s office, McCall also offers cleanings, X-rays, root canals, implant restoration, some oral surgery and treatments for the jaw problem known as temporo-mandibular joint syndrome, or TMJ. No periodontal surgery and orthodontics; his staff of five technicians focus on a mostly cosmetic practice.
Regardless of what technique he is using, McCall and his staff try to employ the latest technology such as intra-oral cameras and drills quieter than the standard fare — those that emit that high-pitched, shrilling noise that makes knees quiver with fear. The quieter drill is easier for the ears to tolerate and the pen-size mouth camera instantly takes pictures of patients’ teeth and displays them on a computer screen. McCall maintains that displayed photographs from the gizmo cuts down on the time it takes to explain the dental health situation to the client.
Creature comforts don’t come cheap. Compared to the average clinic, McCall admits his dentistry practice costs a little more.
“I don’t want to compete with Ponte Vedra [Spa],” he said of his marketing efforts. “I want to get away from that fear of the dentist. With the techniques we have now, there’s no reason why the dentist should hurt. If we make it enjoyable for people, they’ll want to come back and they will refer their friends. Some people may think it’s stupid but overall, it’s had a real, positive effect.”