Going dental

Usually we’re all giddy about going to the spa, but sometimes even we have to stop and say, no, seriously? The two venues below are…different. They’re a newer breed of Chicago dental offices—with spa perks like aromatherapy and massage rooms—that aims to embrace the yin and yang of health care. (While the dental services are covered by most insurance companies, dough for the extra spa treatments will most likely come out of your own pocket.) The yin of having someone’s fingers in your mouth for a half hour is offset with the yang of sitting in a massage chair and receiving a paraffin-wax hand treatment at that same office. Hey, it sure beats paging through a two-year-old issue of Family Circle.

Perfect Smile Dental Spa
“I’m a dental phobic myself,” says Timothy Dotson. “In dental school, we had to work on each other, and I passed out.” When he started his own practice, he wanted those who share his fears to feel comfortable, opting to treat people rather than teeth. The waiting room at his Roscoe Village office has a bread machine that runs in the morning, so the office smells homey and comforting rather than medicinal. (Afternoon visitors can enjoy a free, freshly baked slice.) Patients also enjoy complimentary tea or juice and a foot-massage machine while waiting for their appointments.

The dental rooms are standard-issue except for the massage chairs. Patients receive a paraffin-wax hand treatment before Dotson sees them, so they leave with soft hands and clean teeth. After each cleaning, they receive a gratis 10-minute head and neck massage, guaranteeing the session ends on a relaxing note. On-staff massage therapists book separate appointments ($45–$105) in the office’s spa room for a range of treatments, including one designed for temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)—the jaw-clenching, teeth-grinding, headache-inducing muscle disorder. 2155 W Roscoe St (773-528-3384).

Mitchell Dental Spa
Margaret Mitchell noticed that patients at her Water Tower Place practice ran in for appointments, used their BlackBerries until the moment they sat in the dentist’s chair and generally looked harried. “The amount of stress in my patients’ lives has gone up significantly,” Mitchell says. That’s why she set up her office in 2001 to help patients relax while dealing with their personal care.

Even though they’re busy people, many of Mitchell’s patients sit in massage chairs and enjoy lavender-scented hot towels after their dental services are over. Patients scheduled for long procedures that involve heavy sedation can take advantage of the office’s free car service. Everyone receives a complimentary 10- to 15-minute spa add-on; many opt for the lip-hydration treatment, which uses citrus enzymes to exfoliate chapped lips and shea butter to protect them. Therapists and aestheticians offer treatments ranging from massages to seaweed wraps ($55–$145). Whether patients arrive to have a cavity filled or receive a cavity-free chocolate raspberry facial instead of—or after—dental work, they can also enjoy light snacks and Champagne in the afternoon. 845 N Michigan Ave (312-642-1014).

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