Business Spotlight with Dr Mary Swift DDS North Dallas Cosmetic Dentist

Posted on 12. Aug, 2012 by admin in Blog

 

Dr. Mary Swift DDS of Dallas Laser Dentistry is on Business Spotlight hosted by Patrick Dougher talking about what makes Dallas Laser Dentistry special. You can visit them online at http://www.dallascosmeticdentist.us/ to learn more. Here is an excerpt from their site talking about the service they offer.
Dentist Dallas Cosmetic Dentist Dallas Tooth Whitening Dallas Laser Teeth Whitening Dallas North Dallas Dentist Porcelain Veneers Dallas Texas Cosmetic Dentistry Invisible Braces Dallas Da Vinci Veneers Why wait any longer for a beautiful smile? Our commitment to using quality products, such as our exclusive use of Da Vinci™ porcelain veneers, insures your investment in your smile is maximized! With the advancements in technology we can literally have you leave the office with a new, younger look, the same day.

We know you have a choice when selecting either a Dallas cosmetic dentist or general dentist. As a result, we do everything we can to make this a most pleasant experience. We’ve constructed an environment designed to relax and pamper you. Each operatory has a view from eight stories high of North Dallas. Massage pads in each chair, eclectic music, and educational videos make the time pass comfortably. Our dentists, hygienists, and assistants have been carefully chosen not only for their professional skills, but also for their ability to put patients first and at ease. Warm scented towels and a “thank you” gift round out each treatment session. Plus, our front office staff help you get the most out of your dental plan, or can arrange third party financing should you so choose.

Business Spotlight with Dr Mary Swift DDS

Patrick:  Welcome to the Business Spotlight.  I’m your host, Patrick Dougher, and today I’ve got a fabulous show for you. I have a dentist that, when you read her business brochure, it sounds like you’re going on a journey to the Bahamas or something. It’s an incredibly encounter of “Oh my God, there’s so much peace there.” You think – “Dentist, peace?” Dallas Laser Dentistry. My guest is Dr. Mary Swift. Thank you so much for being on the show.

Mary:  Thank you. And it is like being in the Bahamas. It’s very peaceful and calm.

Patrick:  How did you create that?

Mary:  Fortunately, I had an opportunity to see lots of different practices as I was developing my philosophy and what I wanted to emphasize was it’s as low of stress as we can make it as comfortable as we can make it.

Patrick:  I understand that you won the 2011 DFW…

Mary:  Consumer’s Choice Award.

Patrick:  That’s right. As a dentist, you won that.

Mary:  That’s really unusual for dentistry to even be placed on the ballot. From there, it’s a random phone sampling of a demographic and you have enough support of your patients feeding back that you get the Consumer’s Choice Award.

Patrick:  I’ve been to your location. It is exactly like the brochure says. You’re sitting there staring out over North Dallas from a luscious office building. The spa environment is really big – that was just something else. What are some of the keys to creating that?

Mary:  Not just the environment but the people that create that environment and work in that environment every day. You surround yourself with the best, calmest, and most nurturing, caring staff. You’re going to be able to provide that for your patents. We’re up on the 8th floor facing north looking right over Royal Oaks Golf Course.

Usually, you’re looking at another building if you’re that high up. We have the most spectacular view, and it’s comforting for patients not to be squared in by walls. It’s almost like if you can see what’s going on in the world, it helps to lower some anxiety.

All of our chairs face out with a view. Massaging pads on the chairs, almost for distraction. If we can take you away like the old “Let us do the driving” and let you relax and let us take care of it.

Patrick:  Even herbs.

Mary:  A little aromatherapy. There’s Eastern medicine behind all of that. There are things you can do in your environment to create a calming atmosphere. We try to incorporate that.

Patrick:  One of the other things – you mentioned it, but to highlight it – is you don’t even hire people unless they meet all the specs for what you need, plus have a calming demeanor.

Mary:  You have to have tender hands, a tender heart, and skill.

Patrick:  This is nothing like ‘normal’ dentistry as most people think of it. This is a totally unique experience.

Mary:  When I started thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I actually started as a little chair side dental assistant to see if I liked dentistry. I hopped right into hygiene, which is another degree and another position up and after 15 years as a hygienist, I went to dental school. I’ve been in every position. I tell my girls I don’t know if that makes me easier or harder to work for. I think I can relate to what they have to do during the day. We have a very harmonious relationship.

Patrick:  When you were creating all of this stuff, what was the end result for the person? What were you really trying to achieve?

Mary:  Confidence. For them to be comfortable enough to have confidence in what I’m teaching them, showing them and creating for them with their oral health.

Patrick:  You guys do a great deal of instruction before, during, and after because it’s important, isn’t it?

Mary:  Oh yeah, but never lecture. We’ll teach, but we won’t lecture.

Patrick:  What are some of the things that you teach before, during, and after?

Mary:  I’ve found lately – after being in practice for 17 years and watching my patient population mature as I have – that I need to look for what’s going to happen down the road for them. There is so much going in their world right now that it’s hard for them to even conceptualize what they need to have happen to stay healthy dentally in their future and in their old age, basically.

Patrick:  I wouldn’t doubt. I think about the difference between where dentistry has been, and now I know there are a number of new tools, techniques, platforms, and processes.

Mary:  They make my job easier. The technology available today enhances the result for the patient, but it also makes it easier to accomplish.

~

Patrick:  Welcome back to the Business Spotlight. This is your host, Patrick Dougher. My guest today is Dr. Mary Swift. She is a cosmetic dentist. Not many of us really go for cosmetic dentistry; a lot of insurance companies don’t pay for that. These things are amazing. The stuff that they’re doing is cutting edge, and the type of client that really needs that is something that I really want to get into. As we move into this, I want to look at what you guys are doing that’s so different, what you’re doing to create the success you’re having.

Mary:  When I look at that question and look at my practice, I think I have a good grasp of what technology I should invest in to enhance the outcome for the patient. Dentists are famous for their toys and gadgets. You can spend money on technology that you think is fun, but in the end it really didn’t accomplish a lot for the patient.

I’ve got in place digital software imaging that allows me to virtually straighten people’s teeth on the computer and show them what the outcome could be. That helps. If you can see what it’s going to look like, it makes that decision easier.

Patrick:  Many times people can’t visualize it at all. They look at their mouth and you just go, “Can you visualize straight teeth” and, they go “Nope.”

Mary:  Invisalign – invisible braces – is an amazing technology that’s out there. It was developed initially for people that had braces when they were a teenager but they didn’t wear their retainers. Things kind of crowded a little bit. Invisalign unraveled that. The technology has advanced in the last ten years that it’s been available that now we can use it for a number of different situations.

Patrick:  When you say invisible braces, I can’t see them.

Mary:  Exactly. It’s a set of little clear trays. They call them aligners. Each tray is worn for two weeks at a time. Each tray moves a little bit. You put a new tray in and it moves a little bit more. The old braces that used to be on and there was just something on the outside and things had to swing around that. The technology, because this tray grasps the teeth snugly, is a more efficient movement.

If I said to you, “Patrick you can get your teeth straightened but you’re going to have go down and get wires on your mouth.” You’d go “Hmm…” but if I said I can do that and no one would see it…

Patrick:  That would be amazing.

Mary:  It is amazing.

Patrick:  I imagine you’ve got some really amazing stories throughout the years.

Mary:  I do. I’m actually a premier provider which is a status that you are awarded after you’ve done a number of cases. Tonight, a matter of fact, I’m going to a meeting where they’ve asked me to be there because I’m one of the few dentists in North Texas that instead of taking a goopy impression, I have a digital scanner. It just goes right into the computer and the trays are made from that computer image so the accuracy is levels about the goopy impressions.

Patrick:  I just know of the goopy impressions.

Mary:  That’s the cutting edge.

Patrick:  That’s pretty neat. Are there any other toys you have that are like that?

Mary:  Lasers. It’s Dallas Laser Dentistry because I was an early fan of lasers. I used them in a lot of aesthetic cosmetic cases where you not only look at the teeth but you look at the gums. It makes a difference. Now that I’ve said that, you’re going to look at everybody’s gums.

Patrick:  Probably not. I do tend to notice people’s teeth. Yours are beautiful.

Mary:  There’s symmetry to the gums and the teeth. There are some golden proportions and rules.

Patrick:  How do lasers do that?

Mary:  They used to use a scalpel (a blade), but lasers melt. I hate to get into the blood and gore – there’s no blood. It’s noninvasive, easy, no discomfort or aftercare problems. It’s like trimming your cuticles. It makes the biggest difference in a smile if you’ve got symmetrical gums and symmetrical teeth.

If you’ve ever seen anybody where one tooth looks really long and the other one looks really short, lift that gum. Sometimes people ask me in a cosmetic case “Can you fix this, Doc?” if you really look closely, I can’t fix that until I get your teeth where they should be. The reason it’s broken is something needs to change.

Patrick:  There’s more stress on there than you think there is.

Mary:  Exactly. We have to make sure, for the long-term lasting of the restoration it’s like home improvement – the foundation has to be good. It’s a way of making the foundation good and then making the improvements on top of it.

Patrick:  In the next segment want to go into “Who’s the ideal client?” Many people may be in a position where this is just perfect – “Yes, I need to straighten the gums, straighten the teeth or literally brighten the smile.” We were talking about brightening up some things. I know that I could use a little brightening. Now I’m completely conscious about it.

Mary:  We can fix it.

Patrick:  Dallas Laser Dentistry can fix that. This is Business Spotlight. The Business Spotlight is really about helping companies in there, telling their story and then getting it out into the marketplace. We’ll be right back after this.

~

Patrick:  Welcome to the Business Spotlight. I’m your Host, Patrick Dougher. My guest today is Dr. Mary Smith. She’s a cosmetic dentist at Dallas Laser Dentistry. I’m so thankful for you being on the show. Thank you.

Mary:  Thank you.

Patrick:  I want to get into who your ideal is. I hope we talk about the veneers, etc. I understand you use a specific kind of veneer called Da Vinci. Who’s your ideal client?

Mary:  Anybody that you care about. A few years back, Reader’s Digest did a really interesting article not thought upon kindly by dentistry. They had a reporter go and do interviews with dentists pretending to be a patient looking to see what they needed to have done. They had as many different opinions as they had dentists looking at this reporter.

Everybody went, “I don’t want that to happen to me.” I love when I see patients in for a second opinion. If your red flag went up – you’ve been told you need something and you’re not sure about it – that’s somebody I’d like to talk to. If anything, let me set your mind at ease that it is the right diagnosis.

Patrick:  You guys do offer that – a consultation?

Mary:  Absolutely. It doesn’t take that much of my time and it makes such a big difference just to be able to talk with somebody.

Patrick:  I hate to use the word, but the word is “free” there, right?

Mary:  Yes, it is. Absolutely.

Patrick:  I would think there would be a number of different people that would be ideal. Salespeople that are higher end trying the next ladder. Divorcees – I hate to say that but…

Mary:  I see it a lot. Not divorced, but wanting to change their life.

Patrick:  They want to change their life.

Mary:  We see lives change. If you walk around not smiling because you’re self-conscious about your teeth, people only think you’re not smiling because you’re not friendly. It’s not the truth. You can speak to your truth if you’ve got a smile that you’re proud of.

Patrick:  I know you guys have some amazing stories. One that I remember is about somebody who came to you who had a smile redone. What happened after that?

Mary:  That was a big case; very involved. She walked away so happy that she sent not just the rest of the family but literally everybody she knew. That’s a great compliment to have that happen.

Patrick:  How did that change her life? I know when you’re talking about changing somebody’s looks, how does that affect the rest of them?

Mary:  It’s amazing. It’s the most fun I have that I can change people’s lives. It improves.

Patrick:  What was her story? Two years later, she came back and you guys didn’t even recognize her?

Mary:  Christina, yes. She had a marriage that fell about and her husband told her, no, she couldn’t spend that money on her teeth. We thought she had gone away forever. She came back and said “Okay, I’m ready to do it.”

We changed her smile. She got rid of the husband and got a better one. It is life-changing.

Patrick:  Didn’t she also lose weight and stuff like that as well? Didn’t it radically change her?

Mary:  We see that a lot. When we change their smile, the rest of their life falls in place.

Patrick:  The self -image thing that they talk about, once they change that smile…

Mary:  You only have 10 to 15 seconds to make a first impression. Statistically we know they look at two things. When you meet someone new, you look at smile and eyes. We’re judged. It’s a cruel world. We’re judged.

Patrick:  It happens. I’m curious if there are any other people that you would really want to say, “These folks really should us ASAP.”

Mary:  Missing teeth. I’ll go there. Nobody wants to talk about it, but it shortens your lifespan.

Patrick:  How does cancer affect? I’ve heard some horror stories. With radiation, there are some things that you need to be very cognizant of.

Mary:  I had neck radiation as an oral cancer survivor. There are some specifics.

Patrick:  What do they typically tell you to do? What do most dentists tell you to do with that?

Mary:  Current is getting rid of the teeth because they are a hotbed of infection. If you’re undergoing head and neck radiation, that’s usually the protocol. It doesn’t have to be, and it’s getting better.

Patrick:  You just said “Go gums. All the way to the gums and wear dentures the rest of your life.”

Mary:  Yes. That’s hard to talk about because that’s life changing. Dentistry is working really hard to improve and make sure we can get patients through head and neck cancer survived and quality of life afterwards.

Patrick:  I’ve heard that you do some amazing things in that area.

Mary:  We’re looking at it.

Patrick:  I know that there’s a big concern there.

Mary:  There is. Everyone please make sure when you have your cleanings done at your dentist office that they’re doing a head and neck cancer exam along with that cleaning. It takes two seconds.

Patrick:  That’s mind boggling.

Mary:  It takes two seconds for a nice little look around. Everyone should make sure that is getting done at their cleaning.

Patrick:  That’s interesting. With that, we’re coming up on this last segment. We’re going to talk about how people can connect to you and what they can experience in that whole process. You have a system. I’m so thankful for that.

This is the Business Spotlight. I’m Pat Dougher. My guest today is Dr. Mary Swift. We’ll be right back with more.

~

Patrick:  Welcome back to the Business Spotlight. I’m your host, Patrick Dougher. My guest today is Dr. Mary Swift – Dallas Laser Dentistry. Cosmetic Dentistry. I’m so thankful you’re ere today.

Mary:  Thank you.

Patrick:  I want to get right into: How could somebody connect to you? There are so many people that need what you offer.

Mary:  Google, hopefully, if you put in Dallas and dentists. I’m up there.

Patrick:  I bet you are. I know your marketing guy well and I’m sure he’s taking care of you there. There are ways to get a hold of you. Basically, you really want people to see you, right?

Mary:  We try to be as helpful as we can on the phone at that initial contact. We know people’s time is very precious. I don’t want to waste their time just coming in once to look, next time to do, etc. We try to listen well and economize your time.

It’s always best for me to actually see. I’ve tried to answer e-mails but you have to be so general. I really do need to see, and am happy to see to give second opinions and consultations.

Patrick:  What’s your process when somebody contacts you? What’s the process that you walk people through?

Mary:  The first contact is usually on the phone. My staff is crackerjack. I have someone that’s just there to make sure we use your benefits.

Patrick:  So you can use some of that stuff?

Mary:  Absolutely. And you should be able to. With the Internet and all the information, it’s really easy to verify people’s benefits and look it up. It’s customer service. It’s something people really appreciate that we do.

We get you in, depending on your need. Obviously if there’s a toothache we’ll get you in immediately. If it’s just a cleaning you need, we’ll fit it to your schedule. You come in and see the hygienist first for a cleaning and x-rays. I come in for the exam.

Patrick:  This type work that you’re doing is really higher end. A cosmetic dentist – you’re thinking Invisalign, the laser, Da Vinci veneers…

Mary:  Porcelain work, yes.

Patrick:  What is a Da Vinci veneer?

Mary:  Da Vinci is a lab out in California. You’ve probably heard of them if you’ve ever watched the Extreme Makeover show that was so popular. That’s the lab that helped with that show.

They are artists. They are out there in California and working for the dentists who do the stars’ teeth. They have artists onboard. I love their work. I have a great relationship with them. I’ve been working with them for many years now. I can trust them. They offer something that no other lab offers: a lifetime warranty. That’s unheard of.

Patrick:  They take care of you on that side. Someone sits down and visits with you and you design a solution.

Mary:  I design a smile. It’s basic on design principles/forces. It’s got to look good but it’s got to last too. There is a definite design.

Patrick:  There’s a certain amount of engineering, so to speak, to make sure everything fits right. It’s got to look right. Those veneers really do last the rest of your life?

Mary:  In the right situation. That’s the key. It has to be the right situation, the right diagnosis. If it’s a good veneer, you should be able to treat them like they’re your own teeth.

Patrick:  Really?

Mary:  Absolutely. Again, it has to be good design, good preparation, good materials, follow procedures and done right. It’s rewarding. I get to use the science of the materials with the art of design and medicine involved and put the whole picture together to have the smile you want.

Patrick:  How many veneers do you think you’ve actually applied? Thousands?

Mary:  I could get you the number. It’s a joy and a pleasure to be able to not just do fillings , not just do the grunt work. I have a reputation that draws. I have people come in from lots of faraway places to come have smile designs.

Patrick:  I’ve heard that in your segment – your niche – that people will fly in from all over. You’ve created such a name for yourself in that industry. That’s awesome.

Mary:  It’s because I have fun. It’s because I love what I do.

Patrick:  I believe that. Once somebody has had you design their smile, you finish the work, but there’s an education before and during. What kind of after work stuff do you train people on? What do you do?

Mary:  The warranty has a stipulation that you take care of the work. We educate the patient on how to take care of that work so that it does last as long as possible.

Patrick:  Does that mean coming back in for special cleanings and x-rays?

Mary:  Yeah. We always want to make sure things are healthy underneath. If you put a crown on a tooth, the crown isn’t going to decay, but the tooth can still decay underneath it and we’ve got to keep an eye on it. We’re going to make sure we look at things closely.

Patrick:  How often do you like to see your clients?

Mary:  That is a patient-by-patient prescription. If you have a tendency towards gum and bone disease, you need to be in a little more often. If you’re one of these healthy kids that never has anything, you can get away as not quite as often.

Patrick:  You design everything – the smile and the care afterwards.

Mary:  Absolutely.

Patrick:  I’m just amazed. I’ve seen your office. I just want to sit in one of the chairs and just fade in.

Mary:  Careful!

Patrick: I’m going there mentally. I hope you do, too. I’m so thankful, Dr. Mary. You have done so many wonderful things. DFW Consumer Choice Award 2011 – what an honor for a dentist to have.

If you’ve got any kind of dental need, you should connect. Connect with Dallas Laser Dentistry. This is Pat Dougher. The business spotlight is really about telling your story to the DFW area and beyond. Thank you so much. We’ll talk to you next time.

Mary:  Thank you, Pat.

Patrick:  Thank you.