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Millennials Are Investing In Their Smiles!

2023-07-17T15:00:18+00:00June 17th, 2023|Adam Brown DDS, Invisalign, Veneers|

Millennials spending money on teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry.

83 million people in the United States belong to the millennial generation, born between 1982 and 1996. Fondly labeled as the economy and industry killers, millennials are also described as self-involved, self-expressive, and receptive to new ideas and ways of living. These common characteristics have enabled millennials to shape the face of nearly every industry and practice in the U.S., including dentistry!

Since June 2019, millennials have officially overtaken the Boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) as the largest portion of adults in the U.S. population. Millennials are setting the standard for what it takes to attract and retain patients to dental practices. Millennials dentists and patients alike are shaping the future, technology, and trends of dentistry. At Adam Brown DDS, we love all of our patients young and old, but we know the influence of the millennial population on dentistry.  Many of the changes are smart and offer an exciting future in dental care.

The digital world and dentistry

Millennials were born into a digital world that rapidly transformed before their eyes as they came of age. With high-tech literacy, technology permeates every corner of life for millennials, and as a result, they have high expectations for what tech will deliver. Millennials expect seamless, painless technology, with fast results, and don’t necessarily need the recommendation of a professional; the age of the Internet means information travels fast, and information is around every corner.

The dental industry still remains dominated by boomers, with 42% of current dentists being 55 years or older. In the next few years, we will see more and more practices begin the transition of handing off the dental industry to millennials, who will usher in the next wave of the best and latest practices.

Practices have already begun to shift to accommodate millennial demand. Research from the Oral Health Foundation found in June 2020, that millennials in the United Kingdom are spending three times the national average on dental treatments. That comes out to about £750 a year, per person! The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) estimates that Americans spend 2.75 billion on cosmetic dentistry each year and millennials made up 60 % of the clientele. Millennials outspend every other generation so far when it comes to working on their smiles.

The self-involvement and confidence to seek and try out new ideas have made the millennial population more receptive to and in demand of the latest oral health trends and technologies. When a millennial has an oral health problem, instead of calling the dentist, they may be more inclined to Google for an answer, seek out an FAQ, or turn to blogs like this for advice. A millennial may be more inclined to read practice and product reviews, and cost comparisons; maximum convenience and low cost are key.

What are millennial patients spending money on?

In a word, healthcare!  In the spirit of convenience and efficiency – why shouldn’t you invest in yourself and your healthcare?  Millennial patients spend more on dentistry treatments because they understand the importance of healthy teeth.

They are spending more on cosmetic treatments because they understand the impact of a healthy smile on your self-esteem.  The generation that grew up on the internet is more than aware of how far Adobe Photoshop, Face Tune, or even at-home-whitening kits can’t cut it when there’s always a chance of someone else posting a photo or video of you without editing. Pearly white teeth and celebrity Instagram smiles are in demand, and millennials are willing to make the change and pay the price for a perfect first impression.

Some of the most popular cosmetic density solutions for millennials revolve around smile repairs, such as:

Teeth whitening is by far the most popular dental treatment, with at least 4 in 10 people under 35 having tooth whitening treatment.

Brief procedures with little to no pain, and fast, visible results are very popular. With the rise of self-care lifestyles among the millennial population, smiles are associated with beauty as much as health.

In turn, millennial patients generally experience fewer oral health problems like tooth decay or tooth loss than older generations, simply because of better access to dental care as a child and through young adulthood, and the age of their teeth overall. This means that the majority of money millennials choose to spend on their dental care is for cosmetic treatments, and less about treating clinical problems.

However, on the flip side, many underserved millennial Americans suffer from lack of consistent, quality dental care (resulting in the need for later cosmetic treatments), with reports from the American Dental Association citing:

  • 35% report embarrassment related to their mouth and teeth
  • 35% report problems chewing
  • 30% experience anxiety about their oral healthcare
  • 33% avoid smiling
  • 38% say life, in general, is less satisfying due to the condition of their mouth and teeth

A barrier to dental care for many millennials is insurance. While millennials have higher standards about the appearance of their smile than other, older Americans, the strain remains between the inaccessibility between dental healthcare and cosmetic perfection. However, when millennials have secure job footing and benefits, they quickly seek out dental work, resulting in the influx of cosmetic treatments.

Let Adam Brown DDS help you strike a balance between baseline oral healthcare and cosmetic treatments.

Adam Brown DDS can help you achieve your ideals of a beautiful, healthy smile, at a reasonable cost, with a team of dental professionals that are there for you every step of the way. If you’re looking for a new dentist to build a lifelong relationship with and to set up a plan for achieving your dream smile, contact Dr. Brown and the team at (704) 289-9519.

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Meet Hannah Autry, Our Social Events Director

2020-07-16T17:23:15+00:00January 22nd, 2019|Adam Brown DDS, Carolina's Dental Choice, Dentist Office Monroe NC|

Receptionists, dental hygienists, and dentists: these are familiar positions that we can put names and faces to when we think about our visits to Carolina’s Dental Choice. However, there are many more people that make Carolina’s Dental Choice an outstanding office and dental practice, and they’re not as behind-the-scenes as you might think. Cue the Social Events Director and dental assistant at Carolina’s Dental Choice, Hannah Autry, and hear more about what she helps CDC bring to the Monroe community. Plus, the next time you’re at the dentist, you’ll have another friendly face to put a name to!

 

Name:

Hannah Autry

 

Place of Birth:

Charlotte, NC

 

Education:

The Dental Staff Institute of Charlotte/CDA

 

What does your position as the Social Events Director entail?

I get to plan, manage, and execute various events in the community, targeting patients who do not currently have a dentist or are looking to find a new dentist. 

 

What does a normal day at CDC look like for you?

I am a full time dental assistant, so the majority of my time is spent helping Dr. Brown and Dr. Kashyap treat patients.  When I am not assisting I am planning new social events and working with other local businesses on ways to improve our marketing. 

 

Why is it important for a dental office to have a Social Events Director?

It brings in new patients, helps us give back to the community, and keeps us on the lookout to improve every part of the office, especially marketing. 

 

Could you tell us about what CDC’s community outreach plan looks like?

We plan on attending and planning various events in the community to prove that our dental office is the best around!

We recently attended the first annual Union County Bridal Show and Expo to reach out to newly engaged couples looking for a new dentist or wanting to improve their smile for the most photographed day of their lives.  We raffled bleach trays and gave out goodies to every bride, groom, and family member or friend who attended the show and stopped by our table.  We also recently provided Treehouse Vineyards with trivia prizes for the month of January.  After all, wine stains your teeth so bleach trays are beneficial to every wine drinker! 

 

Who are these events targeted to?

Families new to the area, businesses that have recently changed dental insurance providers, newly engaged couples, and anyone in the community looking for a new dentist.  

 

Are these events only local to Monroe?

Our events are not limited to Monroe.  We plan on extending our events to Charlotte and surrounding areas in the near future. 

 

What’s the most rewarding aspect of community outreach?

How much joy it brings people to know we are a small, private, locally-owned dental practice with one location and three doctors. 

 

Describe your team at CDC in one word.

Family.

 

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

I do not feel any part of my job is challenging because I have enough confidence in myself to handle any task that comes my way! 

 

How do you start your workdays?

With a nice workout including a long run, a healthy breakfast, and a delicious cup of coffee. 

 

What brought you to Monroe, NC?

I was raised in Indian Trail, NC where I spent all of my childhood.  Steven (my husband) and I bought our house in Monroe, NC back in 2015 and we plan on starting and raising our family here.  After all, we live less than 5 miles from the office!

 

What do you like about living here?

Absolutely everything!  I could not image living anywhere else.  We are passionate about traveling, so what better location could we have than to be three hours from the beach and mountains?  The Charlotte area has and will always be home to us.  

 

What are you passionate about?

My English Bulldogs (Tug Boat and Freight Train) are my children. When my husband Steven and I are not tending to, playing with, and snuggling them we enjoy traveling (the most), hiking, camping, fishing, golfing, being outdoors, working out, cooking, shopping, and spending time with our family and friends! 

 

What is the most important personal attribute you bring to your job?

I have a very bubbly personality and “never met a stranger” attitude.  Anyone who is working with people in the community needs to have a very outgoing personality!  Also, I feel organization is key to being successful.  My OCD plays a huge roll in my everyday life.  Whether it is here at work, at home, in the car, or even at the gym my life is organized in some way.

 

What is the coolest thing you’re working on right now?

Creating a brochure to be used office-wide and passed out at all social events. 

 

What do you hope to accomplish this year as Social Events Coordinator?

Assuring each Union County resident has the best experience in our dental office.  Our clients trust us with all of their dental needs, and we appreciate the confidence they have placed in us by referring their family and friends to our practice and contributing to our daily growth!

 

Where can I learn more about CDC’s outreach events?

Our Facebook page is updated regularly with all events. 

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The Biolase ezlase Dental Laser: How Dental Lasers Transform Our Practice

2020-07-16T16:58:26+00:00January 14th, 2019|Carolina's Dental Choice, Dental Bonding, Dental Trends|

Laser technology is all around us, whether in a small, handheld cat toy, a medical procedure such as laser eye surgery, impressive light shows at concerts, or high-powered laser weaponry. A dental office is no exception, and the practice of lasers in medicine and science are here to stay! In fact, lasers become safer and more practical each year, and patients receive top-of-the-line care as a result of lasers, transforming traditional procedures into faster, pain-free dental experiences.

First, let’s take a step back and have a closer look at the Biolase ezlase Dental Laser.        

Biolase, Inc. has led the field of laser dentistry, developing, manufacturing, and distributing laser systems in dentistry. This has transformed dental practices, where dentists and clinicians are better able to repair and restore dental conditions, while alleviating pain and reducing anxiety associated with dentistry. Biolase lasers have changed dental practices globally, setting the standard of care and quality in laser-based solutions.

Both dental professionals and patients have praised this innovative technology in dental practices for being:

  • Effective
  • Comfortable
  • Efficient
  • Pain-Free
  • Quiet
  • Less invasive than traditional dentistry

How it works

Albert Einstein wrote to a friend in 1916 that “A splendid light has dawned on me about the absorption and emission of radiation.” While having stated this revelation, Einstein didn’t create the laser, but he did theorize the concept of stimulated emission—otherwise known as the scientific basis for the creation of laser light. After the first laser was developed in 1960, many more lasers were created, enabling dental researchers to investigate lasers’ potential. By 1965, two researchers found that a laser could vaporize enamel. More studies followed over the decades, finding soft and hard tissues applications for dental lasers.

Laser is actually an acronym that stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Lasers deliver energy by light. Generating light is nonionizing and does not produce the same effects as X-radiation, or the more harmful side effects from X-rays. The lasers function with light energy and water.

Now, lasers in dentistry provide precise procedures without local anesthesia, bone cutting ability with minimal trauma to other oral tissues, and an increased healing response with minimal pain post-procedure. Between the different types of lasers used in dentistry, they have become minimally invasive instruments that deliver excellent results.

 

Here’s what’s special about the Biolase ezlase Dental Laser

Biolase ezlase delivers the best advanced-laser technology for your dental care. Carolina’s Dental Choice uses lasers to speed up different kinds of procedures, as well as, reduce recovery time and overall invasiveness. The efficiency of Biolase means that your CDC dentist can diagnose and treat dental problems to ensure healthier teeth and gums. Biolase also doesn’t use heat or vibration, making your dental experiences more enjoyable, precise, and painless.

 

How lasers are used in dentistry

We might think of lasers as being groundbreaking technology, however, lasers have been used in dentistry since 1994. They are now well-established instruments in the modern dentist office, and ongoing research is continuing to show the many benefits of laser therapy, laser dental work, and laser surgical assistance.

To put it simply, drills and handheld dental instruments simply aren’t as accurate as laser technology. To patients, it’s likely less about what the laser technology can do, and much more about how the laser technology can make them feel.  

The light from the lasers emits energy that interacts with the tissues in your mouth, like tooth enamel, dentin, or gengiva (from gingivitis). Lasers can be used to remove decay from a tooth, reshape gums, and remove bacteria, or to prepare surrounding enamel for a filling or other procedures.

There are a number of lasers used in dentistry, but two main lasers include soft tissue lasers and hard tissue lasers. Soft tissue lasers treat and clean soft tissue areas, like your gums, and hard tissue lasers are mainly for cutting tooth enamel. The water-energized laser is able to cut through that enamel, which is the hardest tissue found in your body. 

The following only scrape the surface (no dental imagery intended) of laser uses in dental practice:

 

Laser Teeth Cleaning:

You read that correctly. We love and trust our gentle hygienists, but you may want to consider this highly effective alternative method: cleaning your teeth with laser dentistry. Instead of scraping away at tartar and plaque with dental instruments, the laser technology removes far more. What’s even more impressive is that regardless of age or dental history, laser cleanings are a great fit for patients to make cleanings more efficient and accurate. 

 

Gingivectomy:

This is the most common procedure in laser dentistry, perhaps because of how sensitive the gum tissue is. Lasers can be used to precisely cut at gingiva for restorative, cosmetic, and periodontal work. In comparison to traditional gingivectomy, post-operation patients rarely need packing or sutures, and experience rapid healing and reduced pain.

 

Biopsy or lesion removal:

Biospsies take a small piece of tissue from the mouth so that it can be examined for cancer. Some smaller lesions can be removed with a topical anesthetic only, and sutures are rarely needed. Laser wavelengths are also capable of performing a very precise biopsy. If needed, laser dentistry can also aid in removing benign oral tumors from the mouth.

 

Oral Pain Management:

39 million adults, or 22% of Americans, experience dental pain. 5-12% experience pain from their temporomandibular joint (TMJ), also known as Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD), which causes pain and stiffness and is aggravated by clenching or teeth grinding. Traditionally, TMD is treated with injections, physical therapy, night guards, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Did you know that lasers can be this much help?

Lasers provide a non-invasive and therapeutic way to treat oral pain. Biolase works as a therapeutic device to increase blood circulation and relax your muscles, temporarily relieving joint pain and stiffness. It’s also a quick procedure, taking only 5-10 minutes for each pain area, and repeat treatments can occur as needed.

Lasers can relieve the pain of canker sores through penetrating therapeutic warmth in only 5-10 minutes. Although this temporarily relieves minor pain, it is a fast procedure and can be repeated as needed.

 

Teeth Whitening:

White smiles are everywhere we look and products, for both retail and take-home, are flooding the markets. Teeth whitening is one of the most sought-after cosmetic procedures. In-office whitening treatments are highly recommended to achieve the results that you want, and fast.

In fact, lasers can speed up in-office teeth whitening procedures. The whitening begins with a peroxide bleaching solution applied to the tooth surface. The dentist then activates the solution with laser energy, which speeds up the whitening process. Biolase lasers are able to deliver 6-12 shades in less than 20 minutes, finding tooth shade matches based on the patient.

 

Laser-Assisted Root Canal Treatment:

As one of the most feared procedures in dental practice, root canals are a dental procedure that have also been touched by laser technology. Over 24 million root canals were performed in America last year alone, so the chances of feeling the affects of laser technology are pretty likely.

Root canal therapy treats the soft inner tissue of the tooth, or the pulp, when it is diseased or damaged. A traditional root canal removes the diseased tissue from the tooth and its roots, followed by an irrigation of disinfectant. The dentist would then place a filling material, typically some kind of latex substance, into the canal to preserve the natural tooth.

With Biolase, lasers can be used to clean and shape roots during the root canal, as well as, to disinfect the roots after treatment.

 

Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment:

Non-Surgical Periodontal treatment can include scaling, planing, and other minimally invasive procedures. During a standard cleaning, the hygienist will scrape the surface of the tooth to help remove excessive plaque build-up. Scaling is a common procedure for patients with gum disease, where the cleaning goes beneath the gum line to remove plaque. This procedure often works in conjunction with root planing, which smoothes the tooth rot and aids in reattaching the gums to the tooth.

 

Oral Surgery:

Lasers are becoming more popular in oral surgery for their precision and superior results, when compared to traditional surgical approaches. They may be used for surgical extractions, pre-prosthetic procedures (e.g. ridge preparation, tori removal, vestibuloplasty, etc.), or work alongside traditional procedures to provide effective, yet simple incision and drainage.

 

This all sounds great! Now let’s talk safety

Dental lasers meet FDA approval, and regulate dental lasers as medical devices. This means lasers come with their own set of safety standards and precautions. Higher-powered lasers can be a hazard to the eyes and skin, and thus require precautions, such as special protective eye wear. All of our staff have been trained to ensure that these standards are met, as well as, to see that the following practices are abided by:

  • Eye Protection: Protective eye wear must be worn by the patient and staff, depending on the wavelength of the laser being used.
  • Disposal: Lasers develop scored tips of quartz fibers, and will be disposed of following use.
  • Matte-Finished Instruments: Reflective surfaces like instruments, mirrors, or even glass from a picture on the wall can reflect laser energy. Matte-finished instruments avoid this reflection.
  • Warning Signs: Practices are required to display visible warning signs of laser use and limit access to areas where lasers are being used and operated.

Lasers in pediatric dentistry

Reducing needles, drills, and time in the dentist chair sounds like a sweet deal for the kids, parents, and pediatric dentists. Lasers are safe to deliver comfortable and quick procedures in dentistry with minimal risk. If children are being treated for tooth decay, lasers could replace loud, vibrating equipment, minimize anesthesia, reduce bacteria, and speed up the overall procedure. Behavior management definitely improves at the dentist when children have a more positive experience, and fewer frightening devices are being used. From infants to teens, lasers provide comprehensive care for your kids, and aid in common pediatric procedures such as pulpotomies and other orthodontic surgical needs.

 

Training is needed for use

Dentists and dental hygienists must complete specific training to qualify for laser use in dental practices. Training is very important, as lasers are very powerful tools, especially when used around the soft, sensitive tissues of the mouth. Our qualified dentists have a detailed understanding of how the laser technology works, how to use it safely, and how to precisely choose and implement the lasers and wavelengths for different procedures. Depending on what the local and state regulations permit, dental hygienists will typically handle teeth whitening, non-surgical periodontal treatment, and dental pain therapy with lasers.

 

Lasers versus more traditional methods

Broadly speaking, the dental procedures in which lasers are used have traditional methods with traditional dental instruments already in place. The benefit to lasers is they can provide more therapeutic, precise, and effective options for those procedures.

However, there are a few cases in which laser dentistry cannot be used:

  • Lasers can’t be used on teeth that have fillings
  • Some laser procedures may still require anesthesia
  • Lasers can’t be used to fill cavities between teeth, prepare large cavities for a crown, or work around old fillings

It’s also worth noting that many dental lasers are used alongside traditional dental procedures, so even if lasers are being used, it doesn’t mean drills won’t also be used to shape, adjust, or polish.

 

Innovative Practice at Carolina’s Dental Choice

Improving dentistry practices is always at the heart of Carolina’s Dental Choice, which is why we implement and recommend the Biolase use for procedures and treatments. If you’re interested in learning more about the latest pain-free dental technology with the best results, give us a call today. We’re happy to talk over your options with you, whether you’re looking for cosmetic work, therapeutic treatments, minimizing pain at the dentist, or ditching the drill to find a dentist using Biolase technology.

Be assured, between our expertise of traditional dentistry, and expert training with Biolase, Carolina’s Dental Choice will give you a reason to smile!

 

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