Facial Esthetics Adds Volume to Your Smile

Imagine adding a little touch of volume to your face to enhance your smile.  We all have those parentheses next to our mouths.    Some are deeper than others, but they are not permanent.  Dr. Giovanni Aristodemo shows how Juvederm can be used to enhance a smile at Aristo Dental in Wheeling, IL.  This patient did not use any anesthetic, but it is available for those that prefer to be totally numb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjxRTou-kC0_

Reduced Dental Fee Plan Gets Attention at Health Fairs in Wheeling and Deerfield

Aristo Dental spent the past week getting the word out about our Preferred Provider Dental Plan – an annual reduced fee dental plan that allows individuals, families and employers to receive and provide quality dental services from our office.  We attended the resource fair at Holmes Middle School in Wheeling on Thursday evening, and followed that up with a Health Fair at the Wheeling Recreation Center on Saturday.  Our presence was also seen at the Sachs Recreational Center in Deerfield as part of the DBR Chamber.

Dr. Sandra provided free oral cancer screenings to the event participants and Ida was busy speaking spanish to interested event goers.  A fun time was had by both.

This week, Sharan will be attending the Business to Business Expo and Taste through 6 Chambers at the Bristol Court Banquet in Mount Prospect.

Plan Bajo Costo en Aristo Dental Trae Sonrisas

Plan dental proveedor preferido de Aristo Dental es un plan anual que ayda a personas individuales y familias como la suya a recibir servicios dentales en nuestra officinal a bajo costo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7PnqEEOtDE

Discounted Dental Fee Plan Brings Smiles to Aristo Dental Patients

Everyone loves a discount, but everyone loves a discount with outstanding service even better.

At Aristo Dental we are so happy to be entering our second year of providing the PPDP (Preferred Provder Dental Plan) to our family of patients.  50% of our patients did not have the benefit of dental insurance coverage provided by their employer, and most solo-preneurs cannot afford dental benefits insurance.  Aristo Dental patients are thrilled to have this option available to them.  For $254 for the primary member and $154 for each additional member/year, our members are enjoying 2 “healthy” hygiene visits, yearly hygiene x-rays, 2 exams, a fluoride varnish treatment, a Velscope exam (early oral cancer technology), and 30% off  99% of our fees.  There are no deductibles, no maximums, no pre-existing conditions, no downgrade – YOU get the dentistry the YOU want and deserve.

We hope you like the video and look forward to speaking to you and your employer on how we can make PPDP a part of your benefits package.

Relationship Dentistry in Wheeling, IL

One of my favorite authors is Jeffrey Gitomer, and one of my favorite sayings from Jeffrey is “All things being equal, people want to do business with their friends.  All things being not quite so equal, people STILL want to do business with their friends.”

I have to admit that one of the things I love to do at Aristo Dental is get to know our patients.  Dr. Sandra and Dr. Giovanni Aristodemo probably love to chat with our patients ALMOST as much as I do.  It is informative to find out where people work – what they do at their job – hobbies – family trips – problems they may need solutions to.  For me, as the Practice Administrator and Concierge, I like to make connections for our patients to people they may need in their lives, personally and professionally.  This is called Connecting.

I would love for you to get to know Aristo Dental on a more personal level.  To that end, here is an interview of Dr. Sandra Aristodemo.  She is a very passionate woman dentist that loves what she does and it shows.

Afraid of the Dentist? Aristo Dental has the answer!

Are you afraid of the dentist, or afraid of dentistry?  In either case, oral sedation dentistry is the answer.  At Aristo Dental, Dr. Sandra Aristodemo, a licensed sedation dentist and general dentist at her Wheeling office that she shares with her husband Dr. Giovanni,  has been sedating patients for years and the patients are very satisfied with the results.  Many refuse to have any work done without the quiet  “beep, beep beep” of the heart rate monitor in the background.

We hope you enjoy this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF4FC_pOGFM

Your Smile – The Good, The Bad or The Ugly

Your smile tells the most about you.   Do you like your smile?  Do you show it proudly or do you hide it?  What does your smile say about you?  Is it a welcoming introduction or does it tell people to stay away.

In the business world more importantly, the networking world, we look at people’s smiles and teeth.  I know when people have missing teeth, poor fitting crowns, bridges and dentures, or they have excessive stain on tartar on their teeth I second guess if they would be a good referral source.  I think to myself – if they cannot take care of themselves, how will they take care of my referrals.

A smile is powerful – a beautiful smile is even more powerful.  It can warm you and invite you to get to know the person better.  It is an invitation that keeps giving.

Dr. Giovanni enjoyed meeting this woman at a fair – but she has a great smile and attitude for a fair.  Would you give her your retirement fund to manage?  In her line of work, a great smile and great teeth are not necessary.

So, what does your smile say about you?  Even this woman could get a great smile with Dr. Giovanni and Dr. Sandra that would be inviting to everyone.

Dental Insurance or Dental Benefit – Part 3

Have you ever received a notification from your insurance company stating that dental fees are “higher than usual and customary”, rather than saying their dental benefits are too low?  An insurance company surveys a geographic area, calculates an average fee, takes 80% of that fee and considers it customary.  Unfortunately included in the figuring of that fee are DMO (the dental equivalent of the HMO), discount dental clinics and managed care facilities.  These practices will bring down the fee that is considered UCR (Usual and Customary Rate).  Any doctor in a high quality private practice will have fees that insurance companies define as higher than “usual and customary”.

The dental insurance company is NOT going to lose money on any deal when it negotiates fees with dentists.  You, the consumer make up the difference.  How?

There is a dental insurance company out there that will not pay the fee for white fillings to the dentist.  They base the payment that will be going to the dentist on amalgam “silver” fillings.  The 50-100% of the fee they will pay is based on the much lower amalgam fee, but you, the patient, must make up the difference between the silver filling fee and the resin “white” filling fee.  52% of all dentists no longer place amalgams, and most people do not want the unsightly silver in their mouth.  It is tough when you pay for dental benefits, but the insurance company has dictated that they will only pay for a silver filling.  (This insurance company I am talking about sent us a letter stating all posterior “back” teeth will be paid as amalgams and all posterior crowns will be paid as base metal crowns.  Even if the employer wanted to pay extra for the white fillings and the noble metal crowns).

Know your dental benefits.  As time goes on, they will decline.  At Aristo Dental we are here to help you decipher your benefits.

Lasers – Not Just For Darth Vader Anymore

I love technology and all the new and improved uses for the technology in dentistry today.  It was my pleasure to have a hygiene visit yesterday with Ivan – one of the hygienists we have here at Aristo Dental.  Like all our patients, Ivan educated me on the Laser Bacterial Reduction that we offer our patients.  I even learned a thing or two, including the fact that many cold sores, canker sores, or lesions can be treated with the laser.  Wow!!! – That will prevent pain.  Watching the Video of the procedure opened my eyes to the wonderful world of lasers in the dental field.  I hope you enjoy.

How Sustainable is Our Dental Office?

Aristo Dental is conscious of the footprint we are leaving on this planet.  Earth Day is traditionally celebrated on April 22nd each year and in honor of Earth Day, we want to share what we do to minimize our footprint.

• Set-back thermostat used for heating and air conditioning
• Oil free vacuum pump
• Self contained water system for dental chairs
• Steam sterilization
• Instrument recycling program
• Tooth colored fillings – no mercury
• Digital billing
• Digital appointment confirmations
• Digital x-rays
• Digital charting
• Digital cancer screening
• Ordering done once/month to minimize cartons
• Recycle copy paper
• Cloth overcoats for back office team
• Re-usable goggles for patient and team members
• Washable dishes, utensils and cups in breakroom
• Recycle garbage container
• Recycle burnt-out bulbs

We are always looking for ways to become more sustainable.  Our planets future depends on us being conscious of the procedures and products we use on a daily basis.  Our goal is to continue to reduce our footprint and continue to provide our patients with great dentistry and service.