While one might assume that the last year would have diminished the demand for cosmetic dental services, Atlanta cosmetic dentist Ronald Goldstein, DDS says pretty much the exact opposite has been true at his practice—especially as the new year starts to roll out.
“We established a brand new-website showing all the precautions the office has taken to make sure patients feel well protected from the COVID virus when they receive dental services,” he explains. “As a result, our office has been extremely busy with patients wanting a smile makeover, full-mouth reconstruction, implants, periodontal treatment, orthodontics and especially hygiene appointments.”
Dr. Goldstein speculates that one major reason may be the fact that, “Because of quarantine during most of 2020, there was very little or no travel and other major expenses. So, those who have put off wanting a smile makeover could better afford it. As a result, all our doctors are well-booked, as is our in-house laboratory—and we are getting many calls now saying, ‘As soon as I get my vaccine, your office is my first visit.’”
“We anticipate a very busy year for all phases of dental treatment.”
Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist Kourosh Maddahi, DDS says he’s seen it, too: “I started to see the first sign of people wanting to get cosmetic dentistry done again in September, and then it accelerated toward the end of the year. So far, this month, it has been the closest to pre-COVID period.”
The main reasons, Dr. Maddahi says, are threefold: “People want to take advantage of the mask to get the work done; knowing that the office has been open since May 2020, they feel comfortable that all the guidelines are being followed; and patients are simply tired of not doing anything for themselves.”
Likewise, New York cosmetic dentist Jason Kasarsky, DDS says when he asks patients the “why” behind choosing to get an aesthetic dental treatment now, a good majority point to the fact that they feel more than safe. “Most reputable dentists are doing more than the ADA and the CDC recommend to minimize risk—and that’s going to be our ‘new normal’ going forward. All of the precautions we take are now routine.”
In addition, he also points to the often-discussed ‘Zoom Boom’ effect. “When we’re on these regular Zoom calls, it’s not like we’re 10 feet away from someone in the office at a table. Your whole face fills the screen and there’s no way to hide your smile. To that end, we’re doing a lot of whitening, veneers and Invisalign at the moment.”
Besides the aesthetic side of your smile, Dr. Kasarsky stresses it’s also not a good idea to ignore the functional factor. “If you had a problem with one of your teeth this time last year, it’s not going to get better a year later,” he says. “You never want to ignore a tooth issue.”
