Introduction
During a recent literature search the phrase, “The Magic of a Healthy Smile,” yielded
more than 80,000 references containing this phrase. The majority
of the references related in some manner to dentistry and the profession's
goal to create healthy smiles. For thousands of years, prior to the advent
of modern dentistry, magic has been used to entertain, impress, and motivate
individuals. Today's dental professionals promote the concept of “The
Magic of a Healthy Smile” through their use of modern clinical techniques and
as a means for practice marketing, patient education, and the reduction of
patient stress and fear.
The incorporation of magic into dental practice is well established and growing. Louis Melamed, President of Dentallusions, Inc., a company specializing in dental marketing services, produces easy to learn and perform magic tricks customized for the dental industry. He has sold more than 10,000 magic kits to over 4,000 dentists worldwide over a 25 year period and the number continues to grow. The magic tricks are designed primarily for chair side use and focus on educating patients about various dental procedures, i.e., taking radiographs, extractions, oral hygiene techniques, and fluoride treatments, etc. Melamed states the feedback he receives from his clients indicates the benefits of incorporating magic into the dental practice are not limited to patient education but also enhance practice marketing.
This is confirmed by Dr. Mark Kaschube, an Illinois dental practitioner and professional magician who performs magic acts in Las Vegas featuring exotic animals and high tech pyrotechnics and illusions. Kaschube regularly invites school children to his office for magic shows and lessons about dentistry. He reports a class of 25 school children experiencing the magic show typically results in 2-3 patients joining the practice. An additional benefit of incorporating magic into his practice is children and adults relax with magic. He says, “People come here fearing and expecting the worst and leave laughing.”
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| Citation
Number: Vol. 4, No. 4, Page 122 |
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