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CNN Live At Daybreak

Some Dentist's Offices Offer More than Dentistry

Aired June 25, 2002 - 05:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Mention the word spa and most of us think relaxation. Well, now some dentists are using spa techniques to ease patients' fears.

CNN Medical Correspondent Rea Blakey brings us that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Turn toward me, please.

REA BLAKEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Busy New Yorkers who visit Dr. Paul Tanner's dental practice don't get new age Musak or lemon slices on their eyelids, just this.

IZAMAR EVERETT, REFLEXOLOGIST: Just relax.

BLAKEY: One in seven Americans is afraid of going to the dentist. But here, relaxation is a subspecialty of sorts.

TANNER: You know you're having dentistry done. You know fear (ph) for a second, but you kind of focus on your feet.

BLAKEY: Thanks to the hands of Izamar Everett.

EVERETT: And they say to the dentist, I came here because Iza's (ph) here. I'm going to have a massage. And they love it.

BLAKEY: She performs reflexology, strategic massaging of patients' feet and legs from the moment they sit in the chair until their procedure is done.

GARY WEINSTEIN, DENTAL PATIENT: It's not a bad thing when you sit down and they start massaging your feet.

BLAKEY: The American Dental Association recommends stress reduction techniques, especially for patients with known heart disease. That includes scheduling short dental appointments early in the day to reduce heart attack risk.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the frown winkles.

BLAKEY: This dental practice goes even farther, offering a plastic surgeon to perform minor procedures to help patients look younger. (on camera): Why did you decide to come to the dentist's office for a Botox treatment?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because he's -- it was here. I come and see Dr. Tanner and so it's one place where I can get everything pretty much done.

BLAKEY (voice-over): Harried attorney David Rabbach likes the dentistry and the escape.

DAVID RABBACH, ATTORNEY: You come out of here less stressed than you went in.

BLAKEY: He says for people terrified of the dentist, this fancy footwork is a whole different approach that's paying extra dividends.

RABBACH: It even helped me increase my billing rate.

BLAKEY (on camera): How so?

RABBACH: I smile now. I can get more money.

BLAKEY (voice-over): His clients are often short on time, so being able to slide off the loafers, get a great foot rub and a root canal all at once is the ultimate in multi-tasking for this attorney.

(on camera): You're the second attorney that's been in this chair today who has said that this is a relaxing experience.

YOSHI SHIMADA, ATTORNEY: Well, I guess attorneys tell the truth.

BLAKEY: Is there a question mark behind that?

(voice-over): Though the occasional shrill drill is still heard, the anxiety associated with it is often drowned out by this spa-like treatment.

Rea Blakey, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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