What
is Smile Art how does it fit in with today's dentistry?
As you know, the trend in dentistry is towards patients getting more and
more cosmetic dentistry done. Due to changes in the health care climate,
a greater and greater percentage of the dentist's profit now comes from
cosmetic dentistry. Of course, cosmetic dentistry must be marketed and
sold. The patient must want the work to be done.
Smile Art
is a powerful communications and marketing tool than can visually show
the benefits of any cosmetic or restorative dentistry you are offering
or recommending. Smile Art is an digital enhancement of a patient that
helps the doctor to communicate more effectively. Our simple service can
help to substantially increase your cosmetic case acceptance and patient
communications.
How
does it work?
Simply take a picture of a patient who's a candidate for any cosmetic
or restorative dentistry, then send us a full face shot of the patient
with instructions as to which cosmetic or restorative procedeure you are
recommending. We will digitally image the photo and send you back a 8
1/2 x 11 full color glossy photograph showing the patient a side by side"pre-op"
shot and the computer imaged "after" simulation. The patient can visualise
the treatment plan, on their own face, before the work is performed.
How
long does it take?
We turn around all our enhancements in 2 days from the time we get the
pictures. In some cases, utilizing our digital camera system and the internet,
you can send us a shot of your patient and we can computer image it and
send it back to your computer in less than an hour!! Amazing.
What
kind of pictures can I send you?
35mm prints, slides, negatives, poloroids, or a digital files (Hi-res
jpegs only please!). Send us 2 full face shots (from the top of the head
to the bottom of the chin) of your patient with instructions as to which
procedeure you are recommending. You can call us toll free at (800)
461-7707 and we will fax you a lab form . Close up shots of the anterior
smile are ok as well.
What
kind of "shot" do you need?
Take three full face shots of your patient form the top of the head to
the bottom of the chin. Ask your patient to give you a great big smile
and to say "easy". If we are imaging the lower arch, we need about a 1/4
inch between the incisal edge. We will take care of the rest from there.
Please focus on the teeth.
We can image
close up smile shots as well but we prefere full face shots. That way
your patient can visualise the changes on his/her own face. We have found
that this sells dentistry better than a close up anterior shot, especially
ones with cheek retracters. (By the way, this is not one of the most attractive
and efficent ways to present cosmetic visuals to your patients).
What
if the dentist can't reproduce your imaging?
Well there are 2 points to note. 1. We will not image anything that is
not do-able. 2. The doctor is not supposed to exactly reproduce the imaged
shot.
This is
only a simulation and is not designed to replace a wax-up or your valuable
professional advice. As a matter of fact, on all the prints we send back
to you, there is a general disclaimer that says "computer simulation,
actual results may very". We would never expect or tell a doctor to tell
his patient that "this is what you will look like". That simply is not
true. But what they could say is "Mrs. Jones, I think that the centrals
we can do should be a little bit longer and a couple of shades lighter,
but what do you think?". This is the best way to use Smile Art.
Now, given
that I have said all that, I must say that our objective when we computer
enhance a patient is to come as close as possible as to the final effect
of the post-operative treatment. The imaging must be achievable, beliveable
and realistic. Again, like working with your patient or lab, good communications
are crucial. We must have good, detailed instructions and the communications
must be clear.
What
will Smile Art do for my patients?
They can see the "possibilities" before the work has been done. It creates
the "want". It will help to get your patients more informed and involved.
It will sell the dentistry. Your patient will love the fact that you can
show them the possibilties, before the work has been done. Plastic Surgeons
do this all the time. Now you can to.
How
much does it cost?
The price for the computer enhancements are $89 case or you can prepay
for a subscription pack of 5 cases for $345.00. The subscription pack
does not expire or are you under any time frame to use up the cases. The
choice is yours. We guarantee the imagings 100%. If you are not satisfied
we will redo at no charge to you.
What
if I want to email you all the pictures?
Great, we love that. but please hi-res jpgs only and by hi-res I don't
mean a 25 mb scan of your assistant as a test file.Typically, for us to
output to our proofing printers, we need a file with suffienct pixels
for us to image and rip, this smallest for email being around 2 megs.
Please, zip multiple shots. If your not sure what Im talking about and
all this is jaberwocky to you, call us at (800) 461-7707.
Do
you have a library of teeth that you drop in?
Please. We must work with the existing shape of the smile. We create each
smile from scratch. There are certain esthetic rules that have to followed.
The imaging we do is much more elaborate then just "dropping in a tooth"
like some of those other programs do. In many ways, a persons smile is
a fingerprint and their teeth are the lines that make up the print. We
like to think that just like fingerprints, no 2 smiles are alike. And,
like a ceramist, we must work with the existing shape of the teeth and
smile. Everything has to fit together as one. All the elements must be
in place. We are, after all talking about esthetics. If you are looking
for "mock-ups", go see our competition.
Why
is Smile Art better than those dental imaging software systems I've seen
advertised?
If you are a doctor and you're not at the chair, you're not making money.
Doctors didn't go to dental school to be a computer artist. I believe
that most doctors don't want to sit down on a computer and try to learn
how to digitally enhance teeth. We have had many dentist's who have purchased
imaging systems and then told us, "I don't have the time away from chair
side to use my imaging system" or "I can't get the detail that you guys
do".
Smile Art
lets you take advantage of dental imaging without having to buy any expensive
equipment, complicated software or take much time away from chair side.
Besides, there are many elements to look at when a persons smile is being
enhanced. The height of contour, ideal proportions, placement of highlights,
translucency from the gingival to the incisal, are they square, soft,
round, flat, feminine, masculine, etc, etc. We probably scrutinize all
the elements that are needed to make our enhancements more lifelike than
most doctors ever would if they were doing it themselves. As you can see,
this is a lot more elaborate than a simple computer mock up or using some
dental imaging software.
Tell
me what your dentist's clients use Smile Art for? You mentioned cosmetic/elective
dentistry?
Smile Art sells all kinds of dentistry. Most commonly dentists use Smile
Art to sell porcelain laminate veneers, crown and bridge, inlays and onlay's,
bleaching, and bonded composites to replace old blackened amalgams. Orthodontics
and implants can also be imaged. Smile Art sells dentistry that a patient
wants, dentistry which in some sense, helps a patient have a nicer smile,
have more confidence in their life, feel better about themselves.
It also
helps a patient decide on the value of dentistry, so they can make their
own decision. They may prefer porcelain laminate veneers, and Smile Art
lets them make that decision. They may want an onlay or inlay instead
of an amalgam. Smile Art helps them make that decision, too. Patients
love Smile Art, and they love the dentist who offers it to them. The important
thing is that elective dentistry is the fastest growing part of the dental
practice. It's also the most profitable part. And, its the part patients
love. Patients hate going to the dentist for a filling or a root canal,
but everyone wants to have a better looking smile, wouldn't you?
Do
I have to make a monthly commitment to use your service?
No. But if you can send us at least 5 patients a month (I know you have
at least 5 patients a month who are canidates for cosmetic dentistry?),
we can save you over 20% off of our regular imaging price. Click here
for details.
Do
I have to use or buy some "digital terminals or special equipment" to
use your service.
No you do not. I know of some of these companies who want to sell you
or supply you with some of "their proprietary, off the shelf, customized
for you, equipment and software" blah, blah, blah. The fact of the matter
is some of it is good and some of it is bad.
Why
should I use your service?
Look, we have been doing cosmetic dental imaging for 5 years. We pioneered
the concept of dental imaging and started the idea of imaging through
the internet when the gui's were non-exsistant and delphi was using a
dos based shell to do hypertext. We image for and have endorsements from
some of the top cosmetic dentist's in the world. We image for some of
the most prestigious dental labs and dentist's in the country, some right
here in the heart of the entertainment capitol of the world, Hollywood.
Our customer service is superior, the quality of our product world class,
and we offer a 100% guarantee. The bottom Line....
The proof
is in the pudding and we invite you to look at some of our competitors
work and ours. You be the judge. If you
can find someone who can do better cosmetic dental imaging on your patients
than us, use them!