My last appointment for an “Invisalign review” happened to occur on Invisalign Day at Gallagher & Kuhn Dental Office.
This is a day when all of the day, or part of the day at the practice focuses on the initial visit for patients who are beginning their own Invisalign Journey. On this particular day, their morning was typical, and their afternoon was focused on new Invisalign patients.
Thoughts as an Invisalign Dentist
I asked Dr. Kuhn if I could talk to her about her thoughts as an Invisalign Dentist and about this type of treatment in general. She was eager to discuss her role as an Invisalign Dentist and we arranged a time to talk. I started by asking her exactly WHAT an Invisalign Day is. She shared that the ‘day’ provides an opportunity to pass along increased savings directly from Invisalign to the patients of GKD. On this special day patients are offered this care at a price lower than the normal price. Dr. Kuhn said that this makes the service more affordable for their patients. There were other offers as well, i.e., special pricing for a cleaning unit for aligners (cleaning pods). Dr. Kuhn shared that Invisalign Day is how the company (Invisalign) suggests the service be promoted. GKD works with their representative from the company to plan the day. The day is promoted through their practice; on the day – Invisalign provides balloons, snacks, etc.
Invisalign Day is beneficial for patients.
Having an Invisalign Day is beneficial for the patients, and it gives the dentists an opportunity to serve more patients and provide more care. Dr. Kuhn is an Invisalign Dentist and is having the treatment herself, (she didn’t tell me which # aligner she is on). She likes it because she is getting results. She shared that teeth shift over time and that it is not uncommon for adult’s teeth to move, particularly the lower (mandibular) arch. Movement of the lips, tongue and teeth (eating, talking…) leads to changes in dentition. She is seeing positive change in her own mouth which gives her direct information to share with patients. She believes that following through with Invisalign care can provide the alignment necessary for the healthiest mouth possible, as well as an awesome smile. She pointed out that there are procedures which must be followed, i.e., wearing aligners at night after completion of treatment.
Who is an appropriate Invisalign patient?
I asked her about ‘who’ an appropriate Invisalign patient is. She said that anyone and everyone is a candidate. She indicated that it is always necessary for patients to share their own specific medical circumstances with their Invisalign Dentist (surgeries, treatments, medications) to ensure optimal care for the whole person and their total health needs.
What Invisalign can do for you?
We chatted about what she would like people to know about Invisalign. Dr. Kuhn talked about WHAT it can do. She shared that patients ask for a service they have read about or heard about and that they don’t understand how awesome Invisalign is and how it can positively impact their oral health and their smile. She showed me her before/after file (on her phone) and the transformations were truly amazing. What seems to matter the most to her is how much it improves a patient’s oral health and how much it inhibits future problems. Without naming names, she told me about current situations where patients come in with broken teeth, PAIN, swollen gums – and that those circumstances could have possibly been avoided if their teeth were more appropriately aligned. But she pointed out that what most patients care about, and get really, really excited about is their improved smile, which boosts their confidence and overall affect.
Thank you, Dr. Kuhn
I thanked Dr Kuhn for her time and expertise, feeling better about my own decision, and my journey.
Louise C.
