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Ted Steliotes is hoping to change the image of
the dental office -- just as hair salons changed the image of barber shops
and beauty parlors. That's why one section of the office complex is
devoted to general and cosmetic dentistry and other to dental specialists.
Here's what you would encounter when you make an appointment for a dental cleaning. Unlike the typical sterile feel and smell of most dental offices, Steliotes Medical Dental Spa at Waterdam Commons on Washington Road in Washington County, located near Pittsburgh, PA, boasts an ambiance of a fine upscale resort. The lobby is tastefully decorated in a Mediterranean style, complimented with eclectic furnishings. Bright colors, pairs of bejeweled finials at each window and doorway, and free flowing scarves drape loosely over the chairs where patients and clients await appointments. Scented candles burn in the various corners of the many rooms. Sheer gauze curtains add warmth to the room as the crystal chandeliers brightly sparkle throughout. Flowers and paintings accent the lobby, which immediately tends to relax those individuals who are anticipating a dental visit. Sinks are replaced by free standing translucent vessels in colorful oceanic blues and greens. Tuscan matt finished, rough cut ceramic tile floors add a level of contrast to the traditional stained glass windows and columns interspersed in the lobby and each examining room. Colored glass seems to defy gravity in unexpected places! Fourteen state of the art computers are available in each dental exam room and office. It is completely digital, enabling staff to voice chart a patient's exam. In addition, the Eagle Soft Computer system means Dr.Ted Steliotes uses digital x-rays, which cut radiation exposure by 80-90% and require no development process. The Intra-oral camera images enable the dentist and patient to see stills of the teeth and gum lines, which enables a thorough explanation of the diagnosis with a visual image. Also, digital images don't degrade over time so patient files are always complete and up-to-date. Matt Sembrat, owner of Micro Systems Design, coordinated and installed this impressive computer system for Dr. Steliotes. "Other dental offices are only trying to get to this level of technology," he says. For the patient, the most enjoyable aspect of the computer system was when the hygienist asked if you want to watch television, scan the Internet, watch a DVD feed or put in a movie. Wearing a headset the hygienist explained the voice activated chart system and the cleaning process she was performing. A few minutes later a spa liaison appears in the room and offers a therapeutic hand massage, while the hygienist finishes the teeth cleaning. The relaxation is incredible and you are in the dental chair, with heated mittens on your hands. Patients who are waiting for a crown visit the office tea and juice bar, which makes your thirst go wild, quench it with specially blended herbal teas designed with both mental and physical health in mind. You can have your teeth speed whitened as you relax near one of the fountains, review your email, or play a card game.
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