Mother’s Day my family surprised me with a visit to the spa for a day of pampering. You would think on an occasion like this I would relax and forget about dentistry for awhile, but everything somehow relates for me. As I sat down I was offered a warm neck wrap. It was soothing to feel the heat against my neck and it smelled very lightly of lavender. It struck me as I was sitting there enjoying the experience that one of the most common things my patients complain about is there shoulders and neck getting stiff. I also realized that it would be great to offer something comforting at the very beginning of every appointment to help our patients feel welcomed and ease into their time with us.
It’s pretty simple to purchase a number of microwavable neck wraps. I would recommend choosing one color or pattern, perhaps that goes with your office decor. We microwave them to have them warm just before we go out to the waiting room to greet our patients and leave them over the back of the chair in the room. As soon as we enter the operatory and the patient is seated we ask if they would like to use a warm neck wrap. Patients are surprised at first, and LOVE IT!!
Most of the time, it simply stays in place until the end of the appointment, as even the weight of it is comforting and provides a bit of neck support. A few of our patients ask us to heat them up again part way through their appointment, and a simple minute and a half in the microwave does the trick. Our patients have come to expect to be pampered in our office, and it is one of the things they talk about most when they refer us new patients, how much we care.
Wow. This is very good tip. I like that it is simple. I tried with hand dipping in warm wax to pamper the patient but it became a little hassle to used it every time. Of course, I don’t do it anymore. Thank you for sharing.
I’m glad to hear that I was thinking about doing the parafin treatments, and wondering about the mess and time, you just saved me lots of time experimenting.
I love to pamper patients! They love being pampered. We have been doing the hand waxes for about two months now, and patients love it. It is a huge draw. Almost all the ladies like it, and many of the men as well. We just tie the plastic sleeve around the arm to contain the crumbs, and most people leave it on for the entire appointment. I have done the wax treatment myself once, and enjoyed it for a short time, then wanted it off. So I always tell patients to let me know if they get tired of the wax, it takes only a split second to remove it and on you go. Most just leave it on through the entire treatment, and love the way it makes their hands feel when it’s all done. You do go through a fair bit of wax, but it really is no trouble at all. All I can say is, customer service is still a hot item, and hand waxes are right up there!
I was at your class on Friday this last week in Seattle. Thank you for a well done ce class! The content was great, the delivery was exceptional! I have wanted to go to Pankey for years. I don’t know if I will ever have an opportunity to actually do it, but I will try. I was fortunate to be able to be trained in dental school by someone who had gone through both Pankey and FACE.
Anyway, thanks again for a lot of really good information last week!
Did you all do something to get trained to do the hand wax treatments? Where do you get the supplies? I have been toying with it, I guess I’m just going to have to try it and see.
I’m glad you enjoyed the program and I hope we get to see each other in the future.
Hi Lee
I enjoy reading these helpful hints of yours. Where can I purchase these heatable pillows that are shaped like the picture above.
The only place I could find was Amazon but there were negative comments about the bad herbal smell form them.
I think it’s a great idea since we have small memory foam pillows that patients frequently use. This takes it to another level.
Any help in locating these is appreciated.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
We get them at a local store that sells spa products, like lotions and bath salts, that kind of a thing. The brand however is Earth Therapeutics and they have a website http://www.earththerapeutics.net/searchprods.asp. They have a light lavendar or eucalyptus smell, we actually all like it, and it wears away after a few times int he microwave.
Hi Lee,
I just got the neck pillows from your source. What do you cover them with as you use them on patients so they stay clean etc.?
Thanks for your help.
Jerry
Two options, the cover is removable, has a zipper so you can take it off and wash, or we use head rest covers that are paper, well more like Tyvek that we order from a dental supply company
Hi Lee
Can you tell me what ones they are and who you order them from?
We have looked and can’t find any that are curved that allow the pillow to fit around the neck.
Thanks for your help.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
So my assistant tells me we order them from Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00122JE66/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0002ISPMU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Q2CVAN07T4VT48CZNQK is the link tot he order page.