It may be your eldest daughter's wedding, your 20th high-school reunion, your parents' 50th anniversary or even the biggest job of your life. Whatever your reasons for considering cosmetic dentistry, the experts at Wayzata Dental SmileSpa understand the importance of a smile for life's most precious and important moments.

"Ever since I was in dental school, I've had a vision of creating a practice where it didn't feel like a trip to the dentist," says Dr. McDowell. "I wanted a place where you could relax without anxiety and be well taken care of - a progressive practice that treats the whole person. I think we've achieved that with SmileSpa."

SmileSpa is a unique experience, offering immediate results and convenience wrapped in a soothing spa environment. SmileSpa is an on-site dental spa that can give guests a younger-looking, healthy smile in just one visit. When you arrive, you are escorted to a secluded, private room complete with a plush massage chair and a library of 400 CDs. Doze, listen to a CD, or watch a movie on the flat-screen TV. You'll also receive a relaxing facial massage and silk eye pillow.

A whiter smile

Why not just use bleaching trays, so common a few years ago, or those whitening strips from the drugstore? "Two reasons: results and convenience," says Dr. McDowell. "First, the BriteSmile procedure we use can be done in one visit. It doesn't take a period of weeks or months to see a difference like the drugstore products. Second and more importantly are the results. You simply can't achieve the dramatic whitening results with the over-the-counter products."

BEFORE	AFTER teeth whitening with Dr. McDowell

The fact is teeth can be whitened by eight to 12 shades in just one visit using the BriteSmile process. Compare that to the leading bleaching trays that lighten six shades in 64 hours or whitening toothpaste that whitens 1.5 shades in one month, and you can see why it's so popular.

A progressive practice: Wayzata Dental SmileSpa in 2000

Dr. McDowell explains his philosophy: "When it comes down to it, dentistry is all about clinical excellence. You can offer guests all the comfort items in the world but if you haven't mastered the clinical side of dentistry, it won't matter. Dentistry has changed a great deal in the last five years and I am committed to providing the best care."

Putting on a game face

Lots of coffee and cracked front teeth are what sent Dan to Dr. McDowell for a consultation. Dan first came to the SmileSpa five years ago. "My friend was raving about his results," Dan said. "When I first stepped inside Wayzata Dental’s stylish offices, I realized this was not your normal dental office.

BEFORE	AFTER teeth whitening with Dr. McDowell

"I knew I was in good hands when Dr. McDowell and his team sat me down and outlined all my options in complete detail. I had no more questions," Dan said. "They showed me the process and what I could expect, and everything turned out exactly as I hoped."

Dan was so pleased with his initial results, he brought his wife and four teenagers along for all of their dental needs. Dan originally pursued cosmetic dentistry because his profession puts him in the public eye. As the owner and CEO of a company that provides security detail to major league football teams and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Dan's smile is seen on ESPN and CBS and is flashed across sports arenas for 70,000 people to critique.

"Call it 'man-vanity', but women have been doing this kind of thing for years," Dan said. "Professional men need it, too. To be successful, you need the haircut, the suit, the game face. In my line of work, 'the look' is paramount. I wear custom suits from Neiman Marcus, so why not a custom smile?"

From teenagers brightening up a smile for prom to professional men and women putting on their "game face," cosmetic dentistry is no longer reserved for the Hollywood set. "I never used to smile that much, but now I smile all the time," Dan said.

BEFORE	AFTER teeth whitening with Dr. McDowell