Dr. Peggy Bown’s dental clinic doesn’t smell like one.
It’s by design. When she built her Saint John clinic in 2015, she avoided using materials that create the smell most people encounter when they go to the dentist, and she uses a surgical air cleaner and essential oils to keep things fresh.
Her clinic also has weighted blankets and noise-cancelling headphones. Lights can be turned down, and patients can have music playing or quieter experiences in more private rooms if they want. Bown uses a tell, show, do approach to her work, meaning patients aren’t surprised by any sudden movements or noises.
