Dentist softens office so patients can relax.

EDDIE Siman had an established dental practice in Beverly Hills for 12 years when he decided he wanted to revamp its look and feel. So three years ago he moved his office to Sherman Oaks, where his Millennium Dental Spa now specializes in cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry that has the added amenity of spa treatments.

"I started in Beverly Hills, but I wanted to have a building with a high-tech facade and a relaxing look on the inside. I found a location on Ventura Boulevard that was freestanding and in an ideal location.

"I've had the spa concept for almost two years. Traditionally, people have this phobia of dentists and a lot of anxiety about going to the dentist. The media doesn't help with their portrayal of dentists--anything that's uncomfortable is always compared to going to the dentist. The reality is that with modern technology, dentistry can be very comfortable. We save people's teeth and get people out of pain, but we don't get enough credit for that.

"When you come in, the colors are all shades of blue, because research has shown that it helps people relax. We also have candles and aromatherapy in the waiting room, so it doesn't smell like a dental office. It's designed taking all these factors into consideration.

"The spa treatment is a distracting element to the dental treatment. We offer them to patients having longer procedures. We offer manicures, pedicures, reflexology and massages. That's all included as part of the treatment at no extra charge. If patients don't want it, they don't have to have it, but it's very popular. We also offer car detailing.

"We have three licensed estheticians that work part-time for us providing the treatments. It's getting to the point to where it's almost full-time. I also have four full-time staff members in the office.

"Since I introduced the spa concept, our new patient pool has increased by about 20 to 30 percent."