Dr. Robert Nolan
Dr. Robert Nolan, the” dentist who caters to dental chickens” is a master aesthetic dentist who has been practicing in Playa del Rey for over 20 years. He performs practical occlusion mastery, or as Nolan put it, “rebuilding bites” and “full mouth reconstruction which is a systematic approach to effectively creating beautiful smiles.”

Fantasy Island Of Dental Offices
Dr. Nolan, who often completes his treatment of patients in one to three visits, caters to “dental chickens”. He is committed to erasing the fear many people have of dentists and devotes time to the psychological aspect of the dental visit. For example, patients who walk into his modern, comfortable, dimly lit, plush carpeted waiting room complete with velour sofas, hanging plants, an aquarium built into the wall, a soothing waterfall and mellow jazz music playing in the background are greeted with a smile from Paula. She takes care of the patient from the minute he or she walks into the door. A relaxed feeling will come over you from the moment you walk in the door. While waiting (which very few people do), check your e-mail or look up your stock quotes on the internet. There are computers everywhere for the patient to use and of course, there is no charge.

Dr. Nolan has included some nice customer service touches at his dental practice. These include a flat screen television for your friends and family to watch in case they are waiting for you. Should you need to make a telephone call there is a phone next to the flat screen television for your convenience. Additionally there is a small cyber-café in the reception room with a computer terminal with high-speed internet access. He has included a small refrigerator next to the reception room that is stocked with water, juice, and sodas. Some traditional artwork hangs in Dr. Nolan’s office, along with oil paintings and on occasion has included some beautiful post-treatment photos of patients as part of his office art. Patients often comment on these photos, asking if they could have a smile like “the one in the photo.” The office has had a total makeover with modern fabrics and materials throughout.

Dr. Nolan, a 1982 graduate of UCLA Dental School of Dentistry is mindful of people’s fear of the dentist and says he goes to great lengths to create a non-stressful environment. For those patients fearful of the dentist, Dr. Nolan does “sleep dentistry”. This is where you are asleep or in a light state of sedation while all your dental work is completed. You awake at home and don’t remember being at the dentist and your treatment is done. Or, you may choose “nitrous oxide “to make you feel more relaxed. The next day your mind is at peace knowing that you didn’t feel any pain or hear any drilling noise while at the dentist and if you did, you don't remember it! This service is also available for those whose schedules simply do not permit time for a lengthy series of dental appointments.

For other patients who are not quite as fearful of the dentist we have “micro abrasion”. This new type of high tech device removes cavities without the use of the drill and often times without the use of anesthetic. Dr. Nolan says, “It is kind of like microscopic sandblasting.” A concentrated stream of air combined with a superfine powder is aimed at the tooth to remove decay without having to use a drill.” It doesn’t work on all fillings. We have many other techniques to make you feel comfortable and relaxed.

“Some things, people take for granted… our daily lives are frequently so stressful”, says Dr. Nolan. Continuing in the same theme, he explains, “I wanted to make my office a place where you could forget about the stress and relax. I made this office as comfortable and non-stressful as any dental office could possibly be.”

By offering more than just soft toothbrushes and toothpaste samples, Dr. Nolan tries to take the fear and anxiety out of dentistry. In all exam rooms there are relaxing photos with interesting pictures and photos on the ceiling. “Most patients are surprised to see pictures on the ceiling, but you do spend a lot of time looking at the ceiling when you are sitting in the dentist chair. All rooms are equipped with nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” which helps to relax and decrease stress. There are before and after pictures of actual patients lining the hallway, so that you can see the type of work that I have performed,” Dr. Nolan states off-handedly. His continuing education certifications and awards he has won over the years are displayed so that you can see that he takes his work personally and professionally.

The Meat And Potatoes Of It All
“A lot of people have no problem trading in a car, or going on a vacation for only a week, but the investment in your mouth is worth much, much more. Some people really understand the value of their smile and some don’t”, Nolan says.

Nolan estimates that about 40 percent of his patients come in for a smile makeover, in addition to the general dentistry he also performs. “Usually,” he said, “patients come in for a regular cleaning and decide to replace their old silver fillings with porcelain restorations.”

Composite resin fillings are available as an alternative to the traditional metal fillings. Porcelain crowns are more expensive though they offer a more attractive alternative to metal crowns. “Because, metals like silver and mercury tend to expand with temperature fluctuations, the metal fillings frequently act as a wedge between the teeth - not what we want to happen at all,” Dr. Nolan said. “We used to have this saying in dental school; “silver fillings eventually become crowns.”

“Most dental offices tend to keep their return patients, or lose them because either their insurance is limited or they simply move away.” Nolan concedes that many dental insurance plans will not cover the services he can provide, but, naturally, he offers payment plans.

Dr. Nolan offers flexible hours for the working person. His office is open two evenings a week until 7 pm and Saturdays from 7 am to 1 pm. He is located at 211 Culver Blvd., Suite T, Playa del Rey, CA 90293. If you would like to contact Dr. Nolan, you can call him at 310-827-5094 or click here www.dentalchickens.com to take you back to the home page.