“Everybody wants whiter teeth; we can help our patients with that.”

Dr. Michael Koceja of Columbia Family Dentistry in Vancouver, Washington has been in practice for three decades, and at his current location since opening it five years ago. He’s been in private practice since 1994 after eight years in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps.

On a recent shopping excursion to his local big-box retail store, Dr. Koceja, DDS, overheard a woman asking a shelf stocker for advice about which teeth whitener product she should buy. He couldn’t help but crack a smile at the absurdity of asking for this kind of advice from a random store employee with no discernible background in dentistry.

Related reading: Top 9 ways to make your patients want to whiten

If she had known, she could have asked Dr. Koceja who has been handing out Sheer White! whitening strips to his patients for several years.

“Everybody wants whiter teeth,” he said. “We can help our patients with that. We know the differences between the products. When you buy something at the store, you have to go totally on advertising … or by asking the guy who stocks the shelves.”

Why did you begin using Sheer White! strips at your practice?

I’ve been using it pretty much since I opened this practice about four or five years ago. The big reason I liked Sheer White! was because all the past strip whiteners didn’t stick to the teeth. After a few minutes you’re chewing them around and spitting them out. They became irritating to wear, so people just didn’t wear them.

What do you like best about Sheer White!?

The strips are easy to use and they are relatively inexpensive. People can wear these. I find that the trays just don’t work for most people. With Sheer White!, they can put the films on and go to work. They can drink something. They can speak without any problem. A lot of times you even forget that you have them on. And there is very little sensitivity caused by them.

Have you used the product yourself?

I have used them and that’s why I like them. I like to try things. I’ve been through the trays, so I’ve pretty much tried all of them over the years. I just find that these are easy to use. They really stay on tight.

Tell us about the direct feedback

The biggest thing is people say they are easy to use and they like the results. They can wear them during the day. You can’t really wear a gel tray during the day unless you’re at home or going to bed. Most people do not tolerate wearing the tray to bed and waking up with it still in their mouth. It’s usually laying somewhere. So that’s the nice thing -- it’s very convenient. You can wear them to work. You get ready for work, throw them on before you leave for the day. That’s probably the biggest feedback I get is that they are easy.

Would you recommend Sheer White! strips to colleagues?

As dentists, we can do a couple different things. We’re used to using trays and gel, and that’s all compliance-based. If the patient wears it and is compliant, it can work. In-office whitening can be more sensitive whereas I have no complaints about sensitivity using the Sheer White! strips. Because of the price point, you can sell it through the office, which we do, or we can give it out as a gift for new patients or if someone has completed a lot of treatment. I think people really like that little extra something. They might spend thousands of dollars on dentistry, and here’s a little something for you. Patient happiness is a big factor for us. People refer other patients when they’re happy. That’s what the business is all about. It becomes an easy referral source at the cost that it takes to give out a whitening kit.  

More on Sheer White!

The CAO Group’s Sheer White! System Teeth Whitening , described as the world’s first in-office teeth whitening strips with one-minute chair time, are offered through exclusive distribution partner, Henry Schein, Inc. The strips are uniquely designed with CAO’s Comfort Fit Technology™ and require no soft tissue retraction or isolation. The dental professional simply takes one minute of chair time to apply the strips to the patient and then sends them on their way to wear for 30 minutes. Additionally, Sheer White! Take-Home personal treatment kits are available.