By Mary Corrado
Editor
From heavenly facials to dental surgery for those with phobias about dentists, from analysis of facial pain to correction of congenital jaw defects, from healing an infected tooth to doing a face lift, the Lincoln Park Institute for Oral and Cosmetic Surgery, 2449 N. Lincoln Ave., is the place to go. "Anything between the eyes and the neck is our field," said Dr. Marvin Greene. He and partner Dr. David Hanson treat clients with precise surgical skill — and a warm human manner. Much of their business is from referral by dentists and by previous pleased clients, and people come from all over Chicagoland, and even other states or countries. In fact, recently a prince from the Middle East came to the Institute for his treatment.
Many of the clients come seeking help with dental implant placement, wisdom teeth extraction, infection treatment, growth removal and pathology, facial and jaw pain care, TMJ disorders, salivary gland disorders, sinus problems and snoring disorders.
"Over 75 million people in this country are missing a tooth," said Dr. Greene. Remarkable advances in dental implant technology permit them to centrifuge a patient's blood, then extract the bone precursor cells from the platelets, and then incorporate these cells into the bone graft to give an improved percentage of bone yield. The Institute houses an i-CAT machine, one of only a few hundred in the world, which can create a 3-D facial CAT scan in less than a minute; it's open so it does not cause a claustrophobic feeling, and it uses far less radiation than a traditional hospital-based CAT Scan. Clear models and illustrations, coupled with outstanding techniques such as the 3-D image, help clients understand whether dental implants are right for them. The machine enables the doctors to identify pathology in the jaws and sinuses as well.
In addition to the oral and maxillofacial care mentioned above, the Institute addresses a broad range of facial cosmetic needs: cosmetic nasal surgery and eye surgery, face-lifts, facial and body contouring, removal of age lines and wrinkles, lip implants/collagen, chin and cheek implants/augmentation, jaw surgery, laser surgery, facial (and other) liposuction, growth/imperfection removal, forehead and brow lifts, reconstructive cosmetic surgery, and trauma care.
The specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery requires up to six years of additional hospital based surgical and anesthesia training. Both Dr. Hanson and Dr. Greene are Board-certified in this field, but just as important, they have a reputation for being down-to-earth, for really listening and caring.
As a child growing up in New York, Dr. Greene hated his first dentist; he imagined that the dentist stayed up all night thinking of ways to find painful spots and then exploit them. However, his second dentist was kind, and influenced him to go into the business himself.
"It's important to treat people right," said Dr. Greene. "We listen to find out each person's specific needs. Everybody is different." Stacks of thank-you notes attest to this trait. "You made an uncomfortable situation pleasurable with your responsiveness and kindness," reads one. "You've made a fan out of a REAL big baby," "Many thanks for a flawless procedure," "Thanks for your gentle and professional style which made my extraction ordeal far pleasanter than it might have been," "It's really nice to have doctors who truly care about their patients and really want to help," and "I am so glad to have found your office," read others. The personal attention extends to follow-up calls as well as the personal cell phone number of the surgeon just in case a client needs to connect.
Dr. Greene enjoys philosophy and in fact majored in it in college; Dr. Hanson plans a motorcycle ride to the Pacific Northwest this summer. While appreciating many facets of life, both say their work is "fun." They derive deep satisfaction from the excellent results they help clients to achieve.
The striking architecture and design of the building enhance the calm, luxurious feel of the Institute. Beautiful wood floors, skylights, a two-story waterfall, soft colors, elegant glass, touches of marble, perfect coordination, all work together to relax visitors.
Many of the visitors are there for the Medi-Spa, which offers skin treatments, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, vibraderm, waxing, and facial injections. An extraordinary delight is the Organic Facial, which uses stimulating exotic spices and fruits from Hungary to increase circulation and exfoliate dry, dehydrated skin. The client can see the waterfall and skylight as he or she enters the private spa room, filled with candles and the sounds of Handel's "Water Music."
The stress-relieving massage, steaming towels, heated mitts, and perfect lotions add up to a heavenly paradise. This 60-minute pampering costs $95; gift certificates are available.
The building itself was built in the 1880s, and served as a funeral parlor and later as the home of the famous Wax Trax Records. Renovated throughout, it now houses two spa rooms, an elevator, five oral surgery rooms, two recovery rooms, a sterilization room, two operating suites for oral and cosmetic surgery, two consultation rooms and a conference room, each with the latest equipment. Design Concept Builders coordinated the interior to achieve a peaceful, pleasant setting.
The Lincoln Park Institute for Oral and Cosmetic Surgery, 2449 N. Lincoln Ave., expects to be certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations shortly; very few practices achieve this accreditation, which involves some 435 guidelines for best practice. Dr. Hanson and Dr. Greene can be reached at (773) 327-2400. For more information, visit
oralandcosmeticsurgery.com. |
