My next recommendation; The Best Dentist Practice and Dentist; ‘Knightsbridge Dental Care: Doctor Alan Gold’. 

http://knightsbridgedental.co.uk/clinicians/dr-alan-gold/

http://knightsbridgedental.co.uk/services/

There is nothing more terrifying for me personally than a visit to the dentist. For me, as is the case for many, the child-hood trauma from seeing the school dentist has lingered and has evolved into a type of phobia, now, in later life. Many people in the U.K. literally have to have their teeth practically falling out or need to be in excruciating pain before they dare to step over the threshold of the dreaded Dentist surgery. 

My trauma undoubtedly derived from the school dentist and I can still visualise the gas mask coming towards me. In the '60s, little empathy was shown towards a crying child.

But also, even in my adult life, my anxiety was heightened when being told by one desist "Stop moaning you’re a big guy this should be a doddle". I felt like I was being tortured by some horrendous instrument like in a scene from the movie Saw. Furthermore, I have even been punched in the face accidentally, to add further insult to injury, when the dentist attempted to pull out a support as he rushed to complete my filling.

SAW The horrors of a bad dentist

Have you ever noticed when the dentist accidentally stabs you with their scissors or one of their many sharp implements you often get the response "Oh your sensitive in that area?" Being honest, I find myself wanting to get up and grab the tool out of their hands to stick it in their bottom as he/she squeals, simply replying "Gosh you're sensitive there!"

Having lived in the U.S. for nine years, I went to the same dentist and wonderful hygienist for the whole time, without any issues. Yes, it is true that the U.K. is now catching up with its dentistry counterparts, but we do lag behind in terms of the advancement of the technology and skills within dentistry in the U.S. It took me almost a decade to find a hygienist that matched the practice I used to attend in Los Angeles. ‘Nanny toothbrushes’ does not begin to describe some of the terrible experiences I have had in London. Naturally, the last dental disaster left me fervently searching for a new dentist, a bit like when you find a good hairdresser and do not want to lose them at any cost. The minute I hear "Do you drink coffee or tea?" from the mouth of the hygienist, I want out of there! 

My poor departed friend, the brilliant journalist Lester Middlehurst, contracted Hepatitis B, apparently from a dentist in Brighton. It was ten years since he had been near a dentist at the time and he called me asking for a recommendation as he had read about ‘painless dentistry’ in a magazine. This process of being put to sleep for dental procedures had fast become popular in the U.S. and he admitted that the only way he was going to sit on a dentist chair, as if he could be put to sleep, even if it was just a cleaning his teeth required. The usually vivacious Mr. Middehurst did not even want to talk to a dentist receptionist as it gave him the shivers, but his teeth were beginning to rot and with his heavy smoking, his smile was starting to deteriorate. 

Being in the world of beauty and fashion, it is easy to get recommendations for good dentists, but very few offered painless dentistry. In fact, a few seemed perplexed when I asked about this type of procedure.  

http://knightsbridgedental.co.uk/services/

Then…BINGO! I discovered Knightsbridge Dental Practice located in Beauchamp Place, one of the infamously chic streets in London. They do not advertise or have a social media presence, which inferred that they must have a very good reputation if word of mouth was what their business relied upon.  

http://knightsbridgedental.co.uk/services/

Even after finding them, it took another month to get poor Lester there and I had to tell a little lie that they put you out before they even looked at your teeth. I needn’t have worried as an imminent love affair between Roman Franks (one of the partners of the practice) and Lester started as he was put into a dream-like state, to repair the damage caused by many years of neglect.  

Painless dentistry involves sedation to relieve any anxiety but it does not put you fully to sleep. It is undeniably a great benefit for those patients who suffer from anxiety in the dentist chair, though this can cost extra and regrettably, not all practices offer this service.  

Up until this point, I had been waiting to make my bi-annual visits to the U.S. to go to the dentist. I was so impressed not only by the expert customer service but the wonderfully trained receptionist, at this clinic in particular, that I decided to try out the practice for myself. Senior partner, Alan Gold, fortunately, had an appointment which is rare and I have to admit, we clicked right away, particularly with him being a Geordie. He had a wicked sense of humour and appeared to genuinely listen to my own personal issues around anxiety and dentist visits.  

The amazing Alan Gold

Additionally, he was not selling me anything, whereas so many times, I have had consultations where I feel that they are simply trying to sell to me.  I did need some work, however, and so he suggested attempting to do the procedure without sedation initially and seeing how I coped. Bless him, I am really not easy and having had bad experiences in the past, the slightest noise can set me off.   

Alan’s clinic is beautiful and relaxing and there is a television above you to focus on, which takes your mind off what he is actually doing. It soon became clear, however, even with his immense skills, I would need to be sedated for most invasive procedures. 

Now for those thinking of asking for sedation, you need to do this when you have time, as essentially you will need to go straight home and rest following the procedure and ideally you will need a friend to take you home as you may feel uninhibited and therefore need supervision. 

Alan himself is a breath of fresh air, he jogs to work each day and has never had a single day off work sick, since launching the practice in 1975. He is an expert in cosmetic dentistry also, giving a running commentary on daily news issues whilst skilfully working on your teeth. 

In 1970 Alan graduated from Newcastle University,  training extensively in the very latest in dentistry. He took the SAAD (Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry) course and has treated many thousands of phobic dental patients using intravenous and inhalation sedation techniques.

After Roman retired, Alan’s new partner, the very glamourous Avee-Marie joined the practice, an approachable, warm and gentle clinician. She qualified from the Kings College School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2000 and has been practising for nearly 17 years. She brings an advanced holistic feel to the already welcoming and professional team. Avee-Marie specialises in phobic patients. 

Avee -Marie

Much as Alan is old school and has no interest in social media, Avee-Marie has managed to get the practice to ‘dip its toes’ into social media marketing. 

Alan Gold at Steven Smith

You cannot find a better place to go to if you have issues and anxiety around going to the dentist. It is safe to say, Alan wraps you in cotton wool.

Though he teases me when I attend the clinic “Oh god it’s you! I need sedation!” I cannot rate both the clinic and the dentistry team highly enough.

http://knightsbridgedental.co.uk/clinicians/dr-alan-gold/

 .

Tel: 0207 581 1000 / 0207 584 2537
Fax: 0207 823 9408

Email: info@knightsbridgedental.co.uk 

The Best for Chiropody and Podiatry-  my third recommendation for 2020 

Fiona Patterson Beauchamp Foot Care 

https://www.beauchampfootcare.com

 https://www.beauchampfootcare.com

When it comes to our feet, this is the area we most often neglect. From my personal experience, thirty years of standing on my feet to cut people’s hair had caused my toes to rebel and suddenly one problem after another began to emerge with my feet. It started with an unpleasant in-growing toenail to developing Plantar Fasciitis. I have been no stranger to pedicures however if not being treated by the hands of an expert this became a torcher rather than an enjoyable experience. I realised that just having my toenails cut and filed was not doing the trick and in fact, was leading to health issues.

Many of my clients raved about who they called ‘The Foot Doctor’, Fiona Patterson who was based at Beauchamp Foot Care. One of my friends urged me to go to the clinic, promising me she would sort all of my problems. It is important to point out that Fiona, though brilliant in her field of work, is not a doctor, it’s just a term we use as so many people feel like she has given them huge pain relief following treatment.

Fiona trained under the renowned Dr. Scholl in Islington, obtaining her degree in Podiatry at Durham University in 2010. Additionally. she also undertook her degree in anesthetics at Dublin University. Fiona has worked at Beauchamp Foot Care for 24 years, along with her three partners.

  

What strikes you about the clinic, apart from the fact that it has the very latest, state-of-the-art equipment is just how fantastically clean it is. As well as being experts in podiatry and chiropody, a wide variety of conditions including fungal nail infections, verruca’s, ingrown toenails, and many more can be treated here. A team of highly qualified chiropodists/podiatrists make up the staff, each having over 25 years of experience, guaranteeing clients an enjoyable and relaxing experience.

Fiona is a fantastic no-nonsense lady who really fills you with confidence. I personally hate anything to do with my feet and so I spent the first two minutes apologising for how neglected they were. Fiona just nodded, however, reassuring me that they were just fine and she would get them back to their glory. I quickly felt relaxed and at ease and as she expertly worked on my feet, I felt like I was being lifted into the air. Fiona explained to me how to deal with my issues with my feet so that I could better self-manage them at home.

Each appointment is typically half an hour long in duration. Inevitably, if you want nail polish or anything extra then you would need to book extra time for your appointment as this is not part of the standard pedicure treatment. Understandably, arriving late for your appointment will usually mean that your appointment will be cut short and you will still have to pay the full treatment price, so it is recommended to arrive before your appointment time. Obviously, in exemplary circumstances, Fiona will always do her best to accommodate you.  

Your treatments will be private as each of the partners have their own room so you don’t have to be concerned with other people staring at your feet or listening to your conversations. 

Fiona and her partners

The clinic can get extremely busy and appointments are booked in advance owing to their superb reputation, often achieved by word of mouth and client recommendations. Observing the clientele when I have been in the clinic, it is clear that prominent figures of London society frequent it including celebrities 

along with the local Knightsbridge and Chelsea brigade. Soon word spread and the clinic has been   featured in magazines and newspapers. This year alone they have appeared in the ‘Good Foot Guide’ in Harper’s Bazaar And publications such as Tatler and Marie Claire, The Telegraph, the Sunday Times and The Evening Standard have all recommended Beauchamp Foot Care in their articles. 

  https://www.beauchampfootcare.com

• Beauchamp Foot Care
• 41 Beauchamp Place
• Knightsbridge
• London SW3 1NX

Next Best for  having your hair put up.      

RECOMMENDING THE BEST .

S

HELP ME: WHO SHOULD I GO TO?    https://twitter.com/asksteve2c

 

Steven Smith looks at  how to find the very best in  beauty , aesthetic ,  cosmetic.  doctors  or  hair expert for you and  announces his own recommendations guide  for 2020   

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My blog is changing for 2020, and will now focus on reviewing and informing you about the very best people and places to go to for beauty, aesthetics, cosmetics, hair, and how they can make you look good.

Unlike many recommendations out there, none of the clinics or experts have paid me to highlight them and I am not offered commission to send clients to them. These are establishments and individuals that I feel have excelled, have something special to offer, and which I would happily use.

Steven Smith with over 30 years experience in the beauty /hair industry
and author .

Having worked in the beauty, hair, and fashion industry for over thirty years, the question that so often arises is, “Where is the best to go to?”. It is a quandary that so many people find themselves in when wanting to have aesthetics, hairstyling, or beauty done, or for when they just need an expert manicure or pedicure. We all want the very best, even if we are on a budget.

Steven Smith with over thirty years in the beauty business one of his many hair creations ..

They are quite right in that asking an expert where to go is their best course of action. A good hairdresser or beautician can tell you about the best restaurants, shows, doctor, cosmetic surgeon, or where to get a manicure that sparkles above the rest. This is because their clients are in the know, and since they are at the height of their game, they tend to know the very best.

Equally, you could go into the make-up and skin-care department of an upmarket store and look for an assistant who looks like what you like and ask them for recommendations. Good fashion shops also know where the best places are.

It is so true that the very best often have little social media presence and rarely advertise. This is because they are all booked through the most valuable asset; word of mouth clients who are the core that will keep your business growing and growing.

In my opinion, Groupon, constant adverts bombarding social media, and discounting screams one thing: “I am desperate”. There is a popular theory that you need to put out three posts per day. For supermarkets and large corporations this may be true. I am sure there are expectations, but the elite are certainly not following that path and I have heard people comment things like “I was thinking of going there, but the overselling put me off”. 

In any of the fields I am talking about, if an operator is not booked and self-sufficient after being in business for a year, it is maybe time they moved on or seek more training should they need a little more  help building their  client base.

Besides word of mouth, there are two other things that bring in clients in 2019. First, celebrities do they go there? Potential clients will see you working with for many are seen as  the cream of society as a huge security blanket, but remember that no one good in the business will actually talk about their clients, whether famous or not. Nonetheless, often the gossip leaks out or the famous make a deal to promote the clinic or salon. In my experience, most just want to come to not be bothered before paying and getting on their way.

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Kylie Jenner 

ttps://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=Kylie+Jenner

The other way is the media, who have a way of sniffing out who goes where, as well as who is best in the field you’re looking for. Newspapers and magazines often run who’s best and who goes where. Be careful here too that it does not say “Sponsored” or “Ad”, since often services pay to have their names publicised by the media. Many top clinics offer 100 percent discount cards to the famous and beauty editors in order to get their name in the features. So be careful to read the articles if you’re looking for a recommendation, and always have a consultation or meet who will treat you first.

By this I mean you should meet the doctor or whoever is performing the treatment or service first. Never be fobbed off by the receptionist or customer service expert or advisor. If they are not fully qualified, they are simply a salesperson and the only thing they should be doing is telling you the price, or at best what the treatment involves if the actual experienced expert thinks it might be applicable. 

It is you right to privacy to ask to see qualifications and the experience to be about you .
What you do for a living or what you relationship status  is, is your business 

The next thing is how do you feel about the actual clinic or salon your looking at having your treatment in. Is it professional? Is it clean? Do you feel treasured and that your privacy is harboured? Sadly in many establishments today, three years of hard training in customer service and even in their chosen craft has been replaced by people who have taken a two-day course. I am all for on the job training, but in my experience it does not take much for those that have been on a quick course to think they know better than a highly trained individual. Ask to see their qualifications and don’t be afraid to challenge them if you are in any doubt ; it is your money and you have to live with the outcome.

So, lets kick off with my first recommendations that embodies all that I believe in when it comes to customer service, combined with expertly skilled treatments and a team who work together so you love coming to their shop. 

MINX ( Manicure , Pedicure , threading and waxing ) 

You might not have heard of Minx before, which is located off Kensington High Street towards Earl’s Court’s leafy roads. But those in the know flock to what arguably has to be the best manicure and pedicure, threading, and waxing establishment in London. Royalty and celebrities love Minx, as do the locals and many people travel to get the Minx treatment.

I first heard of Minx from a BBC journalist who travelled up once a month from Brighton to get her treatments done, “They are so special,” she told me. Being a fella that has always taken good care of his hands (in the US, most men have it done) I couldn’t resist trying them out.

One of my pet hates is when I go to a place and I feel like I am being interviewed; 

“What do you do for a living?” or “Have you got a girlfriend or boyfriend?”, when I all I want is my manicure and head out. The first thing I used to train people to do when I was a hairdresser was to “Not ask personal questions as you make the treatment about you, instead take your lead from the client.”

With Paris from Minx

To be honest, I had my fill of going places and being asked questions that are just not relevant, and I was looking for someone that was low key and professional. When you enter Minx, they are only interested in your treatment. The first thing that hits you is how gentle and in harmony all the staff are. You would actually have to ask to find out who the actual owner is, rather than they're  being a domineering personality. fronting the place. Meanwhile, conversation is not forced on you. Also, for once I can honestly say that all the staff are equally skilled, so you won’t be disappointed if your usual person is not available.

Minx never advertises and has no social media presence, and they also do not offer discount packages or have gimmicks. Additionally, I have never been offered a coffee or tea, although there is a nice place opposite to grab one before if you feel the need that. They are booked out all the time through word of mouth and an expert first-class work and customer service that has everyone coming back.

Minx was opened by Iranian born Narsin Aghaty in 2003. She is a keen businesswoman with over 9 years’ experience in customer service and in the beauty field. She works with her sister, Paris, who has a degree in nutrition and is a qualified beautician who worked as a customer service trainer for several of the big high street stores.

Many of the lady’s clients followed them to Minx, and word spread around the neighbourhood, with Paris telling me that “My sister felt that our work ethic and skills would bring people through the door, and once they came it would grow from there.”

They must be doing something right, since when their longest member of staff of 15 years left to do a degree course and she was in tears.

“We take our staff on for a six-week trial, during this time we teach them our brand of customer service and techniques, so we all work to the same standard. After the six weeks, we ask the other staff how they feel about us taking that person on. It is a family and we rarely have anyone leave and we want this feeling to be conveyed to our clients when they walk in.”

Now, Minx is not cheap, but once you have entered the doors you really don’t want to go anywhere else. 

  http://www.minxbeauty.com/#

Address: 9 Stratford Road, Kensington, London, W8 6RF

Hours: 

Open ⋅ Closes 7PM

Phone: 020 7937 8844

Next week best aesthetics Doctor. Ioannis Liakas