I went to Pearl. in Uptown and it cured my dental fears

I hate the dentist.

I mean REALLY hate it. And I always have, since I was a little kid.

Call me overdramatic, but there’s something bone-chilling about the sound of that dentist drill or the feeling of metal being scraped across your teeth.

It doesn’t help that I’ve been genetically cursed with very sensitive teeth. Every visit to the dentist thus far has felt like straight up torture. And that’s just for cleanings. If I had to get a cavity filled? Forget it. Just kill me.

As an adult, my relationship with the dentist has morphed into that of an old high school classmate you see in Target – pure avoidance.

If avoiding the dentist was an Olympic sport, I’d be a gold medalist.

But even the most skilled avoiders have to confront the responsibilities of adulting, and a few weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to try Pearl. Dentistry Reimagined in Uptown.

I needed to get my annual check-up and I had heard good things about Pearl. from one of my best friends. There are two convenient Pearl. locations in Uptown, and they say their goal is to reinvent the dentistry experience by making it luxurious, relaxing, and super efficient.

It gets great reviews online (it’s the highest Google reviewed dental practice Uptown), so I decided to try it out for myself and make an appointment. Here’s how it went:

The day of my appointment arrived and I was nervous.

Despite the great things I had heard about Pearl., I was not any calmer than usual. My body was filled with that familiar dentist dread.

I showed up to their Tryon Street location and parked in the deck across the street. Simple enough.

From the moment I walked in, I felt really welcome.

I was greeted by Emily, one of their receptionists, who took my coat and got me a bottle of water. Instead of the usual clipboard paperwork, she handed me an iPad to fill out medical history and info.

Their waiting area feels like a super upscale bar, not a dentist office.

In fact, their waiting room was so nice, I almost forgot I was nervous about the appointment.

They’ve got a pool table, a big screen (playing Friends) and a glitter Jenga set, but I didn’t have to wait at all. My hygienist, Jen, came out to get me for my cleaning. She was incredibly friendly and put me at ease right away.

In the dentist chair, I was immediately handed a TV remote to watch Netflix and Beats by Dre headphones.

There are two TVs in every room. And one TV is literally on the ceiling, so even while you’re laying there, you can watch. Plus, you get to pick whatever show you want.

I’m not going to lie, the Beats headphones made me feel like an NBA player getting my teeth cleaned.

The cleaning was shockingly quick and painless.

I told Jen about my dental fear in the beginning and she was great about helping make the experience more comfortable for me. Since my gums can be sensitive, she put a numbing gel on them during the cleaning and I barely felt a poke. *praise*

After my cleaning, Dr. Jenny (owner and lead dentist) came in to chat, review my x-rays, and perform her examination. She’s super friendly and put me at ease, too – we talked about the best nail salons in Charlotte while she was doing her work.

She explained her findings in a way that was easy to understand, and then she made some follow-up care recommendations. Not scary at all.

I found out Pearl. will also whiten your teeth for free. Yep, free.

After my appointment was over, I scheduled my free whitening session. This is free to all Pearl. patients once a year.

I had never had my teeth professionally whitened before so didn’t know what to expect. The whole process took about an hour and the results are awesome.

Here’s a before and after:

From Invisalign to veneers, Pearl. offers a lot more than just routine care.

Pearl. offers a wide range of services. Dr. Jenny specializes in cosmetic dentistry, and she is a platinum-level provider for Invisalign (which basically means she does a lot of Invisalign).

For those who don’t know, Invisalign is a clear approach to straight teeth, with clear removable trays instead of braces – get the full rundown here. They offer free consultations for Invisalign, and are running a promotion for $1,000 off.

Veneers are porcelain, custom-designed shells that are applied to the surface of your teeth. Veneers can be used to cover worn enamel and uneven tooth alignment or spacing.

After my experience at Pearl., I can’t say I hate the dentist anymore.

And I have to say, my pearly whites have never looked better.

Conquer your fears – make an appointment at either of Pearl.’s Uptown locations.

(This content was co-created with Pearl. Dentistry Reimagined.)