‘The Smile Bar’ in Pocatello brings a teeth-whitening spa to ‘Smile Town USA’
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POCATELLO — A new business in Pocatello wants to give Idahoans a whiter smile and healthier mouth.
The Smile Bar, owned and operated by native Idahoans Alyssa Love and Amanda Wood, opened over the summer offering a noticeably whiter smile in one sitting.
Between them, licensed hygienists Love and Wood have around 15 years of experience in the dental profession. And working as dental hygienists, they realized that options are limited for convenient teeth-whitening services disconnected from what they call the “dental anxiety” associated with going to a dentist.
“We saw a need,” Love told EastIdahoNews.com. “A lot of our patients, of all ages, would ask us about whitening options. There wasn’t anything great that would fit a lot of people’s needs.”
That was when the duo set out to launch their business, and offer “convenient, affordable, comfortable” whitening services.
“Everybody notices a smile,” Wood said. “That’s the first impression you get when you are with somebody.”
The teeth-whitening process begins with an initial appointment, Wood explained, when her or her partner will assess a client’s specific needs. The actual treatment takes about 90 minutes. Clients have a special solution painted onto their teeth, then sit in a massaging chair in the Smile Bar “spa,” as Love called it, under a light.
This process, Love explained, is much more productive than the mail-in whitening systems, which require users to wear the whitening device or solution daily for weeks before any noticeable results.
“You can see dramatic results in just one appointment,” she said. “And you can come back, to either get whiter or just maintain.”
And one added bonus to the treatment offered by The Smile Bar is the solution Love and Wood use aids in overall oral health.
“The solution that we use is made up of hydrogen peroxide, which is a cleaning agent. So, getting your teeth whitened also kills bacteria in your mouth,” Wood said. “We’ve both noticed … as dental professionals, our oral health plays a huge role in our overall health.”
With their goals of whitening teeth and promoting oral health, Love and Wood are already exploring a tweak to their business. The two plan to change their company name to “Smile Hy,” alluding to their backgrounds as hygienists while also teasing their intentions of elevating smiles.
The entire business plan falls under the umbrella of a goal Wood laid before herself as a child, growing up in Inkom.
“Growing up, I was always — Pocatello is a beautiful area, very awesome location and I’ve always thought to myself, ‘what can I do to contribute to Pocatello?’ I want to help make Pocatello a great place to live.”
The Smile Bar is located at 1023 Yellowstone Avenue, and is open Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday, noon to 7 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
