Lynn Locklear, DDS Life Enhancing Dentistry and Wellness

I was referred to Dr. Locklear from a good friend and coworker when I happened to mention that I had severe pain in my jaw, neck, and shoulders due to grinding my teeth. I went for the introductory appointment and signed up for the full treatment: an orthodic device that realigned my jaw followed by full braces to move my teeth into the correct position. The treatment cost me several grand – not a small amount for an entry-​level Federal employee whose dental insurance would not pay for TMJ treatment. Luckily, they had 0 percent financing for people in my position, and I was able to spread my payments out over 2 years with no interest.
My experience with this dental office has been wonderful. The staff are extremely friendly and caring. The office looks beautiful with hardwood floors, fresh flower arrangements, beautiful décor. Dr. Locklear told me she actually hired a feng shui consultant to analyze the office’s energy. It also smells lovely and there’s always real music playing over the office’s sound system (as opposed to elevator muzac). I never have to wait very long for my appointment, but if I happen to show up early, they offer tea, fresh-​baked cookies, and water in the waiting room along with a mind-​boggling selection of magazines. It seems weird to wax on about the appearance and «feeling» of this place, but it really makes a difference. It feels so nice to be there that it takes the edge off the anxiety of being in a dentist’s office. When they poke around and drill my teeth, I lust lay back on the neck pillow they so graciously provide, stare out the picture windows, and gaze at the squirrels and birds on the gorgeous magnolia tree outside. Or I close my eyes, smell the candles, and listen to Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard soundtrack. Even the latex gloves they use are a non-​intimidating shade of lilac. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered to make the patient’s experience as pleasant as possible.
More important than how awesome the office is: I have no more pain! Okay, getting used to an orthodic device and a full set of braces was certainly no picnic, but I no longer have TMJ-​induced migraines, my posture is better, and I think even my face looks more attractive because I’m not clenching my teeth all the time. Bonus: I finally stopped snoring like a construction worker every night. I’m a 5’1″ Chinese girl, so I had no idea why I snored so loudly and persistently until I got my teeth worked on by Dr. Locklear.
If I have one gripe, it’s that the office isn’t part of either of my insurance plans’ networks (CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield and GEHA Federal). That makes it more of a hassle to process my insurance claims. But I’ve been going to this dentist since 2009, so I obviously think it’s worth the hassle.

It has been a pleasure receiving treatment from Dr. Locklear and her staff. Dr. Locklear identified problems with my bite that could have created serious periodontal issues in my future. She gave me a treatment plan involving orthodontics that makes me feel confident about the future health and look of my teeth and gums. As an active guy, something that also helped me decide to move forward was remembering that the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl the year that they tried orthotic mouthpieces which align the jaw. This has been shown to increase strength. I would recommend these services to anyone looking for expert advice on jaw alignment or just in need of a gentle cleaning.

I cannot speak to Dr. Locklear’s skill as a smile-​enhancer, as I am happy with my smile, and wanted only a routine dental check-​up. Dr. Locklear’s staff was very friendly and competent, and asked me barrage of questions as I was a new patient. During those questions, they discovered that I had TMJ issues over a decade ago, which were no longer giving me any problems. I said that I was not interested in pursuing jaw work, and that I really only wanted a standard exam – probably repeated 2 – 3 times with the two employees I worked with.
Nonetheless, Dr. Locklear came in and immediately recommended that I get an expensive semi-​permanent device to realign my jaw so that it juts further out (NOT a good look for me, I might add, haha). I listened to her explanation politely before saying that at this point, I’m happy with my jaw position. She thanked me for coming in, and I had to stop her from leaving the room by reminding her that she was supposed to check my teeth (not just give me a sales pitch). She spent approximately 5 seconds looking in my mouth before saying that everything looks fine and making her exit.