Last week, I had a patient, Mr X, who came in to see for me a New Patient Consultation. He barely smiled, and did not dare show his teeth as he greeted me. As we got chatting about the reasons for his consultation, it became apparent that he hated his smile. He had grown a beard to cover up his teeth he was so ashamed of. His teeth were heavily stained. He has been a smoker most of his adult life, smokes 20 plus 'rollies' a day, drinks 8 to 10 cups of coffee a day. He is an oenologist by trade – I learnt a new word there – a specialist in wine making. So he loves his red wine. When I asked what I could do for him, he replied – 'It's simple – I want to be able to smile again, with confidence and without being ashamed'. Mr X explained he had a very important business meeting in a few days with a wine merchant. If he got the contract, this would be life changing stuff for him. He wanted his teeth cleaned before then, so he could shave off his beard, and speak with confidence at this meeting.

The first thing we had to do was help him to address and acknowledge what was causing his teeth staining. He promised to cut back on the 'rollies'. I advised him to drink more water instead of coffee. As far as the red wine is concerned – I advised 'everything within reason'.

A simple clean and polish with our hygienist was all he needed, as well as some instruction on what he needs to do at home to maintain his new smile in terms of flossing and brushing with an electric toothbrush. He shaved his beard, and on his way to his business meeting, he popped in on us at to say hello. It was a lovely feeling to see him smiling, exuding confidence. A few simple steps had helped Mr X to achieve the smile he wanted, The Smile Factor.

This year the National Smile Month is all about helping people to achieve the Smile Factor. At the Covent Garden Dental Spa, we understand how important a smile is. A simple smile can influence how people feel about us, how people perceive us, thus affecting our relationships with family, friends, colleagues and business partners.

If you are unhappy or self-conscious about your smile, this will affect your confidence in your day to day life. Poor oral hygiene can also have an effect on your general health.

At the Covent Garden Dental Spa, we want to put the smile back on people's faces, and help people to get the Smile factor. To celebrate the National Smile Month, we will be hosting an Open day on 27 June 2011. Our specialised team of Cosmetic Dentists and Orthodontists will assess your smile and discuss in detail the treatment options available to you. Achieving the Smile Factor may be as simple as having a hygiene clean or as advanced as needing braces.

Where: Covent Garden Dental Spa.

Fee: FREE Of Charge. Spaces are limited, call us on 02078369107 to book you slot.