When you visit the dentist, you should have confidence that you are being treated by extensively trained and experienced doctors who are committed to providing you with the best care possible. The founder of Austin Dental Spa, Dr. Mark Sweeney, has been practicing cosmetic dentistry for more than 30 years and has meticulously hand-selected each member of our extraordinary team; including his established associate, Dr. Jordan Slagter. The dentists at our practice have impeccable credentials, utilize advanced technology for procedures, and share in their dedication to help each and every patient obtain their goals and walk out of our office with a healthier, brighter smile. They also strive to treat all of our patients with the utmost respect and compassion and to make your time with us as comfortable as possible.
Best dentist ever. I no longer live in Austin, and let me tell you people, do not miss out on this guy. Havent been able to find another dentist like this. The experience is so relaxing and enjoyable! Yes at the dentist! I went here for 5 years and never understood why people didnt like the dentist. My first try at a new dentist here and I quickly understood why!
Dr. Mark Sweeney has been practicing as a cosmetic dentist since 1979, and is known nationally for his expertise and artistry in smile makeovers. He created Austin Dental Spa with the discerning cosmetic patient in mind. He maintains his general dental skills by caring for several thousand loyal patients who wont let anyone else treat them. His easygoing demeanor and passion for dentistry puts people of all walks of life at ease while they are discussing or undergoing treatment.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (1975) and the University of Texas Health Science Center Dental School (1979), Mark began his career as a cosmetic dentist in Austin in 1979. While providing general dental care, his main passion was improving peoples appearances through cosmetic procedures. Though modern cosmetic procedures did not even exist in the early years of his career, he improvised with the materials available at the time to whiten, reshape, and replace front teeth to give people the smiles they dreamed of. Now, Dr. Mark Sweeney has become a renowned cosmetic dentist, and his Austin Dental Spa is equipped with the very latest technology. Dr. Sweeney excels at placing DURAthin porcelain veneers and employs other state-of-the-art technologies to transform our patients smiles. He has also established a reputation in Austin and beyond as a trusted sedation dentist, helping his patients relax during their treatments.
Dr. Sweeney has taken several hundred hours of continuing education, and studied with the leading cosmetic dentists in the country, and is a sustaining member in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. A premier sedation and cosmetic dentist in Austin, Dr. Mark Sweeney is a member of the following:
Dr. Mark Sweeney is blessed with five wonderful children Julian, Marcus, Clark, Mason and Danielle. He is an avid tennis player, and also entertains dental audiences around the country as a stand-up comic and guitarist. Who needs laughing gas?
Q: What attracted you to being in the field of dentistry? Initially, I wanted to be a doctor like the television doc Marcus Welby, M.D., saving lives. However, a guy that grew up down the street from my childhood family home got into dental school. While I was attending medical school in Houston, he was my brothers roommate. I hung around him some and saw what he was working onmaking teeth, building dentures, carving things with his hands under magnification, and it looked like a lot of fun. So I changed majors and went to dental school.
Q: What was the inspiration for you regarding your choice to pursue cosmetic dentistry as a specialization? Cosmetic dentistry wasnt even in existence as a specialty area in 1979 when I graduated. But I saw a need as my practice grew, and I wanted to help those people who had always hated or been embarrassed by their smiles. I started placing the whitest filling material we had at the time over their dark teeth, and learned to sculpt it to make it look real. As technology improved, I sought out the best teachers in the field, and learned from them.
Q: What is your favorite thing about being a dentist? Well, nobody has ever hugged me over a root canal, even if they were up all night in pain the night before. But if you give someone a beautiful smile, their life can be changed forever. As a result, Ive been the recipient of lots of hugs, flowers, cookies, and have made many long-lasting friendships. I LOVE helping people look and feel better about themselves!
Q: Are there any particular moments in being a dentist that stand out for you? The day I completed a smile makeover on my mother (she was in her 70s at the time, shes 94 now) stands out as a pretty special day. She had never had pretty teeth and when she saw the new, white veneers, she got tears in her eyes. Maybe I did, too
Q: Why Austin Dental Spa? I kind of fell into thatI had an opportunity to help a friend by hiring his German wife so that she could get a Green Card, back in 1999, and she was a licensed massage therapist. We just had her start massaging hands and feet while we performed the dentistry, and it just felt right. As a result, we expanded the concept. Now I cant imagine doing dentistry without that component. People LOVE being pampered in a way that they havent experienced before.
Q: You are known to bring humor into your business. Why is that important? I was always the Class Clown, making people laugh. I did stand-up comedy for several years in the 90s, and I still perform for dental groups a few times a year. I love to entertain people. It comes in handy chairside at times, since dentistry can be stressful (if youre the patient!).
Q: What are your hobbies? I love sports. I played basketball through my first year of college. I used to do long-distance bicycling for many years until the traffic got so bad in Austin. I played racquetball and squash at a tournament level, then switched to tennis when I started dating a woman back in the 90s, and I didnt like that she could beat me easily. So I started taking lessons, and after about 6 months, beat her for the first time. That pretty much ended that relationship; however, I fell in love with the game, and its still a passion today.
Q: What are you the most proud of in your life? I have three sons who are smart, handsome, and play tennistwo are in college and one is the only freshman on the Varsity team at Westlake High. I have two older children from my first marriage that are not tennis players, but I am very proud to be their father as well. My daughter has nearly finished a business degree at University of Houston working full-time, raising a stepdaughter who will be attending Texas A&M, and taking classes at night. She inherited my work ethic and drive. I am also very proud of the dental practice I have spent my adult life buildingwe help thousands of people have a better life through healthier mouths and more beautiful smiles! It beats working for a living!! Changing lives for the better is incredibly rewarding.
Dr. Jordan Slagter grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania, where her father practices as a general dentist. Jordan attended Penn State University, where she was a member of the Cross Country and Track & Field teams, and graduated in 2008.
After college, Jordan moved to Baltimore, MD for dental school, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University Of Maryland School Of Dentistry in 2012. After dental school, she completed a one-year residency in Advanced General Dentistry at the University of Maryland. Since earning her dental degree, Dr. Slagter has undergone numerous continuing education courses. This has included training for TruDenta treatment to help patients with TMJ disorder. She has also trained under world-renowned dentist Dr. John Chao who invented and patented the Pinhole Surgical Technique. Dr. Slagter is a certified PST dentist, offering the minimally invasive treatment to patients with receding gums.
Jordan enjoys all aspects of dentistry, with particular interest in cosmetic dentistry procedures such as porcelain veneers and smile makeovers. She is highly experienced at performing these as well as all other treatments offered at Austin Dental Spa, including dental implants. Since joining our team in the summer of 2013, Dr. Slagter has added greatly to our mission of providing the highest quality of care possible. As she continues to hone her skills, she looks forward to growing both personally and professionally at Austin Dental Spa.
Outside of dentistry, Jordan loves spending time with her family, friends, and the worlds greatest golden retriever, Oliver. She married her wonderful husband, Adam, in June of 2013, and moved with him to sunny Austin, where he grew up and his family resides. Dr. Slagter enjoys playing and watching sports of all kinds, cooking, and traveling.
Q: How did you get into dentistry? Dr. Slagter: From a very young age, I was certain that I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up. For a long time that meant a physician, but that changed in college when I realized how much of the medical world is impersonal and insurance-driven. I hated the idea of having only 10-15 minutes with each patient, and rotating bodies in the chair like a revolving door. My dad, who is also a dentist, opened my eyes to dentistry. When I realized that I could combine healthcare with hands-on treatment and artistry, while building and maintaining relationships with people, I realized it was the right path for me.
Q: What is your favorite thing about performing smile makeovers? Dr. Slagter: When a patient tells you this is the first time theyve felt comfortable smiling in years, or sometimes their whole lives theres nothing better than that feeling.
Q: Tell us about Oliver, your Golden Retriever. Dr. Slagter: My golden retriever, Oliver, is one of the greatest joys in my life. Hes 6 years old, but has been an old soul since he was just a puppy. His personality is unlike any other, and our friends only half-jokingly say theyre sure hes part human. Hes a gentle giant, a quiet and lazy boy, and the most handsome dog Ive ever seen.
Q: Do you have any hobbies outside of dentistry? If so, what are they? Dr. Slagter: My number one hobby is unquestionably travel. Im lucky to have a husband who loves it too, and traveling the world with him has given me the best experiences of my life. That goes along well with a passion for food; usually my trip planning starts around meals, and endlessly researching the best dining spots in a new place. I also love to cook and entertain.
Q: What is your favorite place that you have ever traveled to? Dr. Slagter: Safari in Tanzania and Kenya! Seeing wild elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, and the whole bunch up close and in their natural habitat was the coolest thing Ive ever done.
When you receive dental treatment at Austin Dental Spa, you will be more relaxed and pampered than you can imagine! Our Central Texas office is like an upscale spa or salon rather than a typical dental office. The atmosphere is comfortable and refreshing with Italian leather chairs, soothing scented candles, ceramic tiling, and backlit glass brick. You can relax, wrap up in a warm, soft blanket, and enjoy music while we create your new smile. During procedures we also provide an indulgent arm, hand, and foot massage. Our patients also love to indulge in a chair massage after their treatments. At Austin Dental Spa, our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Mark Sweeney, helps patients from Central Texas and across the globe achieve dazzling smiles while they enjoy five-star pampering from our team. We believe our patients deserve nothing less than the royal treatment every time they come to see usisnt it time you expected the same?
At Austin Dental Spa, cosmetic dentist Mark Sweeney and his team in Central Texas understand that many of our patients feel anxious, nervous, or frightened at the thought of dental treatment. We understand that this is natural and very common, and we want each of our patients to feel comfortable at every point of their Austin Dental Spa experience. To this end, we are proud to feature the latest in diagnostic and dental treatment technology, which helps us make every visit as comfortable and convenient as possible. For patients who are nervous about undergoing treatment, we offer a range ofsedation dentistryoptions, from nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to oral conscious sedation and general anesthesia. Our gentle staff, soothing environment, and comfort-enhancing options are sure to put even the most anxious patients at ease.
I have been a patient of Dr Mark Sweeney for more than 17 years and I will always come back. Why? The service and the personal attention from Dr Mark and his staff (just try to schedule me with anyone other than Candace and see what happens!) are second to none. I had a routine teeth cleaning this morning that included Csndaces fine work, a personal exam from Dr Mark and a 10 minute foot massage so my expectations were once again exceeded. Thanks Austin Dental Spa!