Brandermill, VA Health and Fitness

Dr. Abbott and the staff at Midlothian Dental Arts revamp smiles with maintenance and cosmetic services that harness newer technology such as digital x-rays, 3-D imaging, and rocket-powered dental chairs. Each exam unfolds inside the comforting confines of the facility's rooms, which boast natural lighting. Neck pillows, flat-screen TVs, and headphones relax patients, as any necessary sedations put excess anxieties to sleep, and treatments conclude with rejuvenating, spa-scented washcloths.

A 2008 graduate of the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Dr. Jenny Alsop has a special enthusiasm for contact lenses and leans on the talents of an ophthalmic assistant to help clients to determine whether contacts, glasses, or binoculars are the right choice. Licensed optometrists evaluate and correct clients' vision, leveraging know-how with digital retinal photography, laser tomography, and corneal mapping to document eye conditions and detect disease.

The office's walls are lined with hundreds of designer frames by brands such as Nautica, Maui Jim, and Kate Spade. An onsite optical laboratory fits the frames with custom lenses with features including antireflective coating and custom tinting, sometimes offering same-day service.

The board-certified vascular surgeons of The Vein Center at Virginia Surgical Associates transform their patients' legs by sending spider and varicose veins scurrying away with minimally invasive treatments. Docs give unwanted veins a thorough once-over during consultations to determine de-veining game plans, which can include sclerotherapy.

With the help of chiropractic care, a young Doctor of Chiropractic Franklin Luke regained the ability to rotate his neck after a near-devastating football injury. Today, Dr. Luke continues to repay the favor at River City Chiropractic, where he lends his empathy and medical expertise to patients stricken with spinal strains. If the practice’s No. 3 ranking in _Style Weekly_’s 2011 Readers’ Choice poll is any indication, locals seem to have taken notice of his results-oriented approach and effective chiropractic treatments.

Dr. Luke realigns backbones with five primary adjusting techniques, such as a Thompson Terminal Point technique that minimizes the force of adjustment, and a relaxing series of taps that regales vertebrae with renderings of poetry in Morse code. Aside from these hands-on treatments, the chiropractic team promotes spinal health with nutritional advice and suggestions for averting stressors in their daily routines. They dispense whole-food supplements, lead weekly health workshops for members, and bolster clients’ confidence with monthly progress reports and assessments.

The dental professionals at United Smiles combine their expertise to cover the full range of dental services, from restorative and crown work to endodontics and cosmetic dentistry. The practice spans across four offices, though each office operates under the same philosophy of educating patients with thorough explanations of treatments and setting them at ease in a comfortable environment. This patient-centric credo extends to scheduling appointments on Saturday, as well as the practice's policy of always accepting emergency visits resulting from sudden tooth pain or strong urges to nap in a dental chair.

Owner Jason Riley, a US Marine and ISSA-certified trainer with more than 10 years in the fitness industry, prides himself on helping exercisers of all fitness levels reach their goals with attentive personal-training sessions and nutritional coaching. Riley paves the road to wellness by offering personalized fitness assessments that help determine each student’s realistic goals and favorite Rocky theme song. He then guides participants through effective workout routines during one-on-one workouts or encouraging group sessions, working to ensure that muscles achieve their full potential.