Bonds Dental Studio, St. Charles

On a visit to her dentist for a regular checkup, Dr. Irena Hyvel looked around, figured she "would look good in a white lab coat," and decided to enroll in dental school. The rest, of course, is history: Dr. Hyvel graduated from and practiced in her native Ukraine before coming to the United States where she went back to school and received her dental license from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Today, Dr. Hyvel owns Bond Dental Studio, a general and cosmetic practice that she describes as "kind of like my first child." This dedication to dentistry is visible through her meticulous attention to detail with each patient.

A quick glance around the office supports this statement: the place has been meticulously designed and cared for, and resembles a spa more than a typical medical practice. Patients wait in buttery leather chairs while tapestries of fuchsia and green pop against silvery walls and lush ferns and flowers spill from vases. Beyond the slick marble reception desk and the candles flickering in pebble-filled trays, treatment rooms bear the practice's name in glossy letters that shine against matte black walls.