Not long ago， I Watched half a dozen people get theirteeth whitened in the middle of a shopping mall. I wasriveted by the spectacle of these men and women ontheir clinical white lounge chairs. Their faces were in a sort ofdental rictus， with oversized trays of peroxide solution crammedin their mouths and little blue paper bibs draped around theirnecks to catch their drool Official-looking \"technicians\" walkedaround in white coats， readiusting the LED lights that were