Many recall the Reader’s Digest expose many years ago concerning the same patient who went to multiple dental offices and were given wildly different treatment estimates. Their conclusions were less than positive on the profession of Dentistry. However, even in Academia and in the Veteran’s Administration Dental Facilities where I worked (and cost is not a factor) there is still a wide variety of opinions. My suggestion to you is to spend the time to find the kind of dentist and dentistry you want done. Below is my personal philosophy on Dentistry so you may choose if our practice is the right fit for you and your family.
Conservative Dentistry
I would call myself a conservative dentist. Dental School and my Residency program prepared me to repair any problem that may arise. However, I believe that what God gave us is better than anything we can do. Thus, my priority is to avoid treatment with good preventative care. A sealant to prevent any small cavity is better than the smallest filling. A small filling using conservative techniques is better than a large filling. Once a dentist removes a patient’s tooth structure you can never get it back. I do not believe in and advise patients against removing perfectly functional Amalgams (Silver fillings) and replacing them with white fillings. I constantly try to perfect the techniques which allow me to take care of all of your dental needs and problems while making the least possible alterations to your teeth.
Evidence Based Dentistry
Evidence based dentistry is a philosophy of care which dictates that any care provided should be based on sound scientific evidence wherever available. With the rapid advancement in technology and frequent introduction of new materials and equipment, it has become more important than ever that we make decisions without being swayed by market trends and short lived technological fads while still recognizing and implementing the advances available that add to the quality of care. Unfortunately most of what the public hears about dentistry starts in carefully crafted advertising campaigns that exaggerate the benefits or down play the risks of many procedures. Often products and procedures are advertised before all the research is done, or because the marketers are trying to displace time proven technologies with their product. This does not always lead to better health outcomes for patients. You can feel certain that we carefully evaluate and consider the health benefits and risks of all products and technologies that we use.
Value
We strive to provide the highest quality dental care at a reasonable cost. It is a challenge to keep cost down and still provide excellent care. While you may still find less expensive services elsewhere, we believe that once you experience our attention to detail, and understand the value of high quality materials and laboratory work you will consider our services a great value. Studies by the American Dental Association have shown that lesser quality dental care costs much more in the long run in real dollars and negative health effects. We work closely with American Dental Labs to produce quality restorations made in America. By focusing on prevention, accurate diagnosis, and high quality restorations our goal is to get you healthy, have you looking your best, and maintain a lifelong dental health.