To Our Patients

To our patients ♦ ♦ ♦

Welcome

I would like to welcome you to my office and thank you for selecting me to share the responsibility for your dental health needs with you. My staff is well trained, very experienced and just good people.

Our Philosophy

It is only through mutual understanding and communication that the most effective and long lasting treatment can be administered. We are here to serve you in a comfortable and professional atmosphere.

Mutual Goals

The mouth is our means of eating, speaking, kissing, smiling and showing emotions. It is the Gateway to Life. It is also a major factor in our general appearance. In the diseased state it can cause generalized poor health, pain and infection, and even personality changes. Recently, gum disease was stated to be a major factor in 50% of all acute heart attacks.

Most people want to be comfortable, attractive, able to chew well, and keep their own teeth all of their lives. All of these things are possible in this office, but it takes careful planning. Therefore we try to establish mutual long range dental goals and begin working toward them.

Good Health is Inexpensive

One of our first concerns is whether your mouth is active with dental disease. We have learned that tooth brushing does not stop decay or gum disease no matter how often you do it or what paste you use.

“Brush after meals” is one slogan you will never hear from us. It never worked anyway. DO YOU KNOW THAT CAVITIES AND BLEEDING GUMS ARE JUST ONLY SYMPTOMS of underlying disease ? Today, with state of the art knowledge and technology we can actually diagnose and treat the real causes of dental diseases which can enable you to become truly healthy and stay that way. This scientific information can allow you to keep your own teeth throughout your lifetime, even if you cannot afford much repair.

Health is our most valuable asset. The rich cannot buy it, nor the poor have it given to them. They must give it to themselves. Only those who desire health have it.

Priorities

Emergency problems are cared for first, then we can plan for any corrective work your mouth may need. A thorough examination, medical history, x-rays, photographs, and sometimes plaster models of your mouth are essential to a proper diagnosis. We will help you choose the proper products and show you how to effectively clean your mouth and prevent disease. Only then will we begin a mutually acceptable restoration program. Our goal is to fix each of your teeth so we have the least chance of ever having to repair it again.

Your Rewards

With our focus on preventing or controlling disease at the biological level and long range objectives, most repairs can be done when they best fit your life and budget. In the past we frequently have had to proceed with second choice repairs that later needed replacement. Now we usually wait until we can do it right. Many times we can segment your treatment and do it right over time with proper planning.

Appointment Time

Extended, well planned appointments usually mean fewer trips to the office resulting in less time lost from work or school. We are able to accomplish more treatment in less time and at no additional cost. It is very important that the patient understand that this is time set aside especially for them and that appointments should be made only at times when they can definitely be kept. With the patient’s best interest in mind, appointments will be scheduled at times best suited for the treatment involved.

Fees and Payment Policy

In an effort to keep dental costs down while maintaining a high level of professional care we have established the following payment plans for the use of our patients. Fees may be paid as follows:

  1. Prepayment of full treatment plan with a 5% discount.
  2. Payment at time of treatment.
  3. CareCredit – financing with no interest options
  4. In-Office, No Interest, Monthly Payment Plans, a down payment and processing fee is required. Monthly payment plans are for earnest people who desire health, but whose credit has suffered because of the great recession or any other reason. Do not feel embarrassed or fear judgment. In thirty years of practice, Dr. Sanford has seen unfortunate things befall many good people.

Dental Insurance

Or “Dental Assistance” as it should be called, is designed to pay only part of the cost of dental treatment. Your employer has made this coverage available to you and has chosen what dental services your plan will cover and the amount of payment. No dentist has any say in the provisions of your dental insurance contract, however we will do our best to help you maximize your benefits.

Research has uncovered close ties between dental disease and many chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and arthritis to name a few. A personalized treatment approach based on your specific needs, medical circumstances and genetics is now a necessity. This is called “Optimal Care”. It provides for more predictable and better outcomes that are easier, more comfortable, and longer lasting for you. It is unfortunate, yet no surprise that managed insurance stays behind the times and wants everyone treated the same, with a “cookie cutter” approach, even though we are all different. Dr. Sanford made a decision a long time ago to treat people as individuals and only offer them care that is in their best interest, not care that is in the insurance company’s best interest. If Dr. Sanford recommends a preventative measure or treatment, he knows that it will benefit your health, and improve your life- when you do it now. If it wouldn't benefit your health and your life, he wouldn't recommend it.

The specific recommendations that Dr. Sanford makes for you are exactly the same recommendations he would make for himself if he had the exact same condition as you do. He uses the WIDIOM RULE- WIDIOM = WOULD I DO IT ON ME His goals for you are that you enjoy the benefits that come with good health: comfort, confidence, independence, and happiness. If you follow his recommendations, in the future you should need less care- not more; stable, better health will allow you more time and money for things that give you more joy.

Reflections

Healthy attractive mouths are seen in all walks of life, rich or poor, highly educated or not. These mouths are seen in people who think well of themselves and have come to appreciate the deep physical and psychological roles their mouth plays in their life. They know that teeth can make or break careers or social relationships.

Psychiatrists have found that improvement of unhealthy or unattractive mouths produce a profound emotional response in some people. On the other hand they are often baffled by the occasional person who becomes emotionally disturbed as a result of the loss of all their teeth. The emotional castration is not easily treated by the psychiatrist, and cannot be undone by the dentist.

A sensible approach seems to be one of learning the problems and potentials of one’s mouth. Intelligent action will follow.

Dr. Sanford

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