I had always considered my smile to be the billboard of my personality. I actually enjoyed smiling, and considered it to be an awesome communication tool. However, following an unfortunate accident, I lost teeth along with my comfort in smiling. What I found were ways of disguising my smile with my hands or slight head movements. My teeth had turned from a pleasant extension of myself to an embarrassment; a collection of mismatched, discolored, over sized, replacements. A full smile or laughter was always done reluctantly and cautiously.
Over the years I have invested significant time and effort along with dollars and cents in an attempt to rediscover that comfort zone with my smile. Finally, it looks like that search may be coming to an end. I am in what I would term as the transitional stage of my smile recovery attempt. I have been bone graphing, and the screws for the implants have been put into place. Thus far the process has gone surprisingly well. During the actual surgery, there was no significant discomfort. However, the first couple of days following the bone graphing kept me reaching for the bottle of pain pills, but it was manageable. Admittedly, dental work can be somewhat threatening on several levels, emotionally, physically, psychologically and financially. At this stage of my treatment, I can honestly say that the professional treatments that have been provided first by Dr. McCullom and then Dr. Ferguson have totally eliminated any fear factors. The clinical care has addressed any and all physical aspect associated with the surgical procedures, and the success of those factors have me excited about the end results of the overall process. I can’t wait for my “Billboard smile” to be on full display again. Having said this, that leaves one more area of concern, and that would be the financial portion of my experience. To be very direct, it is NOT cheap. I personally had to rethink, reevaluate, reconsider and then finally had to had to remind myself of how often I had invested financially in my home, my car, my children, my church, my students, my friends, and I thought it was now a great time to invest in MYSELF. What makes the financial portion workable for me is the extended time involved in the surgery and the healing period. I appreciated this duration of time along with the no pressure payment policy, because it makes it possible for me to more comfortably make payments according to my financial situation.
As I look back over this entire experience, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction. This organization stands in total contrast to assumptions that one cannot get quality service in a community baring such demographics. Somehow in our community, it is is felt that the standards are lower and that the personnel or product will be less qualified. The dental team is knowledgeable and current in medical and dental procedures relevant to excellent care. The equipment is state of the art; the tranquil office decor delivers a calming effect for even the most anxious patient. I have found the members of the staff to be welcoming and approachable. I investigated other highly advertised dental services and attended their seminars, but I am pleased to say I didn’t have to go outside of my community to find and receive excellent dental care. I think I have found the best.
-Linda Marshall
