18709 Crestwood Drive
Hagerstown, MD 21742
We are a health-centered, prevention-oriented, personalized dental practice. As a form of welcoming you to our practice, we would like to share with you the following information.
Briefly stated, our philosophy of practice is this...Our philosopy is to treat every patient as an individual human being with dignity and respect. We believe in building mutually beneficial relationships with our patients based on trust. By having this relationship, we hope to empower our patients with the knowledge and education to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime.
Our purpose is to design and implement individualized treatment based on a thorough evaluation of each patient's current dental condition. Part of our mission is to treat the individual as a whole person rather than tooth by tooth and to instill in them a sense of value that will allow them to take responsibility for their needs.
The cornerstone of our practice is the examination process. We feel that every patient deserves to know what their present level of oral health is, how they got there and what treatment options are available to help them reach the level of health that they desire. We will perform a comprehensive examination of the teeth, gums, occlusion (bite), joints, and soft tissues. With your permission we will take the appropriate x-rays, and where beneficial we may use intra-oral photographs and study models of your teeth and jaws to identify areas of concern.
Dentistry begins with a careful diagnosis and treatment plan. Once all the diagnostic records are complete, we will provide you with our written "Review of Findings". We will discuss our findings with you, and develop a personalized treatment plan that will move us toward the goals we will establish together.
LEVELS OF CARE
Just as there are different types of dental practices available today,
there are different levels of dental care which can be provided. We believe
that each individual has the right to become as healthy as they choose
to be. Your first decision in this regard is how you would like to begin
your relationship with us. There are four levels in which people may choose
to be treated in our practice.
LEVEL I - Urgent Care-Emergency People
in crisis or with an emergency need immediate help. We see emergencies immediately,
whenever possible. We are willing to help with urgent problems and are happy
to see emergencies, but do not maintain patients in a long-term emergency or
crisis-only status.
LEVEL II - Remedial Care-Patchwork Patients
who choose this level of care desire treatment only when something breaks or
becomes uncomfortable. They usually want to correct immediate problems with
as little effort and cost as possible with little or no thought given to anymore
than the immediate future. They are not yet ready for either thorough or preventative
treatment.
LEVEL III - Maintenance Care-Biologic Patients
who choose this level of care want to take an active part in the prevention
of present and future disease problems. The quality of care is good, but the
patient is not dedicated to optimum care. Maintenance dentistry is more short
range in duration usually meant to last only 3 - 5 years.
LEVEL IV - Optimum Care - Ideal
Patients at this level are similar to people in level III. They choose to have
a comprehensive examination and a personalized treatment plan for long term
health and repair. They wish to achieve a future based on choice, not chance.
These patients are very concerned about treating the causes of dental diseases,
not simply the effects, and want all dental treatment provided to be completed
in the most lasting fashion possible.
We hope this clarification makes sense to you. It is not uncommon for people
to begin at one level and progress to a higher level over time. We want
you to be comfortable in asking us any question, and to share your thoughts
and ideas with us. You deserve to have the standard of care that is consistent
with your value for health. When communication and concern for each other’s
welfare are high, successful results are more likely to occur. We hope
you agree and will join our growing family of patients.
Dr. Anderson
Dr. Anderson is a native of New Hampshire. He received a B. S. Degree
in Biology from TUFTS University in Medford, MA in 1969. His D.D.S. is
from the University of MD, graduating in 1973. He served 2 years in the
U.S. Army dental corp and has practiced in Hagerstown since 1979.
Dr. Anderson has been married to Jane for 27 years and is the proud father
of son Michael and daughters Claire and Anastasia. He has lived in the
city of Hagerstown for 27 years, and is active in community affairs.
