If you are like most people, then you probably don’t think too much about the people in the waiting room at your dental appointments. Some brief eye contact, a nod or a smile, and then a return to your magazine is the typical experience while waiting to be seen by the dentist.
You probably don’t think too much about the stories that bring your fellow patients to the dental office. Dr. Rodger Lawton and his staff at Northwest Center for Prosthodontics make it a point to know every story of every person who comes to them in search of oral health treatment.
The Patient
Robin Rogich is one of Dr. Lawton’s patients. When asked to tell her story, she emotionally replied, “I would be honored to tell ThurstonTalk how wonderful Dr. Lawton is. He is the greatest of great with what he does, and it is a blessing for me (to be in his care).”
The Accident
“I was 26-years-old when I was in a car wreck and had my teeth knocked out. I hated them, hated the looks of them, because they made me look old,” explained Rogich who lived with ill-fitting and unnatural looking dentures for over thirty years. “They never really fit, and I couldn’t feel the roof of my mouth.” Chronic physical discomfort and low self-esteem plagued Rogich through the years.
The Big Decision
About a year and a half ago, Rogich made the courageous decision to meet with Dr. Lawton and see if he could help her finally look and feel better. “When I went there, I was scared to death. When I met them, the whole team, Ruthann, Susie, Dr. Lawton, you become best friends with them, and I wasn’t afraid to go back,” she says.
For many people experiencing poor oral health, a trip to the dentist is a daunting experience. Embarrassment, uncertainty, and expense can contribute to a patient’s reluctance to seek treatment.
Rogich explains that despite physical and emotional discomfort, many people put off getting any work done and wind up having to get bone grafts to correct their problems. Dr. Lawton counseled Rogich and gently explained the course of treatment and cost in a manner that put her completely at ease. “I got there in time,” says an emotional Rogich.
The Results
“This is the best thing I have ever done and the best money I have ever spent. I am almost sixty and people think that I look forty. I feel better, talk better, my self-confidence, everything is better. I don’t worry anymore about taking out my teeth (in public). My teeth look so natural now that no one knows that I have implants.”
Rogich is generous in her praise for Dr. Lawton’s work ethic and bedside manner. “He is so focused (while he is treating his patients), and he will call you at home to check up on you,” she says. An in-house laboratory and CT scanner make the experience at Northwest Center for Prosthodontics that much more convenient for patients requiring extensive reconstructive dentistry.
The Doctor – Rodger Lawton, DMD, FACP
“I became a doctor because I wanted to be able to help people improve their quality of life by improving and maintaining their health. I chose dentistry over medicine and prosthodontics in particular since it allowed me to not only help people but enabled me to have an artistic outlet in my work,” describes Lawton. “Prosthodontists are dental specialists who have advanced residency training to treat patients with complex or demanding restorative needs. We specialize in implant dentistry, as well as crowns, veneers, bridges, and dentures”
“I get great joy out of dentistry. The most satisfying is the happiness that the patient feels once they view their new teeth. There is nothing quite like the feeling I get when I have helped someone gain new self-esteem and confidence by giving them a new smile and/or a comfortable prosthesis,” he adds.
The Practice
The philosophy of Northwest Center for Prosthodontics is to offer every patient the finest dentistry and dental experience possible. “I believe that this can only be accomplished by a having a caring staff that is just as committed to dental excellence as I am. This includes everyone on the team because we all have an impact on the patient’s experience,” explains Lawton.
“Patients want to be treated with respect and dignity. They are looking for someone who will listen to their problems with genuine concern and make an honest attempt to help them,” he adds.
Lawton cares as much about his team as he does about his patients. “My office is an enjoyable and rewarding place to work. Enjoyable to me means looking forward to starting each day and feeling that we have accomplished something together by the end of the day,” he summarizes.
Beyond being a place of excellence for reconstructive dentistry, Northwest Center for Prosthodontics is a team of dedicated professionals who treat their patients with the same respect and care they give to their own families. Their main goal is to give each patient a mouth that functions well and the smile they have always wanted.
For more information on how to achieve the smile of your dreams, visit the website at olympiasmiledesign.com.
