As a child, Stephen (Steve) Russell Jr. never really considered following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a dentist. He was half way through his undergraduate degree at the University of Puget Sound when he had what he calls his epiphany. “I realized that the things he valued about his life and his profession are the same things I value,” says Russell, the owner of Russell Family Dentistry in Tumwater.
He soon switched majors from business to biology. “It was a total paradigm shift – a lot harder – but I found a love for the natural sciences.” After receiving his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from the University of Washington in 2005, the young dentist joined his father’s long running practice. He became a partner in 2007 then took over the reins full time when Russell Sr. retired in 2008. He has been running the family-centered family business ever since.
“It was a gift to be able to work with him,” Russell says of his father who started the practice in 1972. “It was a true mentor relationship.” One of the most important lessons he learned is that fostering relationships with patients is critical. There has to be a level of trust. His father, was “a converter of dental phobics,” explains Russell. “He had a special touch with those patients. He was willing to take the time.”
“One of the fun and neat things (has been) watching them transition to me from my father,” says Russell about some of his father’s patients. Not everyone was an easy sell, but the vast majority has remained with the practice. Part of that is because of the staff. The core group has been around longer than their boss.
“The family environment starts with the team,” Russell says, referring to staff members, some of whom have known him since he was a youth. One of the newer team members is Russell’s associate, Dr. Heather Eggenberger, who came on board about the time Russell Sr. retired. As when his father was in charge, the primary goal of the practice is to not only provide excellent dental care, but also to “encourage mutual trust” among staff and clients.
Another value Russell Sr. instilled in his son is a sense of service. When he’s not working at the practice, Steve Russell can be found donating his services at the Union Gospel Mission Dental Clinic. His father was one of the first dentists in the area to work at the Clinic, and Russell Jr. has been volunteering his time ever since he got out of dental school. The rest of the team, hygienists and dental assistants, follow his example and volunteer their services too.
Staffed 100% by volunteers, the three-chair Union Gospel Dental Clinic provides dental services for the working poor of Thurston County. Russell Jr. also is a founding board member of the Thurston County Dental Access Network. Because the clinic is booked nearly full time, the Network serves as a referral service for dentists who are willing to see Clinic patients at their own facilities.
While emergency dentistry – pain and infection – is the focus at the Union Gospel Mission Clinic, Russell’s eyes light up when talking about the cutting edge dentistry his private practice is able to provide. In addition to a full spectrum of general dentistry services including cosmetic enhancements such as tooth whitening and composite bonding, Russell Family Dentistry is one of only a handful of dental offices in the area offering treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Instead of a cumbersome CPAP breathing device or invasive surgery, dentists are now able to help those with sleep apnea through the use of a dental appliance that moves the lower jaw slightly forward, preventing obstruction of the airway. Staff work in conjunction with a patient’s medical doctor to make sure the right diagnosis is made, and treatment is handled under medical rather than dental insurance. “I’ve seen it change lives,” says Russell.
He sees the value in educating his patients about the connection between the state of their mouths and their general health. Just as they are trained to identify periodontal disease, dentists can now be trained to identify the structural anomaly identified with sleep apnea. Russell sees the value in keeping himself educated to better serve his family of patients.
When it comes down to it, it’s all about family and family values. That’s what really counts.
Russell Jr. and his wife, Katie, are expecting their second child later this year. Their two-and-a-half year old son, Peyton, is “the center of our universe.” And Russell Sr. remains the primary role model. His current relationship building project involves being called grandpa.
Does Jr. think his young son will follow his footsteps into the family business? “I want him to do what he’s called to do,” he insists. His dad didn’t pressure him. He’s not going to pressure his children. It’s about them discovering what they value.
Links of Interest
http://ougm.org/dentalClinic.htm
