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Thank you for taking the time to visit my website to learn more about me and what I believe is essential for you to trust your oral health to my team of dental professionals. We value your trust and strive to always honor that and provide the best dental care and experience possible. Through the years, I have found that explaining my practice philosophy is my way of telling you who I am, what I think is important, what you can expect when you walk into the dental "home" we have created at Petty Dental.
I value working in a minimum-stress environment. That means allowing adequate time to listen to patients and gain an understanding of what is important to them. You will likely never find a “packed” reception room in my office. Our daily schedule is not overbooked and you will generally be seen at your appointed time. A frequent complaint from patients: “I did not have time in the reception room to read the magazine article that I started.” If that happens to you then I will probably just say to take the magazine. We stay on time because that is the way I like to be treated.
I value working with a team that enjoys their work and enjoys being together. I have been blessed to employ capable, caring individuals of high moral character with a long track record of service to dentistry and their own families. My patients often comment on the special touch and manner that our team members use to put everyone at ease. Most of my team members have been with me for more than 10 years and some even over 20 years. I consider my team to be a most important asset!
I value being thorough, which starts with giving each new patient a complete dental exam and a written treatment plan. This is what I would want as a new patient. A complete exam involves listening, asking questions, observing, measuring, and explaining all findings to the patient. There are no shortcuts to a complete exam. Being thorough means treating conditions appropriate to my skill level but referring patients to dental specialists when it is in the patient’s best interest. I maintain good and active relationships with dental specialists who see my patients promptly and report their findings and treatment to me. This is important to me.
I value being current in my professional knowledge and training. I generally spend over 100 hours per year in continuing education classes and attending professional meetings. Becoming a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry involved attending over 500 hours of continuing education courses and passing a rigorous written examination. I have served twice as the General Chairman of the Annual Session of the Tennessee Dental Association, making sure that hundreds of Tennessee dentists and staff have access to quality continuing education. Patients look to me for advice and I want them to have answers that reflect current research findings.
I value having patients who are at ease because they know everyone on my team is acting in their best interest. Patients deserve to know what we are doing, what is planned, and how much it will cost. They need to know I am available to answer their questions and listen to their concerns.
My professional relationship with each patient mirrors the importance I place on the other relationships in my life. My wife has been my trusted advisor in management decisions, designing practice systems, and building our dental office facility. We have done this together with four children who grew up working around the office – painting, making repairs, and caring for the lawn. As adults, three children have gone on to work in dentistry. Our youngest son, Jackson, graduated from University of Tennessee Dental School; has completed the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEDG) residency at the University of Texas in San Antonio; and is a National Health Service Corp dentist in Alamosa, CO where he will be working for 3 years. I also treasure the long-term relationships formed by serving in my church, in the local Boy Scout district, and in various community functions.
Please allow my team of dental professionals and me to earn your trust. We look forward to meeting you!
