Changing the Mindset at Hunter Family Dental
Luc Evans bought his Newcastle dental practice following the very sad and premature passing of Dr Andrew Harrison in 2009, building upon and growing the solid practice over the ensuing 11 years to foster a strong focus on preventative dentistry.
Never one to sit still, Luc then took over Hunter Family Dental in Cessnock in February 2019. Whilst the two practices were some distance apart, there was a common denominator in the form of Elizabeth Hughes – a hygienist who has worked at both practices for the last ten years.
Luc says that, apart from Elizabeth, the Newcastle and Cessnock practices contrast in many ways.
“A large proportion, probably 85%, of our patients in Newcastle attend religiously for their six-monthly preventative appointments. They recognise the importance of prevention and take on board small pieces of advice, and most require no further intervention, such as fillings, extractions or root canal,” said Luc.
“It has been a bit of a different picture in Cessnock though with far more patients being ‘reactive’ with their dental treatments, rather than preventative,” he said.
“A large proportion will only attend when there is a problem, such as a painful tooth. Unfortunately, pain is often a late sign of a dental problem, and hence this often results in costly, more invasive treatments, which could easily have been avoided. This presents a significant challenge for us as dentists.”
Luc says the goal for the practice is to try to change this mindset.
“Prevention is the key to reducing more invasive and often costly treatments and keeping your own natural teeth. No replacement is as good as a healthy natural tooth. Most tooth and mouth issues are preventable, and the answer is to be proactive by attending regularly,” added Luc.
With this goal in mind, the practice has brought on board two key members of staff. Elise Smith is another gentle and experienced hygienist, whilst dentist Dr Martin Hou brings with him a wealth of knowledge.
Dr Hou has a Master of Science degree from the University of York in the UK.
Improvements at Hunter Family Dental include the introduction of 3D dentistry, meaning that very broken down or compromised teeth can be restored on the spot with very strong, tooth coloured ceramics in just one appointment. For those patients that are missing teeth, from a single tooth to a full arch, dental implants are often the most life-like alternative. Between them, Luc and Dr Hou have combined experience of more than 15 years placing dental implants. For more information, visit www.hunterdental.com.au
