Living Dental Health: Customized Care with a Gentle Touch
Many options exist when you need a new dentist in Bend, OR. And while it is good to have choices, sometimes too many can make the decision more difficult. We also don’t need to sugarcoat the reality that for the average person, visiting the dentist isn’t a high point in their day. Sadly, this is often due to microtraumas faced as a youth by dentists using intimidation as a foundation for compliance. That is why dental anxiety is a reality for many of our community members.
“I began seeing Dr. Andy Engel about ten years ago, and over that time, he has renovated my entire mouth,” said Mary Lou Granite-Meyer. “He takes his time and is warm and gentle. Dr. Engel is the best dentist I have ever gone to.”
It stands to reason that competence is a desired trait Americans want in their chosen service providers. This couldn’t be farther from the truth when selecting a dentist. Competence as a dentist is directly related to experience in the field. The more practice you have doing something, the more proficient you become. And when it comes to experienced dentists in Central Oregon, not many can say they’ve been honing their craft for a quarter century. But Dr. Engel can. He is celebrating his 25th year as a dentist in Bend, OR.
“I started seeing Dr. Engel in 1998 when I had just moved to Bend,” said Butch Hansen. “He’s had to fix many mistakes other dentists have made, and I would not let anyone else touch my teeth. I spent ten years working out of town and came to Bend to have Dr. Engel care for my teeth.”
Dr. Engel also likes to talk to his patients. Part of the reason is strategic; he’s trying to get your mind off what he’s doing. But part of it is also his desire to truly know his patients.
“Many healthcare providers have canned responses to questions they’re asked,” said Granite-Meyer. “I want someone who listens to me and considers my questions before answering. Dr. Engel does that.”
It’s kind of that old-school mentality where your doctor comes to your home and knows your whole family. While he doesn’t do home dental visits, he does know his patients and often their families too.
“After being a patient of Dr. Engel’s for 25 years, we’ve gone through life together, and it is not every day that a person can talk about life with their dentist, but I can with Dr. Engel,” said Hansen.
To everyone who has honored Dr. Engel by being his patient over the past 25 years, Dr. Engel thanks you from the bottom of his heart.
Not all stories can be full of butterflies and rainbows, so we asked Mr. Hansen if he had any concerns after seeing Dr. Engel over the years; he had one.
“My biggest concern is that Dr. Engel is going to retire before I die, and I will have to go to his dentist, but I don‘t know if I will like him as much as I do Dr. Engel,” Hansen added.
Rest assured, Dr. Andy isn’t going to retire anytime soon.