HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY HAVEN DENTAL PDX!

Sept 23, 2022

Dear Patients and Friends,

I hope this letter finds you in the best of health and high spirits as we transition from summer to fall. It brings me immense joy and gratitude to share with you that Haven Dental PDX is celebrating its first anniversary under my ownership! As we mark this significant milestone, I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to each and every one of you who has been a part of our dental family during this journey. Additionally, I'd like to share a personal journey that has brought me to this incredible place, both figuratively and literally.

In February of 2020, just two months into our marriage, my husband and I made the bold decision to quit our jobs, sell our house, and embark on what was supposed to be a three-month road trip across the country. Do you remember what happened in Feb/March of 2020? After just one month, the road trip was abruptly cut short, and we had to pivot. We ended up hunkering down in my dad's house in Dayton, OH, planning our next move, and scouring U.S. cities with chiropractic colleges. All Andy had to tell me was that there was a chiropractic college in Portland, OR, for me to say, “Let’s go.” (I had visited twice in 2016/17 and started to fall for the PNW). Like for most of us during the pandemic, this was a time filled with immense uncertainty. I had no way of knowing what lay ahead and whether I would find my place in this new city. I couldn't have foreseen that I would fall head over heels in love—with the warmth and kindness of the people here, the unparalleled beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and with this charming neighborhood in Northeast Portland. I vividly recall signing a lease for an apartment on 58th and Halsey, not realizing that just a year and a half later, I would be taking the momentous step of purchasing Haven Dental PDX, a practice down the street from that very apartment. The risks of leaving my hometown and embarking on this journey were significant, but I can say without hesitation that they have all been worth it.

Taking the plunge to purchase the practice was one of the scariest yet most worthwhile decisions I have ever made. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in this journey. To our loyal patients - Your decision to entrust me with your dental care is something I don't take lightly, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity to serve you. I knew I had big shoes to fill, and I can't express how much it means for all of you to put your faith in me. Thank you to the incredible team that works tirelessly to provide you with the best care possible. Their dedication, compassion, and professionalism are what set us apart, and I am profoundly thankful to have such an amazing team by my side. My thanks to Dr. May Chang. Your mentorship and our relationship have been the most meaningful and collaborative in my career. I would not be the dentist I am today without your support, your encouragement, and your sharing of knowledge. Thank you to my husband for not only being there every night when I get home, even on the hardest days, but for literally taking a three-month break from his studies to help me in the practice as I made the biggest transition of my career. I am so grateful to Portland, Oregon, and the wonderful community we've built here. It has become my home, and you, our patients, have become like family. Your trust, your smiles, and our shared moments have made this journey incredibly rewarding.

This past year has been an opportunity for learning, growth, and incremental changes, as our team has been working to adapt to me as their new owner and provider. We are  thrilled to announce that we have achieved our goal of going paperless, reducing paper usage, and transitioning toward digital medical forms. This is part of our ongoing commitment to improving our practice and reducing our environmental footprint.

Looking ahead, our goal for the coming year is to maintain the high quality of care you have come to expect from us. We will make minor adjustments but seek to find a more harmonious flow state with our team through repetition. We remain dedicated to providing conservative and aesthetic dentistry while continually honing our skills. I'm excited to share that Dr. May Chang will continue to see patients at our practice 3-4 times a month, ensuring that you have the opportunity to receive care from a familiar and trusted face. As we move forward, Haven Dental PDX will continue to be a safe haven for all your dental needs. Our focus remains steadfast on our two favorite things: prevention of disease and conservative care.

As we mark this milestone and look ahead to the future, I want to reiterate my deep gratitude for your support and trust. I am proud to call Portland home, and I am honored to be your dentist. We are committed to providing you with the highest quality of care, and we look forward to continuing to serve you and our community for many more years to come.

In closing, I want to take a moment to ask for your help. As someone relatively new to Portland, I am still in the process of discovering all the wonderful ways in which I can give back to and be an active part of our community. I firmly believe that together, we can make a positive impact beyond the walls of our dental practice.

If you know of any opportunities, events, fundraisers, or community drives where I can offer my time and resources to help those in need, please do not hesitate to share them with me. Your insights and suggestions are invaluable, and I am eager to contribute to the betterment of our community in any way I can. Your continued support means the world to us, and we look forward to not only taking care of your dental needs but also working together to make our community an even better place.

With warm regards and heartfelt gratitude,

Dr. Alexandra Dahm DDS 

Jan 8, 2022

Happy New Year to Our Patients and Friends!!

With a new year comes a chance to reflect on the past year, appreciate where we are today, and to start planning for the next year.  At Haven Dental PDX, a lot of changes happened at the end of last year, and I am so grateful to our  team and patients that have been here for it all!  For me, 2022 was absolutely life changing. I fulfilled my dream of not only finding and purchasing my dental home, but also of finding a mentor in dentistry that I respect, admire, and get to work side by side with.  I’ve worked in four dental practices, under and with great dentists and people, but never have I worked with a dentist whose work I admire as much as May’s, whose moral compass is as resolute, and who cares so deeply for her patients. The foundation she has built in Haven Dental is strong.I am so excited to continue this legacy, with the help of our awesome team. As of today, all of our team members have stayed on, so you will continue to see the lovely faces of our front desk coordinators Debra, Heather, our hygienists Brooke and Karan, our rock-star assistants Cassie and Barbara, our sterile assistant with the most contagious laugh you ever heard, Nicky, and of course May Chang. 

As lucky as we are to have all our familiar faces, we have made some changes. Since purchasing the practice, Haven Dental PDX has changed our name and has incorporated a new practice software that will help in our goal to reduce waste and be more efficient. Any changes can create bumps in the road so we greatly appreciate your understanding as we work out kinks and processes. Our goals for 2023 include reducing paper waste, focusing on systems to improve our care and consistency, growing as providers to continue to provide the best care available, and to increase our outreach in our community.  We feel so lucky that so many of you have stayed on.

As all of you know, COVID 19 and inflation has seeped into every aspect of our lives, and has greatly impacted dental offices due to rising costs and increased cancellations. We need your help to continue to provide the best quality care we can. Cancellations due to Covid recently have been skyrocketing, which leaves big holes in our schedule, with no or little time to get other people in. Please give ample notice of 48 hours for any non-emergency cancellations so we can try to keep our schedule full. We hope that you continue to have a positive dental experience in our office. If you do, please share your experience by leaving a review on our new Google page or on our website. If you have friends or family that are looking for a great office, please send them our way! We are also always looking to improve. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns about your visit please email me directly at dahm@havendentalpdx.com so I can work to address issues that come up.  

I would like to share with you what our guiding principles and core values are at Haven Dental PDX. As a new practice owner, I am constantly faced with questions and decisions that need attention. Last year, I took the time to write down my core values for what I want my practice to be, so I can use these values to guide every practice decision we make. Many of these were inspired by what May already built, and some of them are pearls that I like to carry with me. My dad’s favorite pearl is ‘enjoy the journey,’ which I included in my core values. I hope you all will continue to ‘enjoy the journey’ with us at Haven Dental PDX. 

With that, I’ll leave you with the new Core Values of Haven Dental PDX. 

Always with a Smile!

Dr. Alexandra Dahm DDS 

Haven Dental PDX Core Values

For the Good of the Patient 

Patient health, comfort, education, and well-being are always our top priority. We utilize preventative care, patient empowerment, minimally invasive procedures, and high-quality materials to uphold patient centered care.

Alignment in Attitude

Follow the golden rule and treat others the way you would want to be treated. Communicate openly and honestly, maintain a positive/constructive attitude, remember why we are here, and find the flow. 

Stay humble, stay hungry, stay smart 

Not everything will go right. Humility allows us to learn from our mistakes. Hunger drives us to do better. Smarts allow us to connect to people so we can understand them better, maintain positive relationships, and provide better service.

Simplify with systems to find the flow 

“If you're too busy to build good systems then you will always be too busy”. No person should feel like they are the only person in the world that can do their job. Systems allow for consistency, efficiency, confidence, safety, and open us up to find our flow state. 

Root down to grow tall 

Invest in ourselves, our patients, our practice, and our community so that we can grow as people, providers, nurturers, and leaders. 

Play the long game

Nothing we do lasts forever, but the decisions we make today have lasting influence on our future. Make choices in our lives that work for the now and increase the likelihood we will continue to have success in the future. Help patients make decisions for their mouth with long term outcomes in mind. 

Enjoy the journey. 

We enjoy the work we do and find the fun every day. It’s challenging and rewarding and it keeps us present. At times it tests us while encouraging us to grow and become better than the day before because we know that we can.

All things come in time. 

Change is inevitable, but it is a gradual process that takes time. Positive encouragement can be all it takes to inspire positive change and even the smallest positive change can make a world of difference.

September 23, 2022

To Our Patients and Friends,

 I write this letter with mixed emotions as you all mean so much to me, not just as patients, but as dear friends whose company I thoroughly enjoy. The practice of dentistry and the people who have been part of it have played a huge and rewarding role in my life. After 36 wonderful years, I have made the decision to transfer ownership of the practice to Dr. Alexandra Dahm, who has been my full time associate for the past nine months. I will continue practicing dentistry as her associate in the practice one or two days a week. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Dr. Dahm, sharing the dental practice pearls that I’ve spent my career learning. It has been a highlight seeing Alex soaking it all in with enthusiasm and incorporating my pearls into her daily practice. I am impressed by her excellent hand and technical skills, her thoughtful and calm communication style, and her compassionate patient care.  I am confident she will surpass me in her skills as a dental provider, and in the dental services she will be able to provide for you. 

I know that transitions, especially ones as personal as a change in your dental health care provider, can cause concern and anxiety. Please understand that this weighed heavily in my decision when choosing the right person to continue caring for our patients. I am so excited about  Dr. Dahm, because  I believe she will be the absolute best person to follow me in treating our patients.  She possesses all the qualities that are important to have in my successor.  She is incredibly kind and empathetic, highly skilled, smart, and has high ethical standards. We share similar practice philosophies, both believing in patient-focused preventative care and providing the highest quality conservative dental care. 

Dr. Dahm has over 7 years of experience in a variety of dental settings and has been pursuing a very similar tract of continuing education that I have. She is dedicated to life-long learning and is active in study groups including the cast gold study club that I am mentoring. She also brings experience in technology, oral surgery, prosthetic and implant dentistry and likes the challenge of more complicated dental cases. Enclosed you will find a letter from her, introducing herself as well. 

I am excited to continue practicing dentistry, without the added stress of being a business owner. I will be providing patient care one to two days per week as well as consulting with Alex as needed to ensure this transition occurs as seamlessly as possible. You can expect the same great team of staff to take care of you at the office. Debra and Heather at the front desk, Brooke and Karan as your hygienist and our newer additions as dental assistants, Barbara, Cassie and Nicki. I have been blessed with the dental teams that have worked with me over the years.  I know they are one of the main reasons you have continued at our office because of their commitment to you as your dental providers. 

Whether I have had the pleasure of knowing you for a few weeks or for many years, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your trust and confidence in permitting me to serve your dental needs. It has been such a pleasure working with all of you. As many of you have shared with me, you trusted me to find the right person to continue the practice, and  I count my lucky stars that I found that right person.  I look forward to seeing you all in the office, as your provider or when I come in for my own visits with Dr. Dahm, as she will be my future dentist as well. Again, thank you for the opportunity to have been your dental provider and I will cherish the remaining time I have to serve you. I wish you all the best. 

Warmest Regards,

Dr. May Chang DDS

September 23, 2022

To Our Patients and Friends,                                               

When I moved to Oregon from Ohio in 2020, I was not only looking to find a home in the place that I live, but I was also looking to find a home in the place I work. I feel so lucky and grateful that I was able to find that with Dr. May Chang. Since the day I walked in the door, you, the patients, the team, and Dr. Chang all welcomed me with open arms and trusting hearts. I attribute that trust to the trust you all have in Dr. Chang. Rightly so—she is simply the best. She has created a standard of excellence in this office with a focus on prevention and long-lasting healthy dentistry. This is the legacy that I feel so honored and excited to continue. 

As the new practice owner, I hope to continue to earn your trust in our office. Your goals, desires, comfort, and the preservation of your teeth and smiles will always be my top priority. I will continue to learn and grow as a provider so that I can provide you with the best dentistry possible. I have and will continue to invest in the continuing education of myself, the team, and you! 

When I think of the legacy that Dr. Chang has created and the goal that I share for how I want to practice dentistry I think of the word safety. Preventative dentistry, minimally invasive dentistry, dentistry that focuses on whole health is, all-in-all, safe dentistry. Our office is not only a reflection of me, or Dr. Chang, but of the whole team as well as the patients we attract. I want our office to feel like a place of safety and refuge in this time of uncertainty and volatility. That is why I have chosen to rename our office “Haven Dental PDX” and I would like to share my mission statement for Haven Dental PDX: 

Our mission is to assist our patients in achieving smiles that last a lifetime. We practice health-conscious dentistry in a friendly and inviting environment that is safe for all, while equipping everyone involved with the tools necessary to achieve smiles that last through education, empowerment, and prevention. We want to enrich our community and have fun while doing it!

Thank you for continuing on this journey with me. You will continue to see many familiar faces, as well as some new ones at our office. I feel lucky that I will be able to continue working with Dr. Chang 1-2 days a week for the foreseeable future. When I’m not at the office, you’ll find me spending time out in the beautiful scenery of Oregon, hiking, camping, paddling, or walking my dog with my husband or partaking in all the delicious cuisines that Portland has to offer. We really do live in such an amazing place and I’m so happy to have found my home! 

Sincerely, 

August 2022 Update: 

Why Gold?

We have many patients ask us why we still choose gold restorations over white restorations. White restorations are “tooth colored” and why would anyone want something that doesn’t blend with their tooth?  We wanted to take the opportunity to share with you why we love gold so much and why most dentists, assistants, and hygienists, when given the choice, would choose an esthetic gold restoration over a porcelain crown any day. Did we just say ESTHETIC GOLD RESTORATION? YES - we love gold because it can be highly esthetic if prepared in the right way! SO WHY GOLD?!

1.       GOLD IS STRONG. Gold will not break in the mouth - unlike many other porcelain restorative materials which are closer to glass than metal, gold is a malleable metal that interacts in our mouth similar to our natural tooth structure.

2.       GOLD allows us to conserve more tooth structure. With gold - we have the ability to treat each tooth individually and prepare a restoration that retains as much of your actual tooth as possible. We think tooth structure is precious and hope that you do too! 

3.       GOLD IS AESTHETIC! We can prepare gold restorations on many teeth so that you don’t see the restorations when you smile. See photos below!

4.       Gold is kind to the opposing tooth - Gold is malleable (a soft metal) that will not do any damage or wear to the tooth it is biting against. 

5.       Gold margins that are finished with a “Tucker polish” are the best margins you can have in dentistry - the margin is where the tooth meets up with our dental restorative materials. Margins that are undetectable and highly polished will not accumulate plaque and are less likely to get another cavity. 

6.       Gold restorations have amazing longevity. The combination of amazing margins, antimicrobial properties of metal, and conservation of tooth structure allow gold restorations that are done well to last 20, 30, 50, and even 60 years in people’s mouths. Unfortunately, no other dental materials on the market have that kind of track record. 

7.       Gold means CUSTOM, CRAFT dentistry. Our doctors are members of the Tucker Gold Study Club. This study club was founded by R.V. Tucker to train dentists in the pursuit of excellence. What we do is not “usual or customary.” It is rare to find dentists who are not driven by lower costs, efficiency, and ease of use. Our office is driven by conserving tooth structure, teaching preventative care, and making restorations that will last. All of the tools and methods we choose are with that in mind. Technology has propelled us forward, but that does not always equate to better dentistry:

1.       Imagine you have a crown placed when you are 30. Most dentists are preparing full coverage crowns that whittles your tooth down to a small stub. (We are not against full crowns - we just don’t believe in “one size fits all”). That porcelain crown can break in 5,10,15 years and then you must have the tooth re-done, and more than likely more tooth structure will be taken away. What will that tooth look like at 90? Will it even still be there? Maybe not.

2.       Imagine you had a conservative gold restoration placed at 30 years old. You retain more of your actual tooth and the gold restoration will not break. It can and will be there in 10, 20, and even 50-60 years if you take care of your teeth and follow our recommendations. You will end up spending less on that tooth and conserving more of your precious tooth structure by choosing gold. So, we hope you do!

See pictures below of the beautiful gold dentistry performed by Dr. May Chang.