Hello, 

     

     I am Shelley and I work in the front office for Dr. Kim. I would just like to take this opportunity to explain to you my goals for our high fear dental patients. I can not tell you how rewarding it is when  you can transform someone from being in fear of the dentist to loving the experience.

      My goal for our patients is that they would look forward to coming in to our office. 

I know that I get excited to have my teeth cleaned as much as I do say a pedicure or hair appointment. It would be my wish that our patients could enjoy the dental experience as much as I do.

Believe it or not there was a time when I did not feel this way. 

     When someone has a bad dental experience it can put a deep rooted fear into you that may be hard to overcome. It could actually be as simple as your parents telling you their own fears. No matter what the cause of your fear is, it can be traumatizing. The key is to finding the right dentist and office that fits your needs. 

      I know that when I took that step into looking for a dentist I wanted to make sure that I was treated with kindness and respect from the first phone call. That is why it is important when I speak with someone on the phone I try to make sure they know what they are saying is important. Its powerful for them to  know that I am listening to their needs and trying to help them choose the right treatment path for them. It could mean they just need to come in for a consultation. When I found that office that listened to my concerns and fears I knew that was where I wanted to go.

      Just getting the patient with dental fears into the office is a major accomplishment, but once they are there it is time to treat them with the kindness and patience that they may have been lacking elsewhere. Once this relationship is established, then it should turn into a lifelong relationship. I usually can't wait to hear what the staff has been up to in the last 6 months. 

     

Hi,

My name is Tawni. I am a Dental Assistant here at Olympia Family Dental, working for both Dr. Kim and Dr. Cho. Being able to wake up each and every morning, sincerely grateful for the people I am surrounded by here, knowing we are helping others, and putting smiles on our patients faces, is truly a rewarding feeling. I work with such amazing people. Everyone is our office is so giving, caring and genuinely understanding. I couldn't be happier with where I am! I am excited to see each and every one of you too, should you choose to come visit us!

Most important person on the dental team!

One of the things that I enjoy most about my job as a dentist is the great staff that I get to work with.  Over the course of 14 years, I've realized that staff can make me or break me!  Some staff make me look forward to coming to work and some make me want to stay in my office.  Currently, I have the best staff that I have ever had throughout my career.  I believe a great dental visit requires an exceptional team from the front desk all the way to the dental assistant working chairside in the back office.  Often times, people may think that the dentist is the most important person in the dental team and this could not be further from the truth.  The most important person in any dental team is the front desk receptionist who answers the calls and is the first person a patient will meet.  This front desk person makes the first impression for the office and can make the difference between whether a patient decides to come in for a visit or go somewhere else.  Without a great front desk, the dentist may not even be able to meet the patient, and for this reason they are the most important member of the team.  However, a truly exceptional dental office doesn't have just a great front desk, but from front to back, the patient has a truly exceptional experience.  That includes a fantastic hygienist who can guage the situation and depending on the patient, give them the treatment best suited for their needs.  Assertive and kind dental assistants are just as important as they will be spending the most amount of time with the patients and getting to know them.   I try and teach my dental associates, that when a patient sees me as their dentist.  My goal is not that the patients will say "yeah, I like my dentist, he's nice".  I want my patients to say, "WOW, he is amazing"!  We want to give each of our patients the "WOW" experience.  If your familiar with the online shoe company Zappos, then you know how they grew so quickly.  Their goal was to deliver the "wow" experience to each of their customers.  Because I value my staff and appreciate what each of them has to offer, I have opened up our office blog site to my staff for them to share their thoughts and perspectives about their experiences or working in the dental field.   Hope you enjoy what they have to share!  Wishing you a great weekend!!