Jun
13
By Jack Krayenhoff
The toothguy? Why, that is what denturist Christopher Nordell calls himself in his ads in this paper. By the way, take a look if there is one in this copy, for in recent issues they have been very funny.
But before we go on, we ask Chris to give us a little summary of what a denturist does, and what the advantages are of using one .
"Denturists are a hybrid profession. We do both the clinical and the technical work of producing removable dentures. In choosing a denturist you get someone who takes the impressions, measures the jaw function and fabricates the denture. That way we can give an attention to detail that may not be available if the work is divided between a dentist and a technician.
Chris, what led you into this profession?
"My two best friends in my hometown were twins who both became denturists. They felt I had both the personality and the skill set for the profession, and they encouraged me to apply for the program."
Oh? What personality does it take to be a successful denturist?
"They call it 'chairside manner', after a doctor's 'bedside manner.' Not many people are very happy about having to start wearing dentures, so the denturist has to be a compassionate person. At the same time he has to be a bit Teflon-coated, so that he does not have to wear the stress the patient feels. It is quite a stressful job, and you have to be able to handle it."
What about these funny advertisements you recently placed in The Beacon?
"Yes, I do have a natural sense of humor, and the idea is to lighten the experience of the patient at the office a bit - not to make it so clinical or stuffy. I also use the ads to convey the sense that I appreciate how people experience the loss of their own teeth, and that I will take the time to customize the work of replacing them."
What is the most important thing you have learned during these fifteen of practice?
"No two patients are the same. That means we have to apply our procedures and techniques for every patient in an individual way. I have learned always to be thinking, always to critique my own approach."
Is your practice still growing?
"Actually, it is. That is contrary to the expectation that the need for denturists would decrease as a result of increased access to dental care. However, it remains a fact that compared to bridges, crowns and implants, dentures are more economical."
Is there anything else you would like to say in connection with the 15th anniversary of your practice?
"Yes. Many of the clients I see today have been with me since I started. They have seen me through the fat years and the lean times. I'm proud of that. I want to say 'thank you' to James Bay for allowing me the privilege and the pleasure of practicing here, being part of the community and in my way helping its members when they needed my services.
What I enjoy about practicing in James Bay is that it is like living in a small rural community. People here tend to be loyal to their local businesses. To me, my clients are like a family rather than a list of customers."