Philosophy

Welcome to Willow Dental Group, a dental practice of Shawn E. Anderson, D.D.S., Our goal is to serve you with the finest, state of the art dental care possible in an environment that recognizes your individuality. We treat others the way we want to be treated with respect and the highest level of care available. A well-informed patient, can make good choices that will last a lifetime in regard to comfort, function, health and appearance.

We opened WDG to treat our patients the way we want to be treated; top notch service and an environment that is warm, inviting and would make people actually want to return to our office. Our vision is to serve and put others first while offering the finest in materials and amenities to provide our patients with a dental visit unlike any they have ever experienced before. We shower our patients with gifts, Philz cofee, cocoa and cappuccino bar, WDG water bottles, FREE lip balm, pens and more at each visit. We even have a comfort menu to choose from. Whether it’s a routine check up, cleaning, or full mouth reconstruction, our goal is that you leave with a smile. If we ever miss the mark, we will do everything in our power to make it right because we are professionals with integrity and that’s the way it should be. Welcome to the Willow Dental Group family. We look forward to many years together partnering with you to exceed your oral health goals.

In addressing dental options, ask yourself what you want for the future of your mouth. Optimal dentistry can add immensely to your life. It can keep you healthy, attractive and free from pain longer than if your mouth becomes problematic or if your teeth become unsightly and a daily source of aggravation and embarrassment. We, at Willow Dental Group believe it is important to evaluate every patient carefully and in a way that is understandable to you. Together we can define your own individual long-range dental health plan goals. To achieve our common goals we combine comprehensive evaluations, personal consultations, excellent dentistry, individualized home care, professional maintenance therapy, self-help instruction and monitoring of every step of your personally designed plan.

Optimal comfort, function, health and appearance with stability and longevity is possible with:

A comprehensive and gentle evaluation of not only the teeth and gums but also the temporomandibular joints, muscles, teeth biting patterns and aesthetics.
An individualized lifetime treatment plan that addresses your concerns and the findings of the examination designed after careful consideration of the examination data and your individual diagnosis.
Individualized treatment, self-care instructions and periodic re-care appointments by the dental hygiene professional.
Repeating a comprehensive evaluation every 3-5 years.
Properly designed and executed restorative dentistry that is easily cleansable and with an occlusion (bite) that is engineered in such a way to optimize longevity.

Your thoughts, opinions and concerns matter! Unless you have urgent dental concern that needs to be addressed immediately, your first visit will include a comprehensive evaluation. So feel free to ask questions and make us aware of all issues or concerns that are important to you.

Commitment to excellence and optimal aesthetic oral health

The delivery of health care has changed dramatically in the past few years. Our society, as a result of various factors has forever changed the traditional doctor-patient relationship. Society has told us its okay to live life as fast as possible, get a quick fix to our problems, and strive for instant gratification whenever possible. Today the traditional health care model is in total agreement with this view, but we believe you don’t want that or desire this for your oral health.

Aesthetic Oral Health for a Lifetime represents our belief that there is a better way, a road less traveled by most. We, at Willow Dental Group believe that every human being is an individual who deserves to be treated like family, not to be treated like an object or a part on an assembly line. We operate under Christian values in a fun, pampering environment that you can look forward to which includes a beverage station stocked with Starbucks coffee, tea and water bottles. We believe that each person should be treated with dignity and respect and as an individual has the right to make choices concerning their health and well being. Our commitment to you is to focus on your comfort, safety and aesthetic goals at all times as we partner with you in your oral health. We have found that for you to obtain a high level of health, there is a process or path that must be taken in order to achieve high quality predictable results that will help you keep your teeth and maintain your smile for a lifetime.

The experience begins first by establishing a strong relationship with you, listening to your needs, wants and desires so that together we can achieve the level of health that you desire for yourself. Once we have established your personal goals, we can establish a plan so that together we can take the “road less traveled”; that of Aesthetic Oral Health for a Lifetime.

Policies

We have three policies that we feel are important to share with our patients. We strongly believe in the gentle competency, quality, and longevity our work and professional efforts, and we therefore ask you to read this section thoroughly.

COMMITMENT TO TREATMENT POLICY

We believe all treatment begun should be completed. Incomplete treatment leads to problems, complications, misunderstandings, and usually further disease. Therefore, if a plan is agreed upon and started, it needs to be completed in a timely manner.

COMMITMENT TO APPOINTMENT POLICY

An appointment in our schedule is a bond of trust that we will be here to serve you and you will be present for treatment. Our office policy is firm in this regard, and we will not tolerate frequent cancellations or constant short-notice changes. In fact, if you don’t provide a minimum of 24-48 hours notice prior to your appointment time, you will be charged a minimum of $75 missed appointment fee and up to the entire appointment fee to compensate our providers for their time.

COMMITMENT TO FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT POLICY

We believe that we have the responsibility to deliver excellence and professionalism in a caring environment where our patients feel as if they are part of our family. We foster relationships with our patients built on mutual trust. We appreciate you fulfilling your part of the arrangement by attending your scheduled appointments, completing your prescribed treatment, and providing payment in full where applicable.

Financial Considerations

As a business practice, payment is due at time of service. Below is a summary of the different ways you may take care of your financial responsibilities in our office:

We accept cash, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover cards and personal checks.
In treatments involving a dental laboratory, we require a minimum of one-half of the total cost of treatment in order to schedule the procedure.
Care Credit offers low monthly payments that fit within your budget upon approval. Some interest free options may also be available.

We follow standard credit practices, as do most small businesses. We do not discriminate in any way with the exception that one’s past credit history is used in determining how this credit will be extended. We have a high trust for those we serve and will do whatever we can to help you get the treatment you need and desire.
The Dental Savings Plan (DSP) is a unique plan available only at Willow Dental Group. For a low annual fee, routine and preventative care is completely covered. You will also receive discounts on many other services. If you do not currently have dental insurance, this plan is for you. The DSP provides access to exceptional dental care for all people. Don’t delay, sign up today!

Patients with Dental Insurance

For patients with dental coverage we will do everything we can to assist you in receiving the coverage you are entitled to. We would like you to consider several important facts about dental insurance:

Most clients have a maximum coverage per year of $500, $700 or $1,000.00. When dental co-payment plans began in 1970 they allowed the exact same amounts of maximum payment per year. Allowing for a conservative 4% yearly rate of inflation, your yearly plan maximums should be in excess of $4,500 today.
You may receive a notification from your insurance company stating that dental fees are “higher than usual and customary.” Insurance companies never reveal how they determine “usual, customary, and reasonable” (UCR) fees. “They are at best determined by taking a percentage of an average fee for a particular procedure in a geographic area.” Average has been defined as “the worst of the best” or “the best of the worst.” We do not provide average dentistry nor do we charge average fees, rather our fees are commensurate based on many factors including our high level of training and experience, quality materials, and fair market value, resulting in very competitive fees.
We ask that you understand that we neither work for the insurance companies, nor do we wish to. We, at Willow Dental Group work 100% for you. We want to help you maximize your benefits, but also we do not want to be controlled by either the insurance companies nor the benefit packages they offer. The treatment we recommend and the fees we charge will always be based on your individual need not your insurance coverage.
Many insurance companies do not cover many routine dental services. This does not mean they aren’t necessary or appropriate, just not a paid insurance benefit.
Dental insurance is often a benefit provided by an employer and regulated by the employer’s current choice of dental insurance company’s. The triad of patient, employer, and insurance company does not involve Willow Dental Group. This ensures you receive the finest care that is congruent with your oral health care goals.

We provide the courtesy of filling out your insurance claim on your behalf on the date the service is rendered. It is your responsibility to provide us with accurate insurance information which may include all of the following: Registration card, Date of Birth, Social Security number, Employer, ID number, and Group number. If we accept the assignment of benefits, then your estimated portion is due in full at time of service.

Mission

Provide whole patient care that enriches the lives of both our patients and team by humbly serving one another for the glory of God. Inspired by Matthew 20:28 – to serve, not be served.

Core Values:

Trustworthy – honest & reliable, we do what we say we will do even when no one is watching

Driven – dependable with a strong work ethic, take-initiative when necessary, work hard to deliver 5-star excellence in customer service, and willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done

Humble – servant-hearted, teachable without an entitlement attitude, continual desire to learn and do better

Respectful – professional & positive, put others first, go above and beyond to do the right thing, and treat others the way we want to be treated

Accountable – take responsibility for mistakes, take action to make things right and implement procedures to prevent errors from happening again

Core Focus Description

We desire to establish mutual trust with our patients while seeking to provide optimum dental care, technical excellence, and the best and most unique dental experience available in the central valley and beyond. We mean what we say, and we say what we mean, and we will do what it takes to get the job done. We know that we are NOT perfect, but we will do our best to provide personal excellence and 5-star customer service for every patient at every visit. We are on a constant journey to learn and do better and will go above and beyond to make things right if we ever miss the mark, because we are people of integrity and that’s the way it should be. We treat others the way we want to be treated, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve each one of the patients who choose WDG for their dental needs and whole person care – because as we know the mouth is a window to the body.