Family-owned Hartford Dental Clinic provides full range of dentistry services for area residents

Family-owned Hartford Dental Clinic provides full range of dentistry services for area residents
 
It was June of 1993 when Dr. Scott Mattheis first took over the Hartford Dental Clinic. Fast forward to today, and the clinic is one of the area’s longest-standing local businesses, having celebrated its 25^th anniversary in 2018.
 
But what makes the business truly unique? It’s operated by a father-daughter team.
 
Dr. Mattheis’ daughter, Dr. Kimberly Yingst, has fond memories of growing up in her father’s dental office, but she says she never intended to follow in his footsteps.
 
She and her sister would often play together in the clinic’s former downtown location, where the floors in one corner were sloped just enough for the girls to roll down the incline in the office’s wheeled chairs.
 
Dr. Yingst knew she was interested in healthcare from the time she began college, but after taking a roundabout path, she landed in a field she didn't expect: dentistry. Now, she’s worked in her father’s practice for almost seven years.            `
 
Business has grown steadily over the years, and in addition to its father-daughter team, Hartford Dental employs four dental hygienists, three dental assistants, and three front desk staff. Both Dr. Yingst and Dr. Mattheis appreciate the size of the community and the relationships they are able to form with patients.
 
“Since we both live in Hartford, we get to know a lot of our patients outside of the clinic,” said Dr. Yingst. “I think they’re sometimes more comfortable coming in because they know they’re going to see familiar faces, and they know we care about them.”


 
What services does Hartford Dental offer?
 
When it comes to dentistry, there isn’t much the team at Hartford Dental Clinic can’t handle.
 
First and foremost, Drs. Mattheis and Yingst emphasize the importance of preventive care for patients, which includes regular brushing, flossing, and coming in at least twice a year for cleaning and a check-up. Additionally, patients should maintain a balanced diet and avoid sugary food and drinks (particularly energy drinks).
 
Beyond that preventive care, the team at Hartford Dental is able to work on everything from gum diseases to root canals, extractions, veneers and bridge work, dentures, bleaching, and cosmetic dentistry. View a full list of services here.
 
Dr. Yingst also specializes in Invisalign, a popular alternative to braces. When patients come into the office, she can use an application to take a photo of their teeth. Within a matter of seconds, the photo provides an assessment of the individual's teeth to determine what treatment options are available and whether it would be an appropriate case for Invisalign.
 
While some new technologies and practices like Invisalign have been beneficial for patients, the team at Hartford Dental strongly cautions against the recent trend of online dentistry. According to Dr. Mattheis, companies that offer braces online can prove quite dangerous by compromising the stability of the mouth, moving teeth incorrectly, or moving teeth that should have been extracted.
 
“There’s a perception that it’s cheaper than in-person dentistry, but with no one to follow up or check in on those potential concerns, it can lead to more problems,” he said.
 
Finally, Hartford Dental Clinic reserves time each day for potential emergency patients during normal hours. Additionally, the clinic keeps a dentist on call for after-hours emergencies from existing patients.
 


Healthy smiles, happy patients
 
For Drs. Yingst and Mattheis, the most rewarding part of their work is seeing the impact it can have on patients’ confidence.
 
“We can make someone’s smile healthier and make them more confident and comfortable with themselves,” said Dr. Yingst. “We’re living and working in the same town, and we get to see them out in the community and how that’s changed their lives.”
 
For patients who may not have visited a dentist in awhile, it can sometimes be nerve wracking to go in for an appointment not knowing what to expect or how healthy their teeth may be. However, Dr. Mattheis emphasizes that his team is judgment-free and ready to help patients at any stage of dental health.
 
“We take them where they’re at, and we don’t worry too much about what happened in the past,” he said. “It’s about what we can do going forward.”
 
Dr. Yingst adds that people who haven’t been in for awhile are often surprised at how much can be done to retain or improve the state of their teeth thanks to new technologies.
 
With over 25 years of experience treating patients in the Hartford area, you can put your smile in Hartford Dental’s hands with confidence.