The doctors at Discovery Dental are smiling. Not just because they’re helping people discover the importance of oral health, but because they recently moved into a new state-of-the-art building that was customized to accommodate their growing patient base.
The dental practice has been serving the Washougal area since the early 1970s, but Discovery Dental came to be in 2007 when it was purchased from the previous owner by Dr. David Stinchfield. In 2011, Stinchfield’s brother, Tom, joined the practice as an associate. The brothers both served as dentists in the United States Navy, where they were stationed in Japan. However, they both fell in love with Washington state and couldn’t wait to be a part of the community here.
Today, the practice has 13 employees and their patient base continues to grow, as evidenced by their new 6,170-square-foot-office at 2614 E St. in Washougal.
Having outgrown their former space, Adina Stinchfield, Discovery Dental’s director of marketing, said the new $2 million facility does a better job of meeting the needs of the community with its “large space, complete with four additional treatment rooms.”
In addition to a larger footprint, the new facility features a state-of-the-art sterilization area and views into an open-air courtyard filled with plants and trees that are native to the Pacific Northwest.
“This building has been in the planning and revision process for years,” said David. “We wanted to get it right. It’s been exciting to watch it go up before our eyes, and we are so anxious for our patients to receive treatment in a space that is larger and more comfortable. It’s a better reflection of the type and standard of care that Discovery Dental provides.”
Speaking of the care that Discovery Dental provides, David said the business prides itself on being a forward-thinking practice.
“We utilize technologies that allow simple and precise placement of implants with 3-D planning capabilities,” he said. “We are also able to place crown restorations in a single visit with CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) technology and we use the Solea Dental Laser which has enabled us to place fillings with little or no anesthesia in over 95 percent of cases. These technologies and our whole team set us apart from the rest.”
He goes on to say that he is passionate about pursuing continuing education in the dental field, regularly taking courses in implant surgery, restoration and orthodontics.
The Discover Dental team explained that Southwest Washington is a great place to be a small business owner, but the practice still faces some challenges.
“Discovery Dental faces the same challenges that other businesses do: keeping current, balancing quality and growth, and increasing healthcare costs. However, remaining at the absolute forefront of dental technology is imperative to the providers at Discovery Dental. It simply isn’t an option to forego what is best for our patients. As our patient base grows, so does the investment back into the practice, as is evidenced by our new office,” said Adina.
To that, David added, “Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you when they meet you and your mouth is the gateway to the rest of your body. Keeping both healthy is my job and seeing improved quality of life and increased oral health in my patients is my greatest reward.”
The development and construction process for Discovery Dental’s new facility was managed by Vancouver-based RSV Building Solutions. The clinic’s old location will be leased to provide other health-related services.
