Find the Right Dentist in Portage, MI

Whether you’ve just moved to Portage or you’re dissatisfied with your current provider, finding a new dental office is no fun. But, your oral health depends on regular visits! And, if you’re hoping to maintain your healthy smile for years to come, you don’t want to skip your next appointment.

But, what should you look for in a new dentist? Well, that’s a tough question and, really, it largely relies on your needs. Are your needs restorative or cosmetic? Do you need a dentist for yourself or your entire family? Generally speaking, what is your current dental situation?

Regular Dental Treatment Improves Your Oral Health

If you want to avoid dental problems and missing teeth later in life, you need to take care of your teeth while you’re young. Brushing, flossing, and Water Piking alone won’t do it. Your long-term health – oral and overall – requires regular dental checkups.

Dental Care is Self-Care

When you think about it, your teeth are one of the most-used parts of your body. Every day, you eat, drink, chew, speak, and, in general, put your teeth through the ringer.

But, after you’ve been on your feet all day, you treat yourself to a pedicure. After a week of hard, manual labor, you get a massage. Or, after a day that taxes your brainpower, you relax with your favorite TV show. So, what about your teeth?

Proper dental care isn’t just about your teeth, it’s about your own sense of well-being, self-worth, and satisfaction.

As they say, ‘happy smile, happy child.’ All right, well, nobody says that. But, it’s true: as a way to boost your self-confidence and improve your outlook on life, it’s never a bad idea to start with your dental health.

Dental Health is Overall Health

You can be in good overall health but, if your oral hygiene isn’t up to par, you’re putting yourself at risk. Poor dental care is linked to a surprising number of conditions, including obesity, cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, and even Alzheimer’s.

A healthy mouth is a reflection of a healthy body.

When you care for your teeth, you care for your body. And, especially if you’re young, the choice to consciously commit to improving your oral health can have physical effects that last a lifetime.

What To Look for From a Local Dentist

When looking for a new dentist in Portage, MI, your choice can be affected by many factors. Of course, the most obvious is whether you feel comfortable in the office. But, beyond that first impression, what kinds of things should you look for?

Caring Dental Services

For general dentistry, you want to work with a compassionate, caring team that can address all of your dental needs. From teeth cleaning and fillings to crowns and exams, you want a single, dedicated dentist who doesn’t just clean your teeth, but actually cares about them.

Preventive Dentistry

One of the most common dental services, ongoing preventive dentistry is essential to preserving your oral health. When choosing a new dentist, you’ll want to select one that uses cutting edge technology and diagnostic techniques to identify any – and all – health problems.

It’s absolutely crucial that your dentist focus on reaching an accurate diagnosis, as it will heavily impact your future treatment plans. Without an exact understanding of your dental needs, it’s impossible to craft an effective plan for dental care.

Sedation Dentistry

Dental anxiety can be totally paralyzing. And, sadly, it keeps up to 20% of adults from getting the dental treatment they need. With sedation dentistry, though, your fears can be alleviated.

If you have difficulty overcoming your fears, West Wind Dental can help. As the go-to source for sedation dentistry in Portage, Michigan, we offer the following options:

  • Oral sedation administered prior to your appointment via tablets or liquid
  • Nitrous oxide or oxygen administered during your procedure via a nose mask
  • Intravenous sedation a moderate-depth medication administered via a vein

Cosmetic Dentistry

Whether you want professional teeth whitening or other dental procedures used to achieve a more attractive smile, cosmetic dentistry is what you need. Often used to correct and improve on your natural smile, these dental services include:

  • Dental implants to replace cracked, broken, or missing teeth.
  • Invisalign braces to straighten crooked or misaligned teeth.
  • Teeth whitening to restore and brighten discolored teeth.
  • Veneers to correct any of your smile’s stains, gaps, and chips.

Restorative Dentistry

While we’ve already talked about the benefits of full-mouth implants, it’s important to know that restorative dentistry offers several ways to restore the beauty of your smile:

  • Dental bridges
  • Crown placement
  • Dental implants
  • Gum disease treatment
  • Filling placement
  • Porcelain veneers
  • Tooth extraction
  • Misaligned bite correction

Sadly, many restorative treatments are often the result of poor maintenance. So, when looking for a dentist to provide these services, you may want to schedule ongoing visits to ensure that future restorations aren’t needed in the future.

Before

Before photo | West Wind Dental

After

After Photo | West Wind Dental

Patient Testimonials

Lastly, of course, you’re going to want to make sure that the dentist you choose has a roster of satisfied patients. From Google reviews to online video testimonials, hearing from the dentist’s patients is the best way to understand how they deliver treatments and, more importantly, how they treat their patients.

Why We’re the Best Dentist Portage, MI Has To Offer

All Your Dental Needs, One Office

Whether you need a dentist for yourself or your whole family, we have all the services you need under one roof.

General dentistry, sedation dentistry, preventive dentistry… you name it, we can help.

Our highly skilled staff will work to deliver the services that you need and, above all else, the services you deserve.

Our Mission is Good Dental Health

We’re not here just to provide you with a quick filling, a single crown, or a one-time cleaning. At West Wind Dental, our intention is to be the most comprehensive dental office in Portage, MI. So, to ensure continuity of treatment, we strive to offer everything our patients need.

With new patients, we love to build relationships. We love serving as a person’s go-to source for dental health, from childhood all the way into adulthood.

We Design Healthy Smiles

If you’re still uncertain, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We take pride in our welcoming of new patients. Our team will be happy to speak with you, alleviate your concerns, and help you take concrete steps toward a long, healthy future.

Dr. Drew | West Wind Dental

Dr. Andrew Hamilton, DDS, FAGD

Dr. Hamilton is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Dental Association (ADA), the Michigan Dental Association (MDA), the Kalamazoo Valley District Dental Society (KVDDS), the American Academy of Implant dentistry (AAID), the International Academy of Facial Aesthetics (IAFA) and also attends courses with the Pikos Institute in Northwest Florida. He is a member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICIO), has achieved fellowship status in the International Dental Implant Association (IDIA) and in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD), has graduated from and is an alumnus of the Kois Center program in Seattle, and is on the faculty of the Global Dental Implant Academy (GDIA).

 

The little spare time left over is spent Steelhead and Salmon fishing and the occasional round of golf.

A Fond Farewell to Dr. Ashley Muehleise

Dear West Wind Dental Family,

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the upcoming departure of our beloved associate dentist, Dr. Ashley Muehleise, who will be leaving our team in September to pursue her passion for community dentistry and focus her care towards the underserved members of our community. Over the past three years, Dr. Muehleise has been an invaluable member of our practice, bringing exceptional skill, compassion, and a warm smile to every patient she treated. Her dedication to improving the oral health of our community has left a lasting impact, and while we will greatly miss her, we wholeheartedly support her decision to follow her passion. We are excited to see the difference she will make in the lives of those in need. Please join us in wishing Dr. Muehleise all the best in her new journey. Thank you, Ashley, for your contributions to West Wind Dental-you will always be part of our family!

For our patients, we want to assure you that our commitment to providing the highest quality of care remains unchanged. Our team is here to continue serving you with the same level of dedication and compassion you have come to expect from us.

Dr. Ashley Muehleise, DDS | West Wind Dental Team

Warm regards,

The West Wind Dental Team

New Hours Effective Monday, Febrary 13, 2023

Monday:
7 am – 12 pm
1 pm – 4:50 pm
*Doors locked during lunch hour.

Tuesday:

 7 am – 2 pm

Wednesday:

7:00 am-4:50 pm, closed for lunch from 12:00-1:00 pm (door will be locked)

Thursday:

 7:00 am-2:00 pm

Friday:

 7:00 am-noon