Frontier Dental Lab Takes Smiles Seriously

By Nicole Zaro Stahl, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

Company's Focus is on Cosmetic Improvement, Full-Mouth Reconstruction

Smiles are serious business at Frontier Dental Laboratories, which opened a branch facility in Suite 410 at 5635 West Las Positas Boulevard in October.

"Our work isn't just about teeth, it's about giving people their smile back," observes local manager Joy Goodrich. She and three other highly skilled technicians make crowns, veneers, and implants, with a special focus on cosmetic improvement and full-mouth reconstruction.

"We are the third satellite lab to open for a larger company in El Dorado Hills," Goodrich continues. "The original lab has been operating for 15 years and is highly regarded in this field. With our high-end cosmetic abilities, we have worked for the dentists of several celebrities, been involved with many makeover programs, and won many awards."

On its web site, Frontier Dental expresses its commitment to both dentists and patients with the following pledge: "We create the perfect smile by first hiring the best craftspeople in the world." Goodrich is one of them and carries the title Smile Designer. Her own career represents 27 years of experience and training all over the country, including time at the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies, where she worked with doctors to restore collapsed bites and deteriorating teeth.

It was fitting preparation to meet the needs of today's patients, who are better informed about health issues, more conscious of their own appearance, and more willing to seek out improvements, Goodrich notes. Previous generations relied on metal-based crowns and bridges for dental treatment, but the standard has changed as new kinds of materials, especially the more aesthetic, super-strong ceramics, have been introduced.

Frontier technicians first study the form, color, and shade before they painstakingly hand-sculpt each individual tooth so it is even better than the original. "We work with the most innovative technology and the best materials so that each tooth is not just beautiful, but the best possible tooth available," Goodrich remarks.

The lab is also involved with hands-on training at several different locations, such as the University of the Pacific, and in Canada, where its personnel help dentists learn how to do "the most beautiful, life-like restorations."

A Pleasanton resident, Goodrich chose to locate the new lab in Hacienda because of her ties to the community as well as its convenient location, good freeway access, and visibility to the public. "We have been very happy here, and we even had a dentist stop by to inquire about us," she relates.

In addition to its two Northern California locations, in El Dorado Hills and Pleasanton, Frontier has satellite dental labs in Southern California, in Brea; in Vancouver, Canada; and in Manchester, England. The corporate office is also in Vancouver. For more information, visit www.frontierdentallab.com.

Photo: Technician Pedro Leon applies his eye for detail to his work at Frontier Dental Lab.

Also in this issue...