Care Approach

At Lone Pine Dental Hygiene, care is more than a checklist — it’s about ensuring every patient feels safe, respected, and supported. Many of the individuals we serve live in long-term care settings or face unique health challenges. To provide the best possible treatment, we take a thoughtful, consent-based approach that prioritizes comfort and dignity.

Because of this, there are a few important steps we take before treatment begins. For example, we may ask about Power of Attorney (POA) or Personal Directive (PD) status, or request certain documents to confirm who is authorized to make health decisions. While this can sometimes feel like extra paperwork, it’s an essential safeguard that allows us to honor patient wishes and ensure care is ethical, legal, and fully in line with health regulations.

Our approach to care focuses on three guiding pillars:

• Consent to Care — making sure patients (or their legal decision-makers) are fully informed and comfortable before treatment.

• Comfort Care — adapting treatments to meet individual needs, with sensitivity to age, health, and mobility.

• Trauma-Informed Care — creating a safe environment for those who may have past dental anxiety or medical trauma.

By centering care on these values, we’re able to deliver safe, ethical treatment while supporting the overall well-being of both patients and their families.