6 minute read
Creating Smiles Together
919 | SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry:
Creating Smiles Together
By G. CLEVELAND KILGORE 919 Magazine Writer 919 Magazine Photos by Catherine Davis Photography
The colorful and inviting lobby
THOMPSON & THOMPSON FAMILY DENTISTRY Susan and Benjamin Thompson
YEAR OPENED: 2006
ADDRESS: 10251 Little Brier Creek Ln, Suite 101, Raleigh
HOURS: 7:30 am-3:30 pm, Mon-Thu (and Fridays by appointment)
WEBSITE: thompsonfamilydentistry.com
PHONE: 919-484-2617
Providing a Unique Dental Experience Through Trust, Knowledge and Teamwork Drs. Susan and Benjamin Thompson are unique in many ways.
Highly trained and educated professionals, they attended dental school together, married – and eventually opened Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry, which they describe as a “Unique dental experience through teamwork and trust.”
And teamwork is truly a hallmark of the practice, which is a single office, two-dentist practice that delivers patient-focused care to patients of all ages. “We also truly believe in the team,” Susan Thompson said. “You will find that all the people who work in our practice are committed to each other. And we have well developed, written systems that the team collaborated to create.”
--Dr. SUSAN THOMPSON
The systems address virtually all aspects of patient care, and everyone in the team holds each other accountable to them, Susan said. “If we come across a new dilemma, we work as a team to find the solution and make a system to handle it,” she explained. “We are so committed to this team mentality that we take two hours every week to conduct our team meetings. All of this results in empowered, autonomous team members who give every patient an excellent experience in our office.”
The teamwork also includes Lossie, a friendly, caring Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, who frequently is found at the dental office and is poised for service dog training to assist anxious patients. And, of course, the team effort includes Susan and Benjamin, essentially two dentists freely helping each other in the practice to be their best.
“Our job has unique demands and stresses that people outside of the dental field do not understand,” Susan said. “Being able to discuss your work successes and challenges with your spouse and have them absolutely understand the situation and even the people involved is truly a gift. Along with that we can see clinical challenges from the lens of our individual professional experience and lend guidance to each other.”
She explained that they also try to focus their individual continuing education on different topics in order to bring double the information back to the practice. “As a family practice, there is a free exchange of talents and knowledge between us and delivered to the patient,” Susan said. “Our patients truly benefit from the knowledge of two dentists working together.”
Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry provides a full range of services to improve and maintain oral health – for both adults and children.
“We perform regular cleanings and periodontal therapy to maintain and preserve the supporting structures (bone and gums) in our hygiene department,” Susan said. “Our operative department offers services from whitening and simple fillings to complex whole mouth rehabilitation with fixed prosthetics (crowns and bridges) or removable prosthetics (dentures) – including implant-based restorations.”
--Dr. SUSAN THOMPSON
In addition, Ben is a Dawson-trained dentist and Susan is training in the Spear curriculum to provide more complex dental treatments. “We restore implants, but do not place them. We do not perform root canal therapy either. We feel that in the Raleigh area we are fortunate to have great specialists that can render these procedures with the highest level of predictability and skill,” Susan stressed. “We have chosen to focus our practice on what we do best and become excellent at it.”
All services at the practice start with a thorough comprehensive exam. “We take great pride in our new patient experience. All new adult patients are given 90 min. of time for this exam. A full set of diagnostic images, comprehensive restoration charting, periodontal charting, complete medical history review, oral cancer screening, TMJ exam, and chief complaint focused exam (if applicable) are performed,” according to Susan. “A doctor is scheduled with a patient to perform these exams, show the patient the findings, and discuss diagnoses and treatment options in depth.”
Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry is conveniently located in the Brier Creek/RTP area – a now thriving area that was full of potential when the couple was looking to make a move. After dental school, they worked at different dental practices in Western North Carolina – then decided to open a combined practice in 2006 in the Triangle, where both attended UNC School of Dentistry.
“Brier Creek was beginning to grow at that time and did not have a dental practice,” Susan said. “The opportunity to be the first dentists in a growing area, be closer to friends and family, and to reside in a vibrant tri-city area was too good to pass up.”
And, according to Susan, with that longevity, the team has developed a wealth of experience and knowledge focused on patients. “We are continually seeking to improve our excellent practice. Our mission statement is ‘Creating smiles together’,” she said. “We believe in our family and yours. Our aim is to provide a unique dental experience through teamwork and trust.“
Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry is located at 10251 Little Brier Creek Lane, Suite101, in Raleigh. For information, visit thompsonfamilydentistry.com or call 919-484-2617.
Team Member Lossie
THOMPSON FAMILY RESIDENCE: North Ridge neighborhood in Raleigh Parents – Benjamin and Susan Thompson
Son -- Benjamin, age 8 (North Ridge Elementary) Little Benjamin enjoys Harry Potter, Star Wars, baseball, golf
PET: Lossie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (a frequent visitor at the dental office)
A look at the professional staff at Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry
The Team at Thomson and Thompson Family Dentistry
• Gena Best is the lead Dental Assistant and has been with the Thompsons since the practice opened. She is a graduate of UNC Dental School Assisting Program. A native of Durham, she now lives in Raleigh with her husband Greg and son.
• A Dental Assistant with the practice since 2017, Sharahn Campbell is a graduate of the NYU School of Dentistry Assisting Program. A native of the Bronx she now lives in Durham with her husband Keenan and four children.
• Erin Handley is the Office Manager and has been with the practice for seven years. She previously worked for the dental software company that developed the software in use at the practice. She and her daughter are Raleigh natives.
• NaQuita Long, Hygiene and Bill Coordinator, joined the practice in 2014. A native of Pikeville, NC, she now lives in Raleigh with her children.
• Keana Smith is the new Patient Coordinator, joining the practice this year.
• Martie Porterfield is lead Hygienist and a part of the practice since 2007. She is a graduate of ECU and received her dental hygiene training at Wake Tech. A native of Wake Forest, she lives in Raleigh with her husband, John.
• Hygienist Courtney Triece joined the practice since 2011. She is a graduate of NCSU and received her dental hygiene training at Wake Tech. A native of Kannapolis, NC, she now lives in the Pittsboro area with her husband, Caleb, and two daughters.
• Kelly Howell is a recent addition to the hygiene team. She is a graduate of UNC with a Masters in Dental Hygiene. A native of Cary, NC she now lives in Raleigh with her husband – and expecting their first child in the fall.
SUSAN THOMPSON
PRACTICE: Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry
POSITION: Dentist (DDS)
YEARS IN POSITION: 15
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Private practice in Kings Mountain, NC, 2004-2006; private practice in current Raleigh office, 2006-present
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: NCSSM graduate 1996; BS Chemistry Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Washington & Lee 2000; DDS from UNC School of Dentistry 2004
INTERESTS: Travel, ‘Class Mom’ for 3 years, Clemson Football, skiing
Drs Ben and Susan Thompson, Thompson and Thompson Family Dentistry.
BEN THOMPSON
PRACTICE: Thompson & Thompson Family Dentistry
POSITION: Dentist (DDS)
YEARS IN POSITION: 15
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Private practice in Gastonia, NC, 2004-2006; 2004-2006; private practice in current Raleigh office, 2006-present
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: BS Zoology Magna Cum Laude, NCSU 2000; DDS from UNC School of Dentistry 2004
INTERESTS: Travel, golf, skiing, coaching Little League baseball, NCSU Sports
