Charles R. Walker, DDS

Going to the dentist can be a hassle. If you've experienced long wait times, painful procedures and impersonal service in the past it can make you want to put off going for as long as you can. But at the practice of Charles R. Walker, DDS, located at 2020 South 1300 East, Suite A, you not only get an experienced dentist taking care of your dental needs in a comfortable environment, Charles makes it a priority to keep wait times to a minimum.

"I treat one patient at a time; I don't hop from one to the other," he says. "And I make a real effort to be on time. We've been really successful on that because I think it's so important."

Charles can take care of all your dental needs, whether it's routine check-ups and cavity fillings or more specialized procedures like root canals and tooth implants. "I work with a lot of different labs so I can take care of any complexity of implants," Charles says, adding that whatever needs you have, he can not only meet them, but make the process as easy as possible.

"Our office is set up to be very patient friendly. We make it easy for patients to get appointments and get treatment done and we have a lot of payment options," he says.

Charles began a career in dentistry after spending time as a science researcher. "I decided I'd like to do something more direct with people," he says. "I like to work with people that have needs that I can take care of."

For Charles, one of the best things about his job is when he gets to do a cosmetic procedure to correct issues that were really bothering a patient. "It's so gratifying to see them feeling better about themselves," he says. "It's also really gratifying to see people get out of pain. I love having the interaction with people. A lot of my patients I consider my friends."

Along with getting regular dental care, including a checkup every six months, Charles says it's important for people to understand the damage that drinks like soda, flavored water and sports drinks can do to a person's teeth. "It's very, very hard on your teeth," he says. "It's one of the biggest things I see with people - I don't think those drinks would be so popular if people were aware of how damaging they are to your teeth."

Charles also stresses the importance of brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day. "But if you were to skip one, though I hate to even say that, you should never skip brushing your teeth before bed, because your salivary flow drops down while you're sleeping so you're much more susceptible then," he says.

Office hours are Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information or to make an appointment, call 801-467-6886 or visit www.TheSaltLakeImplantDentist.com.