|
(Reprinted with permission of the Royal
Oak Daily Tribune) Like all dentists
offices, the Gustafson & Morningstar, DDS practice in Royal Oak handles routine,
cosmetic and emergency care. Unlike other dental offices, the husband-and-wife
team of Drs. Shari Gustafson and Shari Morningstar give their patients something
extra to smile about. They make patient comfort more than a facet of their job;
they make it a priority.
 “We
strive for no pain, no surprise dentistry,” Dr. Steve said. “People actually
leave here saying I had fun.
How? Dr. Steve said he and his wife have put
together a team of employees experienced at creating an atmosphere of ease.
Candy Christie, the office manager, greets everyone by name. The gentle nature
of hygienist Lalie Reyes-Ramos, contributes to the patient’s well being.
“Everyone here has a good sense of humor,” Dr.
Steve said. “There is a lot of conversation with patients. We get to know them
and their interests.”
Word of mouth about the relaxed mood at the
dental office is so positive that in the field that Drs. Steve and Shari have
never advertised for a job opening.
“People hear about our office and they contact us
about working here,” Dr. Steve said.
Another feature that keeps patients coming for
generations is the policy against hard sells on the latest techniques to whiten,
brighten and repair smiles.
“We might recommend a treatment, but we’re not
going to scare anyone into it,” Dr. Steve said. “That’s why some of our of our
patients left their former dentists, One woman told me that she felt like she
was being sold something every appointment.”
Drs. Steve and Shari also have a newly remodeled
office designed with comfort in mind.
“This is more than just a practice,” Dr. Steve
added. “We want people to join our dental home, where we will treat you like
family.”
Drs. Steve and Shari have been family for almost
20 years, celebrating their milestone wedding in March. They met on the first
day of dental school at Loyola School in Chicago. They saw each other on a
campus tour for freshmen and ended up being partners in the cadaver lab. “Our
relationship developed over a dead body,” Dr. Steve jokes.
The couple eventually returned to Royal Oak and
took over the practice of Dr. Steve’s father, Donald Gustafson, DDS, which he
ran from 1957-87. The elder Dr. Gustafson’s father, Dr. Norman Vielmette,
actually started the practice in 1937 and stayed on for 20 years before passing
the baton.
“We’re seeing grand children and
great-grandchildren of early patients,” Dr. Steve said. The Gustafson family has
stayed in Royal Oak for generations because it is one of the best places to
raise children, according to Dr. Steve. He and his wife and their two children,
Robert, 16, and Anna, 14, ride their bicycles to eat downtown at Pronto!, visit
The Detroit Zoo and get to the city’s 50 parks. They enjoy the Woodward Dream
Cruise, Clay & Glass Festival and Royal Oak Farmer’s Market, too.
“Royal Oak is a family-friendly community where
you can feel comfortable letting your children go to the video or computer store
on their own,” Dr. Steve said. “We’re proud to be part of it.”
The couple believes in giving back, too. They
talk to elementary school students about caring for their teeth. They volunteer
at events that draw up to 80,000 visitors to the Royal Oak such as Royal Oak in
Bloom, the Clay and Glass Center Festival and the citywide garage sale.
They also belong to many civic groups. Dr. Steve
is chairman of the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of South
Oakland County, and he sits on the Salvation Army “Advisory Council. He also is
a member of the Optimist Club.
Dr. Shari is active with the Royal Oak Chamber of
Commerce and volunteers for its golf outing fund-raiser in addition to helping
inner city children learn to play golf at the Rackham Golf Course.
Office hours at 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and
Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday.
|
