Our Core Values: I is for Integrity

*Note: “I is for Integrity” is part 3 of a 5 part series on South Valley Pediatric Dentistry’s core values. To start with part 1, click here – Our Core Values*

The second letter in our acronym, “TIKE,” stands for Integrity. Of the four core values South Valley Pediatric Dentistry focuses on, integrity plays perhaps the most important role in our practice.  Being honest, upstanding and straightforward helps us to gain the trust of our patients, and when our patients trust us, every other aspect of the practice falls into place.

In many ways a dental office is like a mechanic. You need your car to function reliably but might not have the time or knowledge to keep it going, so you take it to an expert. Many of us don’t have the ability to fact check what a mechanic tells you about your car problems. And repairs cost a pretty penny, so you want to make sure you’re not being taken for a ride (pun intended). It only takes one bad mechanic to ruin your opinion of mechanics in general, but once you find one you can trust, you stick with them!

Teeth are the same way. You need to keep your teeth healthy if you want to keep them for your whole life, but you can’t diagnose or fix your own cavities, so you have to trust your dentist, the expert, to tell it to you straight. Unfortunately, some people have had negative experiences with overly aggressive dental work at other offices, which can make some patients suspicious of  all dentists’ intentions, especially if extensive work is required. That’s why the dentists at South Valley Pediatric Dentistry treat cavities conservatively, simply watching minor cavities or teeth that may fall out soon. And while they never do unnecessary dental work, they also make it a goal to honestly address urgent dental concerns by giving parents all the facts and information about their child’s dental situation. By clearly explaining dental cases we hope to help parents feel comfortable and confident that we are taking the best possible care of your child.

We consider it our responsibility to establish a reputation of honesty and trustworthiness from start to finish. Each member of our team should exemplify integrity in all of our tasks. If, however, one of us falls short, that person is expected to own their mistakes and do what they can to solve problems. We believe that accountability is a key aspect of integrity.

How is our team doing on Integrity? Let us know what improvements we could make, or how you’ve seen integrity exemplified by our practice or others.