
Feb
If you are new to the area, we welcome you and your family to Kalispell! Alpine Family Dental is privileged to support the health of our neighbors and friends from across our corner of northwestern Montana. Likewise, if you are not new to the Flathead but are looking for a new “dental home,” we look forward to meeting and partnering with your family.
Drs. Evan Olson and Autumn Chapman set the tone; our team blends “small town” friendliness and care with state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies. This approach supports utmost comfort, safety, and quality care at every visit.
Healthy relationships with our patients are built on a solid foundation of routine visits. These visits or “check-ups” include a comprehensive exam. During the exam part of your appointment, one of our dentists will look inside your mouth to assess the condition of your teeth, gums, and other tissues and structures.
With their knowledge, our doctors are equipped to spot problems early before they cause symptoms or damage. In fact, you may think that your teeth and gums are perfectly healthy and fine. Yet, there may be early-stage enamel erosion or gingival inflammation that requires prompt attention. Prompt intervention stops the decay and disease process from progressing. Damage that requires more costly, invasive, and time-consuming restorative dentistry is avoided.
Our doctors may also look for potential suspicious lumps, bumps, discoloration, and other anomalies indicative of oral precancerous lesions and cancers. So, prompt detection and intervention on this front can be a lifesaver, as cancers may be detected during routine exams before they have spread.
Our technology helps to support accurate identification of problems or the source of pain, swelling, and other symptoms. We use highly precise, low-radiation, fast, and comfortable digital X-rays, 3D CBCT scans, and intraoral cameras to obtain as much trusted information about your mouth as possible. What we find with these technologies can then inform the most appropriate and effective plans for care to, as needed, ease painful symptoms and restore the health, structure, function, and appearance of the teeth and supportive tissues.
No “check-up” is complete without the routine care by one of our professional hygienists. They have the special tools and techniques to remove even stubborn plaque build-up or tartar. These visits also present opportunities for us to advise on good oral care at home and preventive care at our office (like the application of dental sealants to protect cavity-prone back teeth).
By protecting the health of your mouth, we are supporting your “whole health” and well-being. Conditions like gum disease and tooth decay can cause highly visible and painful damage that interferes with comfortable chewing and healthy nutrition. Plus, the bacteria and inflammation associated with advanced gum disease have been linked to the development or worsening of medical conditions ranging from heart disease to respiratory dysfunction.
So, a healthy mouth promotes an attractive smile that you can be proud of, as well as a healthy function that supports good nutrition and digestion. It also functions as a protective factor to minimize the risk of developing potentially serious systemic diseases.
Call Alpine Family Dental at (406) 393-8877 with questions or to schedule an appointment at our office in Kalispell, MT. We welcome you to the “neighborhood” and our “dental family”!
Dr. Evan Olson, D. ABDSM, followed in his father’s footsteps and became a dentist. He completed his degree in Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Montana State University in Bozeman and then attended The University of Iowa College of Dentistry. Dr. Olson then practiced in a Community Health setting for five years treating all types of dental emergencies. He then ran a private practice in Central Oregon for seven years before moving back to Montana to take over Alpine Family Dental.
Dr. Olson was recently named a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine, which signifies extensive training and knowledge in treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea and snoring. He is a Fellow of The Implant Pathway Surgical Program, a Member of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and Academy of General Dentistry, and a Mentor for the CEREC Doctors training program. He has completed significant continuing education in many areas of dentistry including with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine Mastery Program, training on dental implants at Implant Pathway, Misch Institute, and Pikos Institute, an internship on root canals at the University of Iowa, cosmetic dentistry courses at CDOCS and Spear Education, and further studies on infant frenectomy and CAD/CAM techniques.
Dr. Autumn Chapman received her degree in physiology from the University of Wyoming and her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry. She worked alongside her grandfather, Dr. Gerald Olson, in Havre, MT, before moving to Flathead Valley. Dr Chapman has been able to focus on education and training in facial esthetics and cosmetic dentistry. She has Training in orthodontics using suresmile clear aligners with CDOCs in Scottsdale and Training in Botox and filler with the american academy of facial esthetics.
Dr. Greg Eller obtained his degree in Aeronautical Maintenance and spent six years as a Skydiving Instructor. He then attended the University of Oregon where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in Pre-Medicine and the Oregon Health Sciences University Dental School. He is a member of the American Dental Association and Montana Dental Association and has IV moderate sedation training. After 14 years at Alpine Family Dental, Dr. Eller has now transitioned out of full-time practice.