400 Botulph Lane
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
Phone: (505) 988-3500 Fax: (505) 983-0513
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Good health is a partnership with the doctor, staff and you. We do everything possible to provide optimum care, but maintaining dental health is up to you. Prevention is based on good home care, a healthy diet, and regular checkups. Catching small problems before they become large ones saves you time and money. With an active prevention program, most of us can keep our beautiful and healthy smiles for a lifetime.
Helping us learn your concerns, values, goals, and priorities and performing a thorough exam are the first steps in tailoring a dental program to fit your specific needs. After reviewing your medical and dental history, we perform an examination of your mouth giving specific attention to the possible presence of periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer. We also examine the relationship of upper and lower jaws and teeth (your bite), and the aesthetics of your smile. At this time, we will determine if there is a need for diagnostic aids such as x-rays or mouth models.
This is followed by a discussion of what we have found, what we recommend, available treatment options, and an estimate of costs. At this time, we’ll also set up an appointment for you with our hygienist for a thorough cleaning or, if needed, periodontal treatment. We always urge you to feel free to discuss anything relevant to your treatment with us. We also treat patients who are looking for help for a specific need but do not want complete dental care at this time.
A Word About X-Rays. We share your concern about radiation. X-Rays are taken in a digitized format reducing radiation to you by 60 to 90 percent. We take only necessary X-rays to detect hidden problems using modern equipment and lead aprons. The frequency of periodic X-rays is determined by your individual needs.
Sterilization Procedures. We take all necessary precautions to protect your health by cleaning and sterilizing all instruments after each and every use.
Periodontics refers to the health and treatment of the gums, or periodontium, the soft tissue and bone that surrounds your teeth and keeps them sturdy and in place. Our highly skilled, very experienced, and gentle dental hygienists are passionate about their profession. Their nonsurgical approach to this aspect of dentistry is aimed at preventing dental disease and helping you maintain your teeth for a lifetime.
The best insurance is regular checkups. We do our best to remind you when it is time for your return visits. However, the ultimate responsibility rests with you. We feel so strongly about prevention that we guarantee our work from three to 10 years (depending on the type of work and situation) as long as you maintain our recommended continuing care schedule.
We are a family practice and welcome everyone from grandchildren to grandparents. We believe that good dental habits begin early and so we encourage parents to make a complimentary "get acquainted" appointment for their young children to get to know us. We want your child to enjoy his or her visit to the dentist and to be comfortable in our office. Children’s visits are often concluded by a magic trick by one of our in-house magicians!
Our fees are similar to those charged by other comparable dentists in this community and are based on the time, materials, and expertise required to treat your individual needs. To help save you money, we keep your costs down by not billing. Payment is due at the time of service. If there is a problem, we will try to help you make special arrangements for payment in advance of extensive care. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover.
We will help you fill out a claim form to submit to your insurance company so that you can be reimbursed directly. It is important to realize that your dental insurance policy is an agreement between you (or your employer) and the insurance company. We are only a third party to this agreement.
We see patients by appointment during regular office hours. In case of emergencies, we make every effort to be available to you at all times. We try to see emergencies as soon as possible, which may cause unforeseen delays in our schedule. We apologize for any delays you might experience.
Dr. Leslie Lakind is an active member of the Santa Fe community as both a dentist and a citizen. Dr. Lakind, who is carrying on a family tradition of dentistry (both his father and brother were dentists), received his D.D.S. from Temple University in 1976. That same year, he moved to Santa Fe and began his dental career in public health service at La Clínica de la Gente in Agua Fría Village. Dr. Lakind began his private practice in 1979.
Dr. Lakind is founder and past president of the New Mexico chapter of the Richard Tucker Study Club, an organization dedicated to the propagation of clinical excellence in cast gold dentistry through mentorship. Having achieved much success with this model, Dr. Lakind went on to form the Northern New Mexico Aesthetic Academy.
Dr. Lakind is a member of key professional organizations, including the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (a holistic dental association), the Santa Fe District Dental Society, the New Mexico Dental Association, and the American Dental Association. He is also a former 25 year member of the Academy of General Dentistry.
In addition to his professional and community involvement in the field of dentistry, Dr. Lakind is also a leader in local business and social activities. Dr. Lakind is a founding member of the Santa Fe Business Alliance, and he is the founder and a leader of the Santa Fe branch of the Tikkun Community, an organization committed to bringing a spirit of justice and compassion to our everyday lives.
Dr. Russell Kirkland has been practicing preventive, restorative and cosmetic dentistry for over 23 years. As a tribute to his excellence, he is one of only 56 charter-qualified members of the Crown Council, a leading dental organization committed to increasing quality and patient satisfaction.
Dr. Kirkland received his D.D.S. from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he graduated in the top 12% of his class. He has logged over 500 continuing education hours in order to hone his skills in the art of restorative and cosmetic dentistry. In addition, he is currently a member of two study groups, the Santa Fe Master Mind and the TNM Mastermind.
Dr. Kirkland is an active member of the dentistry community. He served seven years as the editor of the Nueces County District Dental Society Newsletter and is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, the New Mexico Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and the Academy of General Dentistry.
Dr. Harvey Simon received his D.D.S. from the University of Detroit. Soon after, he joined the faculty there and taught in the department of removable prosthodontics for two years. Over the next 32 years, Dr. Simon focused on complex restorative dentistry, receiving instruction from clinical masters from around the United States. As a result of this training and dedication, Dr. Simon has achieved levels of confidence and experience that allow him to provide patients with superb results.
In 1999, after 32 years of practice, Dr. Simon sold his practice in Detroit and moved to Santa Fe. After six months of settling into New Mexico, Dr. Simon joined our practice. Since then, he has added significantly to our combined knowledge and skill, and he has helped us create a true team atmosphere.