Our practice is conveniently located in the historic Parkesburg Opera House. The Opera House was built in 1908, and has an exciting past. In the twenties and thirties it operated as a movie house. In 1956 Dr. John Hagen leased the corner space in the Opera House and opened his dental practice. Misfortune struck the historic building in 1958 when the rear collapsed under the weight of 50 inches of snow. The building was restored and continues to be the home of the dental practice of Doctors John and Dirk Hagen. Opera House Dental has recently remodeled their office to accommodate the technological advances in dentistry. In 1956 Dr. John Hagen set out to offer quality, family dentistry, a tradition we continue to this day.
Financial Information
We participate in network with MetLife and Delta Dental Premier insurances. We will be happy to submit your insurance paperwork electronically for you at the time of treatment. If you have any questions about your insurance, please feel free to call for more information. We offer several payment options for your convenience. We accept cash, as well as all of the major credit cards and offer Care Credit.
Your First Appointment
First appointments are completed by one of our doctors and typically last about an hour. We review your medical and dental history, do an exam of your teeth and gums, and take x-rays as indicated. The doctor will discuss any dental issues they find and present a treatment plan if needed. Patients with significant dental problems may be referred to a specialist for treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which type of toothbrush should I use?
A: The brand of the toothbrush is not as critical as the type of bristle and the size of the head. A soft toothbrush with a small head is recommended because medium and hard brushes tend to cause irritation and contribute to recession of the gums, and a small head allows you to get around each tooth more completely and is less likely to injure your gums. It’s unnecessary to “scrub” the teeth as long as you are brushing at least twice a day and visiting your dentist at least twice a year for cleanings.
Q: Is any particular toothpaste better than others?
A: Generally, no. However, it’s advisable to use fluoride-containing toothpaste to decrease the incidence of dental decay. We recommend our patients use what tastes good to them as long as it contains fluoride.
Q: How often should I floss?
A: Flossing of the teeth once per day helps to prevent cavities from forming between the teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach. Flossing also helps to keep your gums healthy.
Q: What’s the difference between a “crown” and a “cap”?
A: These are restorations to repair a severely broken tooth by covering all or most of the tooth after removing old fillings, fractured tooth structure, and all decay. The restoration material is made of gold, porcelain, composites, or even stainless steel. Dentists refer to all of these restorations as “crowns”. However, patients often refer to the tooth-colored ones as “caps” and the gold or stainless steel ones as “crowns”.
Q: What’s the difference between a “bridge” and a “partial denture”?
A: Both bridges and partial dentures replace missing teeth. A bridge is permanently attached to the teeth next to the space or, in some cases, implants. A partial denture is attached by clasps to the teeth and is easily removed by the patient. Patients are usually more satisfied with bridges than with partial dentures.
Q: What about “silver” fillings versus “white” fillings?
A: Although the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report in 1993 stating there is no health reason not to use amalgam (silver fillings), more patients today are requesting “white” or tooth-colored composite fillings. We also prefer tooth-colored fillings because they “bond” to the tooth structure and therefore help strengthen a tooth weakened by decay. White fillings are also usually less sensitive to temperature, and they also look better. However, “white” fillings cannot be used in every situation, and if a tooth is very badly broken-down, a crown will usually be necessary and provide better overall satisfaction for the patient.
Q: Do I need to have a root canal just because I have to have a crown?
A: No. While most teeth that have had root canal treatments do need crowns to strengthen the teeth and to return the teeth to normal form and function, not every tooth needing a crown also needs to have a root canal.
Practice Vision
We strive to have principled Christian leadership in an environment of caring, change and growth where team members support each other to achieve practice excellence and job satisfaction through shared vision and values.
Commitment by the dentist and the team will strive to provide optimal oral health for our patients through continuing education in clinical and technological research.
We will seek to establish lifelong relationships in an office where a value-based approach to the patient experience results in treatment based on needs and wants, not insurance coverage.
Systems that contribute to the practice stability will give all team members the opportunity to achieve economic freedom.