Who is that Masked Man? Dr. Matt Wolfe, Williamsburg Dentist
Now Introducing Dr. Matt Wolfe
Dr. Matt Wolfe took an interesting path to dentistry — he started his professional career as an engineer, working in the auto industry.
“I liked working with my hands, fixing things and had a mechanical sort of mind. I thought engineering would be a good field for those skills,” he said.
But engineering didn’t turn out to be a good fit for Wolfe. He did not like sitting at a desk working on the same small part or problem for long hours.
“There was so much desk time, and limited interaction with people.” he said.
He’d always been interested in science, and medicine. He made the decision to try something else, and he decided dental school would be the right fit for him.
After dental school, he knew he wanted to move South. He looked at numerous practices, including Norge Dental Center in Williamsburg. “This was the office I liked best. I liked the attitude, and I wanted to be somewhere I could continue to learn and grow as a dentist,” he said. “I saw a few places that were focused on ‘get in and get out’ dentistry — but Norge was about building relationships with patients. I was excited that I could be doing patient-focused customer service and doing the best dentistry we can,” at Norge Dental Center,” he said. Today, Wolfe knows, “That’s what makes us who we are.”
As a dentist, Dr. Wolfe’s engineering background and mind tend to make him a bit of a perfectionist — and he readily admits it.
“I want it to be done the right way. I want the work I do to be so steady, and have perfect margins and just be the best for the patient,” he said. “We use all the technology possible for our patients, and take our time. We give them all the options for the best smile, and the best mouth possible.”
He thinks that most patients realize the difference, but he always talks to patients first about treatment options, explaining the what and the how of each step. “I hear from people all the time ‘that’s the first time someone has explained that to me.’ I think talking and spending the time is important,” he said.
“A personable dentist is going to explain things, and ask ‘Do you have any questions?’ I want them to know what’s happening in their mouths, and understand the technology we have now. I let them know what we offer, and we do a lot of our own work here — like implants. We just sit and talk until they are comfortable,” he said.
His pride in his work rests on doing what’s best for patients with a treatment plan that works for them. Sometimes that means going back to education on the basics. Dr. Wolfe always keeps in mind that patients didn’t go to dental school and tries to start any explanation with the basics.
Proactive dentistry is also a key part of working for Norge Dental Center, and it’s a philosophy that Wolfe feels is important for the patients’ sake.
“We want to take care of problems now and we don’t want to wait until something breaks. It usually breaks in a bad way and the fix is worse at that point — we may have fewer options,” he said.
Personally, he’s very proactive about his own health, eating a low sugar diet, running regularly with his dog Bentley and avoiding processed foods. He also loves sports, especially the NFL. Dr. Wolfe is engaged to a dental hygienist, Michelle, that he met at dental school in Michigan and the wedding is set for May 2012.
"Let our experience put a smile on your face."
