A phone call, which turned into a relationship

I was in pain I called Dr. Richards’ office. How much, I asked? To get you out of pain, they queried? Nothing, they replied. We don’t charge to get someone who is in pain out of pain.

I will never forget those first few moments with Dr. Richards and his caring staff. I stood with phone in hand thinking to myself, ‘here we go again’. No one does anything for nothing. I asked again. I received the same response. There had to be catch. There was none. Come in. We will get you out of pain. You go home. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

As it so happened his office was the first on the list to call. I had not heard of Dr. Richards up until then. It was not like I made it a point to frequent the dentist these last 10 years. My mouth was a mess. So much so it was affecting my health. I didn’t like dentists. They hurt you. It was the best call that I had ever made. As close to being pain free as is it can, Dr. Richards is.

Dr. Richards got me out of pain. Had I not wanted to continue that would have been fine. But it was my turn. I had a part in all of this. Was I as committed to my health as Dr. Richards was to his profession?

Taking time out of his busy day, he made due for me and my family to come in and talk. He formulated a plan of action. I was given a choice. There were a list questions. Non offended or went unanswered. Dr. Richards responded to them all. He understood my fears. He understood my concerns. There was no pressure. There was nothing but genuine concern about my health and wellbeing.

It is now going on seven months. I am healthier than I have been for years. Had it not been for Dr. Richards and his caring staff, I would not be where I am today. Thank you.

Peter Ketcham, Loveland

Dr. Richards’ new CEREC technique is wonderful! I was unable to chew at all on one side of my mouth and my teeth were extremely sensitive. Dr. Richards replaced all my old silver fillings with CEREC crowns. I would go in with one quarter of my mouth silver and come out with it sparkling white. It was just amazing! And it was a pain-free experience – I slept through all four procedures. The CEREC procedure is so easy and efficient. It is one-stop treatment. There are no impressions, no temporary caps, no second appointments. You go in and it’s done. I am just pleased, pleased, pleased with the results! I can use every tooth in my mouth and my mouth is pain free. My teeth look and feel better than they have in 30 years.

Carla Bowlds, Loveland

Dr. Richards really needs to put out a sign in front of this office that says ‘The Painless Dentist,’ now that he has his new air abrasion procedure. Both my girls had fillings placed with it and neither of them had to have anesthetic. There was no pain, no discomfort. Teresa was very apprehensive, but before she knew it, he was done. It works so well and it worked wonders with our girls. Jim is very concerned and very helpful. He explains every procedure to you until you understand. If you’re uncomfortable, he changes whatever he can to help you get comfortable. Whatever will help you is what he wants to do. My whole family goes to Jim because we like the way he operates. He’s just great!

Tammy Phillips, Loveland

My daughters and I have been patients of Dr. Richards for 15 years. I have always felt he showed a special and sincere concern about us. My daughters have never been afraid of seeing him; they truly like him. Whenever I have had major dental care, Dr. Richards has called me at home to make sure I was always comfortable. I can’t imagine having another dentist.

Lynn Runyan, Loveland

Dr. Richards has always been gentle and helped me relax when I was scared. He really cares about his patients. We left a more convenient dentist because we had heard so many good things about Dr. Richards.

Joy Morgan, Loveland

To all the staff at Dr. Richards’ office, I just want to thank you for your patience and gentleness with me over these last weeks. You’ve helped me overcome a lot of my childhood fears of dentistry! I’m so thankful too for your skill and gentleness, Dr. Richards…. Including that fantastic rescue of my root canal. Will I miss you guys these next months?! Well, in some ways.

Phyllis

Hello Dr. Richards,

I wanted to drop in to tell you that weather is keeping me in Montana for a few extra days. Snowing rather heavily up here and I don’t want to risk driving through Wyoming alone in bad weather. I do not want to schedule util I know I can be there.

I personally want to thank you again for your endless patience and reassurance throughout my entire dental process. I couldn’t have done it without your ability to make it as painless and as anxiety free as possible. During the entire procedure there was never a time I was in real pain. Yes, I was uncomfortable the last two times, but it was really nothing compared to what I could have been going through with bad teeth. I really am glad I had the work done. It is a great relief.

I commend you for the time you have spent working with me, and the endless hours of appointments trying to get everything right so that I did not have a bad experience. Thank you for putting everything aside to schedule me in and for going the extra mile to make sure I was holding up the entire way. You did a great job throughout. Thank you.

My teeth and gums are feeling great and I will start bleaching them tomorrow. Gums on back tooth finally healed. My mouth looks better and feels better now.

I will be in touch to have the front crown put on. I will call your office to schedule that time when I know I will be in Loveland. I will continue to bleach my teeth until then. Thank you for everything; my deepest appreciation to you and your staff.

Vickie Ehrlekrona, Montana

A few years ago, I had to have a few of my lower front teeth removed. A representative of Dr. James Richards presented me with several options for replacing those teeth. I chose to have implants and I have never regretted that decision. Although it took about nine months to complete the procedure, I did not experience any discomfort or pain. I believe it is done in less time now. I am able to eat whatever I choose without any difficulty and my implants look great. I highly recommend implants as a means of replacing teeth.

Dorothy Williams, Loveland

Going to Dr. Richards’ office is like visiting old friends. Dr. Richards and his staff are people friendly and highly professional, I always recommend him to my friends when asked about a “good” dentist. Should your needs be “normal” service or you are experiencing and emergency, you can always count on Dr. Richards.

Arthur Schildgen, Loveland

I moved here nearly 6 years ago. In my late 70’s, I needed to find a dentist. A neighbor told me about Dr. Richards. I went to him and have had such good treatment. He has done a lot of work. Pulled teeth, fixed crowns, everything. I have been so happy with all his work and the treatment from all of his staff. It was costly, but now at 80 years old my teeth are doing great. I highly recommend Dr. Richards and staff.

Juanita Adamson, Loveland

My Dear Friends,
I’ve been going to Dr. Richards for many years. In fact I think I was his 3rd or 4th patient. When he came into Loveland. Wherever he moved his office I moved with them. They have treated me like family. Always with a smile and a big hug. That’s why I love to bring them treats. May the Lord be with you all and keep you in his care. God Bless.

Vi, Loveland

Dr. Richards, in my opinion is the best dentist I’ve ever been to, and here’s why. He and his staff make you feel very comfortable about whatever they need to do as far as dental work that needs to be done. He explains what and why, and the game plan is on keeping your own teeth. When the work begins, he makes sure you are feeling OK through out your visit. He is very kind and gentle, and that is very important to me. He saved me from having to wear dentures. Thanks.

Sheryl, Loveland

I highly recommend Dr. Richards as a dentist. I saw him as an emergency and he fit me in and took care of my problem. He then formulated a comprehensive program for my total dental care. His staff is great, from front office to back. He cares about his patients and makes sure they are satisfied with his care. He takes time to explain his treatment plan, and most of all he takes great care to perform his dental procedures with great regard for the patient’s comfort.

Bill Cairo, Loveland

Everyone in Dr. Richards’ office has always been very caring, friendly and professional. I am more than satisfied with all the dental work Dr. Richards has done for me over the years.

Mike Mukina, Mead
I was new to the area and had a lot of fear about staring with a new dentist because of my TMJ problem. Dr. Richards “Welcome” to the area letter arrived in the mail. I called the Colorado Dental Association and the State Board of Dentistry and found Dr. Richards to be well qualified and in good standing. After the initial visit and examination, I found the office staff and the Hygienist were all very relaxed and welcoming. The office staff arranged for me to talk to one of his patients who spoke well of his work. This added to my confidence. I met with Dr. Richards and he thoroughly explained what needed to be done and listened to my fears about my TMJ problem. Dr. Richards was able to medicate me so that I was completely relaxed and he was able to complete the dental work in only two sessions – doing one side at a time. It was a very good experience without any follow-up problems.

Clara Kunsemiller, Loveland

REFLECTIONS ON CHOOSING AND USING DR. RICHARDS

Before choosing Dr. Richards for our family dentist, we had used two previous in Loveland and had not found one to meet our criteria. Had gotten an advertisement in the mail from his office introducing him and his services and we decided to give them a try. Very glad we did. We were looking for a dentist that could do it all in his office without having to go elsewhere for certain procedures. Also hoping to find one that answered questions, was slow and not pushy, gentle, concerned and knowledgeable of current methods and procedures. Sort of one stop shopping. We found all this in Dr. Richards and also found his staff and office to patient friendly. Both Jeanette and I have had some costly procedures done and Dr. Richards prior to doing these gave us our procedure options and also payment options. Would we recommend him as your dentist?
YES DEFINITELY SO…

Pat and Jeanette Jensen, Loveland

Last year, I incurred multiple cavities. One dentist told me that it would take over a year to replace crowns and otherwise fix the cavities. With the latest scientific equipment, Dr. Richards completely repaired my teeth within four months. He also recommended that I get an implant for a missing tooth. I found the procedure less painful than having a tooth pulled. I am well satisfied.

Bob McCartney, Loveland

You did an awesome job when I was in so much pain. You removed my tooth and it didn’t hurt a bit. I felt like you were the only one in Loveland that cared. All the others didn’t have the time. The nurses were awesome, the call back the next day made me feel that he cared.

Amy Gonzalez, Loveland

Dear Dr. Richards and Staff,

I have to thank Dr. Richards first, for hiring such a wonderful and caring staff, they are the best! Thank you Dr. Richards for having painless ways of operation, and taking the time to make sure I was comfortable at all time. I have Fibromyalgia, which makes my muscles very sore and rigid. I explained this to you, and you immediately went about getting pillows and …a heating pad! The next thing I knew, I was on my way home and waiting for the pain to begin. I was ready with pain medication and Milkshakes (I was sure I wouldn’t be able to open my mouth)…and it never came, it was truly painless as you had promised. I now have my confident smile back, and it was pain free! Please keep up the good works you do, and keep making your staff happy, they reflect on you. They seem very happy to be working with you, which says a lot about yourself. Thanks again.

Michelle Tayler, Loveland

After years of less then modern dental care, and a couple of years of neglect, the best description of my dental condition would be “Train wreck”. But now, thanks to Dr. Richards’ skill, and use of 21st century dental care, my teeth are in their best condition that I can remember. The replacement of my old (very old) fillings with ceramic inlays by Dr. Richards, has proven to be fantastic, I could not believe the difference. I also want to thank Dr. Richards and his staff for running an “On Time” practice, I appreciate that you and your staff understand that my time is as valuable as yours.

T. Cox, Loveland

Dr. Richards:

I have always valued your excellent qualities as a dentist. Having been your patient for many years I know you as a caring, compassionate and motivated Doctor. Focusing on the patient and the best care for that patient. Caring about the emotional aspect as well as the physical. So it does not surprise me when you went that “extra mile” and wrote my insurance company (on my behalf) and explained the need for the crowns were not just for cosmetic purpose. Because of that, my insurance company reimbursed me for almost two-thirds the expense of the $5,200 it cost to have them done. I can’t thank you enough.

Mary H., Loveland