The dental office of Rick Chavez on 80th and 15th Avenue N.W is celebrating a big anniversary this year. The self-titled "friendly neighborhood dentist" has been fighting cavities and restoring the smiles of Ballardites for 30 years.

The California native came up to Seattle for dental school in 1970s and hasn't left since.

"I live, shop, play, and work in this neighborhood. My sons went through the school system and this is where I'm comfortable," Chavez said.
"The community has embraced and welcomed us since the beginning and I'm very thankful."

Over the years Chavez has seen businesses come and go but the visibility on the busy thorough fare has been good for him.

"People know me, like me and trust me," Chavez said adding that he gives back to the community with an annual Doctors with a Heart Day, which is a day of free dentistry.

"It's a pay it forward kind of thing," Chavez said. "Some people don't have health insurance of can't afford dentistry so on that day they can come in and get a cleaning or fill a cavity."

Chavez takes fear for the dentist as serious as a cavity.

"Part of what we do is taking a child that's scared of the dentist and show him or her that the dentist isn't a boogeyman. It's someone you get to know, like and trust," Chavez said. And that process starts in the waiting room.

With a comfortable couch, a rocking chair, a kid's play corner, kids drawings on the walls and even a fire place, his practice resembles a cozy living room more than a doctor's office.

Chavez said he'll even do consultations in the waiting room to make the patient feel comfortable.

On top of that Chavez himself is far from the boogeyman. He's a genuinely friendly family-man who even has a sweet tooth.

"If there is some chocolate in the house, I will sniff it out," he said, revealing that a trip to the movies with his sons usually involves popcorn, sodapop and Mike 'N' Ikes.

"Sugar can't be avoided. It's in bread, ketchup , even egg rolls," he said. "I always tell my patients to limit sugar and try to brush or rinse afterwards.Dilute the hard, chewy stuff. I'm not disputing that sugar is bad for you. Just limit it."

Chavez said he never really wanted to become a dentist but "fell into it".

He came from a blue collar family in California and was the first person in his family to go to college.

"I thought it would be fun to be in business and took Econ classes in college," he said. When economics proved to be too challenging, Chavez explored psychology.

"But very few people with a psychology degree actually work with it," Chavez said. "My friends wanted to go into dentistry and I was good at chemistry, math and physics so I decided to apply for dentistry."

The University of Washington was the first to accept him so he moved north. Upon graduation Chavez took over a practice from a dentist who lost his license.

"Was it chance? I don't know. Maybe everything was meant for a reason," he said.

Thirty years later Chavez is still working with the same dental assistant, Lab technician and denture prosthetics technician.

"He's a very nice person to work with and I will stay with him for as long as he wants me," said Darlene Fudge who's been Chavez's dental assistant for 30 years.

"He's a good person and patients are his priority. You don't find many doctors that care that much about people. They're suppose to but he's genuine."

Chavez said he's happy with his "little mama-papa practice".

"I've had offers to sell the place and get a place but I like it here. It's comfortable," he said.

If he weren't a dentist, Chavez said he would have liked to have been a working musician or gone toe-to-toe with Raphael Nadal in a tennis match. However, he feels blessed to be celebrating his 30th year as a neighborhood dentist.

"It's rewarding. I get to help people by restoring people's ability to chew food, relief discomfort, change people's smiles, allow them to laugh freely and help let their personality bloom," he said.

"If I were to start right now to count my blessings, I don't know if I could ever stop."

Neighborhood Gems is a feature series highlighting the unsung heroes in the community. Know anyone who should be featured? Let us know! anner@robinsonnews.com