Contemporary Dental and Orthodontics in Bellaire is a well-established dental practice deeply ingrained in the local community and committed to providing patients with the best possible experiences.

“We want to have a comfortable environment,” Contemporary Dental owner Dr. Steven Vaughan, DDS, said. “It's little things that you do to make the experience better for patients.”

Dr. Vaughan attributes the practice's success to its compassionate and highly experienced dental care providers and the close relationships Contemporary Dental cultivates with Bellaire families by demonstrating unyielding honesty, trustworthiness and a genuine dedication to serving patients.

The practice boasts a powerhouse team of four highly skilled dentists:

• Dr. Vaughan is a family dentist who possesses a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He is a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry and is also Board Certified by the American Board of General Dentistry.
• Dr. Kathy O’Keefe is a family / general dentist and has a Doctor of Dental Surgery with a Master of Science degree.
• Dr. Fabia Younus is a Doctor of Dental Surgery and carries specialty certification in both periodontics and orthodontics..
• Dr. Sudarat Kiat-amnuay is a prosthodontist and maxillofacial prosthodontist. She is a Doctor of Dental Surgery who holds a Master of Science degree and is a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists (FACP) and the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics (FAAMP).

Dr. Vaughan enjoys working alongside his team and is grateful to practice and live in a community he views as similar to where he grew up. He brings his passion for strong, genuine patient relationships into every aspect of the practice.

"It's the comprehensive, patient-centered family dentistry practice where we've emphasized loyalty, teamwork and technical excellence,” Dr. Vaughan said.

Contemporary Dental services

Contemporary Dental is a comprehensive practice, offering everything from routine cleanings to complex restorative dental procedures. The team includes two highly trained general dentists capable of attending to the vast majority of patient needs, as well as two specialists who work in the office on a regular basis.

“I do describe [the practice], sometimes, as kind of a one-stop shop,” Dr. Vaughan said.

Dental practice areas include:

• Preventative dentistry: By emphasizing preventative measures, such as cleanings, exams, bite function analysis and pediatric dentistry, the practice detects problems early and addresses them to lower the risk for more serious conditions.
• Periodontal services: Dr. Vaughan and his team prioritize good periodontal health to avoid gum disease and adult tooth loss through scaling and root planing treatments, gum recontouring and gum grafting treatments.
• Orthodontics: The office provides a tailored approach and consultations to patients of all ages, and patients choose from traditional braces, lingual braces and clear aligners.
• Cosmetic dentistry: The office offers a full range of cosmetic dental treatments, such as teeth-whitening, gum contouring, porcelain veneers and clear aligners, to improve patients’ quality of life.
• Restorative dentistry: To improve patients’ compromised tooth structures, the team provides minimally invasive treatments, including tooth fillings, root canals, crowns and tooth extractions.
• Prosthetic dentistry: The practice provides custom dental prosthetics, such as dental bridges, dentures and dental implants, to restore glowing smiles to patients who’ve lost one or more teeth.

The office also coordinates with other specialists throughout Bellaire and the surrounding area if a patient needs additional care.

Patient memberships vs. dental insurance

Like many dental practices, Contemporary Dental accepts dental insurance but is an out-of-network provider, which Dr. Vaughan said it was a decision he felt was in the best interest of his patients.

“By having control over fees, [dental insurance providers] limited what we could and couldn't do,” Dr. Vaughan said.

Although people often equate going out of network for dental care to going out of network for medical care, Dr. Vaughan explains the two situations are very different.

“We're out-of-network with every insurance, and people often hear that and think, ‘Oh, I can't, I can't go to an out-of-network dentist,’ which for medical care, is very true,” Dr. Vaughan said.

But while medical insurance offers percentage based discounts and covers care once you meet your deductible, dental insurance generally provides a fixed amount of coverage well below the cost of more extensive dental work.

To make pricing more transparent and ensure patients receive the care they deserve, the practice offers membership plans, which cover preventative treatments like cleanings and exams, and come with discounts on other dental services.

To learn more about practice and schedule an appointment, visit the Contemporary Dental website or call 713-668-9119.

The above story was produced by Community Impact's Multi Platform Journalist Jacquelyn Chorush with information solely provided by the local business as part of its "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.