Welcome to our office. We've prepared this page to let you know a little about us, our policies and how we like to treat our patients. We know that many patients are concerned about their dental treatment and we want to do everything we can to make you comfortable in our office and make treatment a pleasant experience.

What we do....
We specialize in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of gum disease. Gum diseases are infections that can destroy the jaw bone and the structures that hold the teeth to the jaw. Untreated gum disease is responsible for most adult tooth loss.

A periodontal office treats many different types of gum diseases. Most treatment is minor in nature and patients return to work the same day. All your treatment is performed in the office. Sometimes minor surgical treatment is necessary. This treatment is usually very simple and will not require time off from work.

Because gum diseases are infections we take an interest in your general physical health. Therefore, we treat other conditions that affect the health of your gums. Some of these are: smoking, snoring, bad bites and jaw joint (TMJ) problems.

About Dr. Klein....
Dr. Klein was born in New York City and attended dental school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He served as a general dentist in the Air Force at Travis Air Force Base from 1972-1974 and returned to school at Emory University in Atlanta to specialize in Periodontics.
Dr. Klein opened his practice in Fairfield in 1976. He has been in the same location since then.

Dr. Klein continues to serve in the Air Force Reserves and was called to duty from his practice for Operation Desert Storm.

Since 1984, Dr. Klein has written a newspaper column on dentistry for the Daily Republic. He also is a contributor to professional journals. He has been active in the local dental society and served on their Board of Directors for many years. He was President of the Napa-Solano Dental Society from 1990-1991.

Dr. Klein's hobbies are travel and photography and he has decorated the office with photos taken on his trips.

What is a periodontist?
A periodontist is a dentist that has extensive advanced training in the treatment of periodontal disease. This is a minimum of two years in addition to dental school and college. Periodontics is one of the eight specialties recognized by the American Dental Association.

What is Periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is the major cause of about 70 percent of adult tooth loss. It affects three out of every four persons at some point in life.

Periodontal disease really is a collection of different diseases. Most of these diseases are infections caused by bacterial plaque. Plaque is a sticky, colorless film that contains bacteria. It forms continuously on your teeth. If it isn't removed it hardens into tartar. The bacteria in plaque secrete toxins (poisons) that irritate the gums leaving them swollen and prone to bleeding.

As the disease progresses the toxins destroy the tissues and bone that hold the tooth in the jaw forming pockets that fill with more plaque. Unless treated, the bone can be permanently damaged loosening the teeth and leading to eventual tooth loss.

Office Hours.....
We see patients Monday through Wednesday from 8 AM to 6 PM. Our lunch period is from 12:30 to 2 PM. Our business office is also open on Thursday from 8AM to 6 PM and Friday from 9 AM to 12 PM.

Payment Policy....
We strive to make treatment as affordable as possible for our patients. We ask for payment on the day services are delivered unless you have made other arrangements prior to the visit. Accounts that are not paid at the time of treatment, without prior payment arrangements, are charged a monthly service fee. We accept cash, checks, credit cards and can arrange payment plans. We are happy to discuss our fees and help you get the most from your dental insurance.

We'll be happy to see your friends and
family...
Most of our patients are referred by other dental offices but we accept referrals from our patients as well. Periodontal disease is extremely common. As a service to our patients we offer a screening examination for friends and families at a reduced fee. This examination is designed to detect gum disease quickly without the expense of a comprehensive periodontal examination.

Infection Control....
We are as concerned as you are about the spread of contagious disease in the dental environment. We've always worn gloves and heat sterilized our instruments. Additionally we have been heat sterilizing our surgical handpieces since 1984.

We adhere to strict techniques for your protection that include sterilization, barrier procedures, disinfection and use of disposables.

This has meant extra time and expense but we feel that your safety and comfort are of paramount importance. We are proud of what we do for your protection. We would be happy to show or discuss our sterilization and infection control procedures with you . Please feel free to ask if you have any questions.

Emergencies....
We will always make ourselves available for emergency treatment. This means that we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We encourage you to call the office when you have a dental emergency so we can help you promptly before serious and costly complications occur.