Today we’d like to introduce you to James Donley.
Hi James, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I graduated from the University of Detroit in 1967 with the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. I set up my practice and started from scratch in a very small dental office. I rented from and shared a reception room with a medical doctor. Two and a half years later, I listened to a lecture by Dr. Robert Barkley from Macomb Illinois. His talk on being proactive instead of reactive in treating dental disease changed the way I looked at and practiced dentistry. His message boiled down to: “do not treat any patient, except for emergencies, without first teaching them how to manage the infection going on in their mouth.” He taught me that “The true professional works in a manner as if to put himself out of business” .This we practiced from that day forward. A few years after this, I had an adult patient who needed her teeth straightened. She wanted me to do it instead of being referred to an orthodontist. I then started a 5 year course in orthodontics at the United States Dental Institute in Chicago. I continued providing orthodontic care until this year.
In 1979, I became the first dentist in Muskegon to have a computer in the office. This later became the backbone of taking digital x-rays which reduced the amount of radiation used by 90 – 95%.. Another first.
In 1995, I bought probably the first intraoral camera in the county to use with patient education. Patients could see what was going on in their own mouth. About this time, the local periodontist at a dental meeting was bragging about how he would do periodontal surgery on anyone who would sit in his chair. This did not sit well with my philosophy of being proactive. I subsequently took several courses in non-surgical treatment of periodontal disease that affects at some time 80 – 90% of adults. The instruction I received changed my perception on the disease and its effect on the rest of the body. Today, we know that the infection of periodontal disease is a medical disease and it causes or contributes to the risk of at least 58 medical conditions.
In 2005, I purchased a laser to treat periodontal disease and another to remove decay without drilling. Often times no shots were needed. Shortly thereafter, I also purchased an FDA approved laser to locate hidden decay that our traditional instrument couldn’t locate. Most of the time these fillings don’t require the needle for numbing and the filling is much smaller so it will last longer.
In 2007, I attended an orthodontic symposium and learned about treating obstructive sleep apnea with oral appliances similar to orthodontic appliances. Sleep apnea is the number one cause of hypertension. At the time, I was being put on medication for hypertension with no mention of being tested and treated for sleep apnea. My proactive thinking kicked in. I took a couple of courses on treating sleep apnea, had a sleep study and found out I indeed had sleep apnea. I made myself an appliance that stopped my sleep apnea. Over the next ten plus years, I attended many courses and lectures on sleep apnea and helped many patients sleep much better.
Having a philosophy of being proactive lead to a clash with Delta Dental insurance. They said I had to not offer a higher level of care for periodontal disease or provide the extra care at no charge. This was not acceptable and lead to my resigning from being a premier dental provider with Delta Dental and never signing a contract to participate with any other insurance although we do bill almost all insurance companies. This stance allowed me to continue to maintain a higher quality of care. According to Grand Rapids magazine surveys, this was recognized by other West Michigan dentists and for multiple years I was voted among the best in West Michigan. In 2024, the magazine declared I was the Best Of the Best dentists.
I am now looking forward to retiring after providing dental care for 60 years. Maybe I’ll take more time to do some fishing such as the sockeye salmon fishing on the Kenai River in Alaska. I will also continue with some home improvements such as the rock veneer I did on the exposed basement walls.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. Taking extra time to maintain a higher level of care has reduced income, but given a higher level of satisfaction in helping people live longer and healthier. Not participating in any dental insurance turned many patients away because they are to insurance driven and not health driven. Originally dental insurance helped patients get healthy, today it only pays to help them stay healthy.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My professional career I covered in a prior dissertation.
What makes you happy?
Helping patients to get healthy and be educated as to how to stay healthy. Being told things like “you saved my life” or “you saved my marriage”. This is what life should be about. HELPING OTHERS!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LumbertownDental.com
