At Family Dentistry of Lakewood, we know how difficult it can be to find a dentist you can trust. Thoughts of going to the dentist can bring up fear and anxiety; we want you to get to know us so you can feel confident and at ease when you visit us for your dental needs.
Meet Dr. J
My name is Damjan Jutric and I am a dentist in Lakewood, WA. I often get asked why I chose to go into dentistry and the answer is not as simple as you think. A part of my motivation is giving my patients a great smile, but my passion is to arm them with knowledge and tools so they can manage their oral health.
A Passion for Helping Others
My trajectory into the dental field was not the norm. As far back as I can remember I wanted to be an engineer so I entered the University of Alaska Anchorage and graduated in Civil Engineering. Unfortunately, my first job out of college was not what I expected, and I wanted a job where I could engage more with people. It was at this point in my life that I knew I needed a career that combined my love for engineering and my passion for helping others.
While on a mission trip to Bosnia I was on a team providing dental care to the local town. It was here that I realized dentistry has its foundation in engineering on a microscopic level. When I returned home, I entered dental school at the University of Texas, School of Dentistry. Upon graduating I worked for a dentist in the private sector, where I honed my dental skills and furthered my passion for helping and educating people.
Recent History
In 2019, I started searching for a dental practice to purchase, but the market was flooded with other dentists looking to buy. In the height of Covid there was a 98% drop in buyers, and I was blessed with the opportunity to purchase this practice in Lakewood, WA, in August 2020.
I was also happy to learn that my new practice was located near a military base. I highly respect the men and women serving our country and find it a privilege to provide them dental care. They are true heroes and I wanted them as part of my patient population. We are actively involved in several military insurance programs to service the military in our community.
Our Mission
Along with the rewards of educating and empowering people to take care of their oral health, there are also some challenges. The biggest challenge my team and I face each day is the fear many people experience when they come to the dentist. Part of what we do to help make you feel more comfortable is in our staff training and amenities, such as aromatherapy, weighted blankets and neck pillows.
You may be wondering what makes our practice different from the others. I feel that our staff is the biggest advantage. Each one of them cares about our patients and want you to know that you can expect professionalism, compassion and understanding. My staff and I work hard to stay ahead of the latest technology advances and education, completing more than double the required continuing education hours per year. We strive to make sure our services are affordable to everyone and keep the patient at the center of everything we do.
Our staff is the biggest advantage. Each one of them cares about our patients and want you to know that you can expect professionalism, compassion and understanding.
As part of our mission to educate our patients we are currently working on implementing an educational element to our website so we can better serve you. We want to make sure you are educated on the different dental procedures and insurance options to better help you make decisions for your oral care.
Check out our website, www.lakewoodsmiledr.com, and social media platforms for educational blog posts and motivation. Call today to schedule an appointment with us.