Hello,
My name is Carly Peterschmidt, and in the dental setting, staff and patients call me Dr. Carly. Why the first name? I feel it is more personable and plus, Peterschmidt is a long last name and it can be hard to say. I wanted to introduce myself, as I am new to you and you are new to me. I want you to feel like you know who will be filling Dr. Amy McDaniel’s shoes and feel comfortable with me taking care of your oral health needs. I, personally, am looking forward to getting to know you and developing a long-term healthcare relationship with you. I hope to get to know your goals for your oral health and how I can help you on that journey.
“Where’s Dr. Amy?”
As you hopefully learned from the correspondence we sent out to your homes, Dr. Amy McDaniel is no longer able to continue practicing clinical dentistry due to ongoing health concerns. Amy is a personal friend and colleague. She approached me about taking over her practice, as she felt my personality and the way I practice dentistry would be a good fit for her staff and each one of you, whom she cares greatly for. I felt honored that she would think of me and I was instantly excited for the opportunity.
I hope to make this transition as smooth as possible for you and I would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. I am planning to continue with the same dental insurance contracts that have been in place, so we should still be in-network for you if we were before.
If you did not receive the letter we sent out, I would like to share a little more about me and what I have been up to before joining your dental team (I don’t love talking about myself, but here it goes).
Dr. Carly’s Journey to Dentistry
I am from Medford, Oregon, and graduated as a Valedictorian of South Medford High School. I attended Oregon State University and then transferred to the Oregon Institute of Technology, where I received my Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Minor in Psychology. I played soccer for Oregon Tech and graduated Summa Cum Laude, receiving the prestigious President’s Senior Cup Award of Health, Arts & Sciences upon graduation. I received my Doctorate of Dental Medicine from Oregon Health & Science University and received the Larry Sorum Memorial Award in Endodontics upon graduation. I had also received an honor for Community Service and Clinical Outreach during my time in dental school, which is something I am truly proud of.
My interest for dentistry sparked at a young age, as I saw what a difference orthodontics (braces) made for me and my smile. Believe it or not, I had a large gap in between my two front teeth, showed even more gums than I do now when smiling, and my jaw was not in an ideal position for chewing. After seeing what dentistry could do for someone’s health and self-confidence, I was set on dentistry, as it made such a large impact on my life.
Dr. Carly’s Practice Mission
My mission for this dental office moving forward is to provide personalized, evidence-based quality dental care to you in a comfortable and friendly environment to help you achieve a lifetime of oral and systemic health.
What I mean by ‘systemic health’ is that I believe your overall health and oral health are connected. Yes, I truly care about more than just your teeth. We will be reviewing your medical history and checking your blood pressure at every appointment, as well as consulting with your physician if there is any question that our care may interfere with your overall well-being. We will also perform oral cancer screenings at your exams to try to catch anything suspicious before it may become a problem for you.
Dr. Carly’s Dental Experience
I come to you with a background in both private practice and public health settings, providing dentistry to everyone from the CEO’s to the homeless in Eugene, Oregon. I even spent some time right out of school working for a corporate dental office in Corvallis, which made me appreciate what private practice dentistry stands for so much more (and for your sake, I am glad that you have established this office as your dental home). I bring experience in preventative care, restorative dentistry, oral surgery, endodontics, and working with people with high dental anxiety, which will allow us to provide more services to you in our office.
On Fridays, I will be continuing my affiliation with White Bird Dental Mobile Clinics. These clinics are non-profit, grant-based programs, providing dental care to low-income populations, children of the Bethel School District, and teens at the John Serbu Juvenile Justice Center. I will also continue mentoring dental students from Oregon Health & Science University, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, and Lane Community College.
Dr. Carly in the Community
I believe a large part of being a dentist is also being a leader in the community. I hope that becoming a small business owner will help me give back to our community in a greater way.
In the dental community, I am active as a Director at Large for the Lane County Dental Society, as well as a member of the Oregon and American Dental Associations. To remain up-to-date with the latest technologies, I am committed to taking regular continuing education classes and am invested in local study clubs, consisting of other dentists and dental specialists.
On a personal level, I am also an active member of my church, where my husband and I volunteer every other weekend. I also participate in indoor and outdoor soccer through various city leagues.
Outside of dentistry, I can most often be found spending time with my husband of five years, Tyler (who is also a dentist), and Golden Retriever, Murphy. I also enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and camping, travel, crafts, movies, and eating out with friends and family.
Closing Remarks
I am eager to get to know all of you and I am truly honored to have this opportunity to help you with your oral health needs. I know that for many, the dental office is not particularly your favorite place to be, however, I hope that by my joyful and calm demeanor, as well as the friendly environment I would like to maintain in the office, you will feel as comfortable as possible.