Our Approach
Our patients consistently express a preference for health over disease, less dental procedures and to spend the least amount of money on dentistry. We use these insights to guide our interactions, aiming to help patients achieve optimal health with the least amount of dentistry and expense over their lifetime.
At Schaus Dental Studio, we educate and empower individuals to achieve their fullest health potential by delivering personalized, comprehensive dental care that supports overall wellness. We do this by listening and involving you to create your desired dental future.
Our Philosophy
95% of dentists practice in a reactive manner. This approach has significant limitations. We’ll help you see the alternative.
We focus on building individual relationships where each person can discover their own problems, explore what they truly want and how healthy they would like to be. With us as their advocate, the patient can uncover the best solutions for them to take back control of their health. It’s our view that each individual has the freedom to choose their future dental health.
Our core beliefs include
We believe that with the right information and a supportive environment, every patient can make choices that positively impact their dental health.
- Health is invaluable and is worth investing in.
- Every patient deserves to know their current oral health status.
- Understanding treatment options, consequences, and costs is essential.
- Teeth are designed to last a lifetime, and beyond.
- While dental disease does not have a cure, most dental disease is preventable.
- Preventing problems is always better than treating them.
- Addressing the root cause is more effective than treating symptoms.
- Delaying treatment often leads to more extensive interventions.
- Oral health is directly connected to overall well-being.
- Each individual is responsible for their own health.
Meet Dr. Schaus
I spent the first half of my career in large, busy dental settings, seeing patient after patient, hour after hour. I performed countless procedures, believing I was doing good. However, towards the end of my time at my previous practice, I began to question whether I was truly helping my patients. I was always busy and took pride in my meticulous work, but I often left at the end of the day wondering if I was making a real difference.
Through conversations with trusted colleagues, I realized that the answer to this question was leading to my unhappiness. I knew deep down that I wasn’t truly making a difference. I could fix immediate problems, but they would inevitably recur. While I maintained good relationships with my patients, they didn’t see me as a partner in their long-term oral health.
There were periods in my early career, particularly in the Navy and at the VA, where I had limited control over my practice style. This was a major reason I decided to go out on my own at my first practice in Oak Grove, MN. I wanted to treat patients the way I’d want to be treated. Unfortunately, I soon fell into the trap of traditional, insurance-driven dentistry. The volume of patients became overwhelming, and most days were about survival rather than providing optimal care.
The humbling realization is that I had no one to blame but myself. As the practice owner, I made the decisions. I simply didn’t know any better.
After discovering a group of dentists who inspired me with a new perspective, I decided to make a change. I sold my practice and began building one where I could genuinely treat patients the way they deserve. A practice where I wouldn’t be rushed, performing multiple hygiene exams and managing numerous patients simultaneously. A practice where I could collaborate with each patient to stabilize their present, design their ideal dental future and be a partner in their journey. A practice where “ideal” is defined by the patient’s current life stage, not by a predetermined standard.
Since then, I’ve devoted my time to creating a place where my patients have the freedom to choose their future dental health. We spend time getting to know each patient, learning about their history with dentistry, and understanding their satisfactions, frustrations, and goals. We take pride in meeting each patient where they are and guiding them towards the best decisions for their oral health.
At Schaus Dental Studio, we love getting to know our patients and sharing laughter with them. Our ultimate goal is that your oral wellness will bring you great joy and plenty of opportunities to laugh.
Confidently Enjoy a Healthy Life
Make the change to partner with dental clinicians genuinely invested in empowering you on your wellness journey.