Dr. Richard Haskell received a B.A. in Biology in 1978 from the University of Richmond and is a 1981 graduate of Tufts School of Dental Medicine. During his 36 year career in private practice, he has studied with Dr. Peter Dawson of the Dawson Academy, Dr. Frank Spear of Spear Education, and Dr. Michael Schuster of the Center for Professional Development. He is past president of the Cape Cod District Dental Society. Professional memberships include the Cape Cod District Dental Society, the Massachusetts Dental Society, and the American Dental Association.
Dr. Haskell was born and raised in Osterville and currently lives there with his wife of 26 years, Elisabeth, and their three children, R.J. age 24, Andrew age 22, and Olivia age 19. He has been active in local youth sports, has served for 10 years on the Barnstable shellfish committee, is a communicant of Our Lady of the Assumption church, and is presently a trustee of the Osterville Historical Society. His passion is saltwater fly fishing and Dr. Haskell has participated in many charitable fishing tournaments including the Joe Cronin fishing tournament to benefit the Jimmy Fund. He is a member of the Osterville Angler's Club, Cape Cod Flyrodders, Trout Unlimited, Bass River Rod and Gun Club, and the Osterville Historical Society.
I realized early in my career that I could not do all aspects of dentistry with the excellence that I expected and demanded of myself. We are fortunate in the midcape area to have highly competent dental specialists in oral surgery and endodontics (root canals). These professionals can perform these particular procedures much quicker and with less trauma than I can, so it makes sense to refer you to these practices for this type of dentistry. This allows us to quickly move forward with replacing missing teeth and/ or restoring root canaled teeth which is commonly known as restorative dentistry.
Our practice is mostly a restorative practice which means we do fillings, crowns, bridges, cosmetic dentistry, partial denture appliances, and full dentures. We also offer hygiene services to maintain both your gingival health and any dentistry we do on your teeth. These days dentistry is expensive. The best insurance you can buy is meticulous home care and regular hygiene visits with our skilled registered dental hygienists. The old adage "cleanliness is next to Godliness" is very true when it comes to extending the longevity of your teeth and any dentistry you've had done.
Our practice philosophy is as follows:
Excellent Provider/Patient relationships are of paramount importance to us. When a patient enters our practice, I spend that first visit educating myself about the patients' desires, and about the condition of the patients' teeth and gums. To do this I utilize a thorough clinical exam, x-ray evaluation, and discussion about what the patient wants. From there I can now educate the patient about what is going on in their mouth. This way, the patient can make an informed decision regarding any proposed treatment. When making a decision regarding your dental treatment, I follow the WIDIOM rule. WIDIOM stands for Would I DO It On Me. I would never recommend a procedure for a patient that I wouldn't do on myself! I then offer the patient options regarding various treatments available to address their needs and wants. We discuss the pro's and con's of each treatment option, and together we come to a mutually agreed upon final treatment plan. This has proven time and time again to be the best way to forge a trusting relationship between myself and my patients. I am most proud of the mutual respect shared between myself and my patients. They are wonderful, trusting relationships built over 36 years!