Dr. Josh Hammer: A Handy Healer
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
SANTA ROSA — When Josh Hammer was learning how to build and repair things as a young man, he never thought he’d one day be applying his skills in the dental field. “My dad was a machinist, and he taught me a lot about working with my hands and fixing things,” he remembers. “When I started to consider my future career, I thought I might become a physician, but as time went on, I decided dentistry would be a better choice because it involved a lot of hands-on work. Since graduating from dental school, I’m now in my 13th year of professional practice.”
Today, as owner of Landeros & Hammer Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, Dr. Hammer says he enjoys making a positive impact on his patients’ lives. “I get a lot of satisfaction from working with patients who have missing, broken or discolored teeth and repairing those issues for them. It’s very rewarding to see how happy and excited a patient gets when they see how their smile has been restored.”
A lifetime resident of Santa Rosa (where he lives with wife, Cindy, and their children, Alyssa and Jacob), Dr. Hammer says he appreciates the opportunity to treat familiar faces. “Since I’ve lived here my whole life, a lot of my patients are people I’ve known for many years. From family friends to past teachers and schoolmates, that’s been a really neat aspect of practicing in my hometown.”
Outside of work, Josh engages in a variety of active pastimes. “During the winter, I really enjoy skiing, which is something I’ve been doing since I was five years old,” he says. “I also do a lot of mountain and road biking throughout the year.” When he’s not on the slopes or a mountain trail, Josh enjoys spending time with his family. “We stay pretty busy with the kids, especially with all the sports activities they’re involved in. One thing we really enjoy is going on camping trips, both locally and at national parks like Yellowstone.”
In regard to his career, Dr. Hammer says the key to professional success is anything but one-dimensional. “For us, patient satisfaction consists of a number of aspects. One is being honest with our patients and building relationships of trust with them. Another is treating each patient as we would want to be treated ourselves. Additionally, we always strive to give our patients a high value. We know dental work can be expensive, so we want them to be totally satisfied with what they’re receiving.”
When asked how his life might look if he were to retire tomorrow, Josh says he’d find new avenues by which to serve others. “I would want to get more involved with helping people in the community. There are a lot of people with needs out there, so I think that would be a really rewarding way to invest my time.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Italy…for the food, culture and historical sites of interest.
Q: Do you collect anything?
A: I have a coin collection.
Q: What’s one website you visit on a daily basis?
A: MSN.com, just to get an overview of the day’s news.
Q: What’s your favorite snack?
A: Pistachios.
Q: Did you play any sports in high school?
A: Football. I played quarterback and wide receiver.
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