Dentist Near Tumalo
Convenient Access from Tumalo
Out on the McKenzie-Bend Highway, a trip into town often has to cover the groceries and the hardware store as well. Bend Family Dentistry keeps the dental part simple: the drive from Tumalo Community School to our Third Street office in Bend takes about 13 minutes. Families searching for a dentist near Tumalo will find care for parents and kids alike at one Bend office.
From Tumalo Community School on 2nd Street, drive east to Cook Avenue and turn south. At the roundabout, join US 20 heading southeast toward Bend. The highway rolls through a string of roundabouts on Bend's north side and then becomes NE 3rd Street, which you follow south for roughly 2.5 miles. Allow about 13 minutes for the 7.2-mile drive, and there are no tolls.
Shortly after you pass the NE Greenwood Ave intersection, you will reach our address at 660 NE 3rd St Ste 3, Bend, OR 97701, on the block between NE Hawthorne Ave and NE Franklin Ave. Our office pin is on Google Maps if you want directions on your phone. Neighbors in Boyd Acres and Mountain View are a little closer in, on the north and east sides of Bend.
A Dentist Near Tumalo for Busy Rural Households
Tumalo is an unincorporated community in Deschutes County, counted as a census-designated place with 558 residents in the 2020 census. It sits along the Deschutes River, with Tumalo Creek joining the river about 3 miles south of the community. The community keeps a rural feel even with Bend only a few miles south, and one dental office for the whole household saves extra drives.
The community started out as Laidlaw, named for a town promoter, before the Tumalo Irrigation Project and a local post office arrived in 1904. By 1915 residents had renamed the town Tumalo. In Klamath, 'tumolo' means wild plum, and the creek's original name, Tumallowa, meant icy water. The drive into Bend for appointments is part of life here, which is why we try to make each visit count.
Local children attend Redmond School District schools rather than Bend-La Pine: the community school on 2nd Street, then Obsidian Middle School and Ridgeview High School. Our dentists treat children and adults alike, so a single morning in Bend can cover several family members.
Planning Dental Care Around Life in Tumalo
When a dental office is a highway drive away, small problems are easy to postpone. A sensitive tooth gets ignored until the busy season is over or the kids are back in school. Regular cleanings catch decay while it is still a simple filling, which saves both money and extra trips. For most patients, that means a checkup and cleaning twice a year.
We are open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Friday from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The Friday start lets parents fit cleanings in before chores or a workday in Bend. Rush hour can add a few minutes on US 20 as it nears town, so leave a little cushion for the earliest slots.
Teens at Ridgeview and Obsidian are at the age when orthodontic questions and wisdom teeth start to come up. Clear aligners let a teen straighten teeth without brackets, and an x-ray at a routine visit shows how wisdom teeth are developing. Our full list of services covers the rest, from fillings to implants.
Adults have their own set of concerns. Gums that bleed when you brush are often the first sign of gingivitis, and untreated gum disease can progress to periodontitis and deeper pockets around the teeth. Caught early, it usually responds to a thorough cleaning and better home care. Our dental FAQs page explains bleeding gums, sensitive teeth and other everyday questions in plain language.
Older family members may be living with a missing tooth or a worn bridge. A dental implant replaces the root with a titanium post that bonds with the jawbone, so the teeth on either side are left alone. Our dentists can talk through implants, bridges and crowns at a regular checkup, so the next visit is already planned before you drive home.
After a day at Tumalo State Park, the Oregon State Parks campground and day-use area near Tumalo on the river, a slip on the riverbank rocks can chip a tooth. Families who walk the park's 2.4-mile stretch of the Deschutes River Trail know how quickly a fall can happen. We repair chips and cracks with bonding, fillings or crowns depending on the damage.
Family Dentistry Services for Tumalo Patients
Preventative Dentistry
Check-ups, cleanings and exams for every age, with screening for decay, gum disease and oral cancer. Sealants protect children's back teeth, and digital x-rays produce instant images with significantly less radiation than older film.
Restorative Dentistry
Tooth-colored fillings, crowns, bridges and root canal therapy repair decay and damage. Planning the work carefully helps rural patients finish treatment in as few drives into Bend as possible.
Invisalign®
Clear, removable aligners for teens and adults, planned with advanced 3D imaging. Patients wear them 20 to 22 hours a day and switch to a new set every one to two weeks.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Third molars usually arrive in the late teens or early twenties. We remove them when they crowd other teeth, cause infection or cysts, damage neighbors or keep hurting.
Meet Your Third Street Dentists
Our six general dentists include Dr. John Luke Covalt, DDS, who grew up in Pampa, Texas, earned his dental degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and holds Invisalign certification. Dr. Madeleine Hoskins was raised in Spokane and spent her final year at the University of Washington School of Dentistry in a Spokane community health clinic. Dr. Hoskins favors a minimally invasive, whole-body approach to care.
Insurance & Financing
We work with a multitude of insurance providers, and our insurance team files claims to help families get their maximum benefits. You will see a detailed estimate of costs and likely coverage before treatment begins. Major credit cards, cash and checks are all accepted, and CareCredit offers financing for work insurance does not cover.
“Everyone is absolutely wonderful here! I trust all of the high quality dentists and team! You cannot go wrong by going to Bend Family Dentistry for all of your dental needs! From young to old, they will take great care of you!”
Theresa S.
“The doctor was very impressive. She knows how to do good crown work! She takes quality seriously and excels at making the patient feel satisfied.”
Lauren V.
“I really enjoy coming to this place to get my teeth cleaned. My second time back. Hygienist was great, thorough, and friendly”
Mike L.
“The team is very professional and skilled. They are timely and the remodel is efficient and beautiful. I feel confident with the care I receive.”
Andrea C.
“These guys know their business! From a simple filling to serious bridge work, they can handle it all. Very professional. Highest recommendation!”
Mark C.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Bend Family Dentistry from Tumalo, and how do I get there?
The office is 7.2 miles from Tumalo Community School, usually about 13 minutes by car. Take Cook Avenue south to US 20, follow it southeast into Bend, and continue as it becomes NE 3rd Street. Anyone wanting a dentist near Tumalo stays on that one highway nearly the whole way to 660 NE 3rd St Ste 3.
How can I tell if I have a cavity?
Early cavities often cause no symptoms, so most are found at a checkup. As decay grows, you may notice a twinge with sweets or cold drinks, a dark spot or rough edge on a tooth, or food that keeps catching in the same place. Our dentists look for decay during the exam and use digital x-rays to spot it between teeth, where it is hard to see.
How often should kids and adults get a dental cleaning?
Most children and adults do well with a cleaning and exam every six months. Patients with gum disease or a high risk of cavities may need visits more often. Regular cleanings remove tartar that brushing cannot, and the exam catches decay early, when a small tooth-colored filling is enough.
Should I leave extra time for a winter drive on US 20?
Yes, plan extra time whenever snow or ice is in the forecast. Roundabouts on the north end of Bend can slow down on slick mornings. If conditions make the drive unsafe, call the office to move your appointment rather than rushing the highway.
Do you place tooth-colored fillings?
Yes, our dentists use tooth-colored fillings to repair cavities. The material is shaded to match the surrounding enamel, so the repair blends in on front and back teeth alike. A filling is usually the simplest fix when decay is caught early, which is one more reason to keep regular checkups on the calendar.
Schedule Your Visit from Tumalo
Anyone new to the practice can start with the $99 Comprehensive Exam & X-Ray for new patients, which includes a full oral health exam, standard x-rays and treatment recommendations. If you need a dentist near Tumalo, call (541) 876-1573 or request an appointment online. See every community on our areas we serve page, or visit Dentist Bend, OR for more about the practice.