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Meet Dr. Allan Pike (Retired 2020)

Allan Pike DDS, MS

Pediatric Dentist

My primary goal in working with children is to do whatever is necessary to have them grow up remembering that a trip to the dentist is a safe, comfortable experience. A good childhood impression of dentistry plays such an important role in adulthood; so many patients who had bad dental experiences as children put off needed dental work, leading to bigger problems and more complex solutions. Many eventually wind up with dentures or complex bridgework, all because they put off routine care due to fear that originated from a bad childhood experience at the dentist.

Children who come to our office grow up with no fear of the dentist. In fact, they enjoy coming! The primary things that we consistently offer children are an atmosphere of safety, friendliness, empowerment, and freedom from pain.  As adults, they enjoy a lifetime of good childhood dental memories, which ensures regular preventive care.

Education and Experience

I take great personal pride in staying up to date in my profession. It is not unusual for me to accumulate double the required number of continuing education hours each year. As a part-time instructor for over 20 years at OHSU’s department of pediatric dentistry, I was able to learn as much as I taught, from routine procedures to unusual, complex treatments.

Professional Affiliations

Outside the Office

I grew up in Saginaw, MI, where the winters are long and cold, and ice skating on outdoor ponds is the best. My wife, Marney, and I were married in 1964 and moved to Portland in 1965 when I was accepted to the children’s dental program at OHSU.

We have three wonderful children. Michelle is married to Scott and lives in Arizona. Steven is married to Allison and they have a daughter, Coco. She’s a delightful eleven year old who gets a lot of our attention. Steven is the third-generation dentist in our family, after his grandfather and me. Fortunately, he chose to come and practice with me here in Portland. It’s been such a pleasure practicing with him these last eleven years. My life is so much easier now that he is here. He not only has a wonderful way with children and their parents, but also is very organized and enjoys staying up to date with the latest research and materials. Our third child is Jamie. She also lives here in Portland, and works in the dental field as a dental hygienist. I know she’s good at what she does, because she takes such good care of my teeth! Allison and Steven generously share Coco with us every Thursday, and Aunt Jamie comes over to help. Life doesn’t get much better than that!

My main hobbies include old cars, woodworking, golf, and flying, but my passion is dentistry. My longest and most satisfying project was writing a book called “Pediatric Dentistry: Building a No-Fear Practice.” It explains how my methods of keeping children happy in a dental office evolved from the commonly accepted strict authoritative culture, to one of gentleness and empowerment, where a child’s memory of a dental visit is just as important as the treatment itself.

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