The Home Created Here
Home isn’t a place, it is a feeling.
A lot of history has occurred at 4208 S. Alston Avenue over the last 200+ years.
The original log home stood on 500 acres and was built by Lewis Herndon for his wife Polly in 1849, well before Durham County was formed in 1881. Upon Polly’s death, the home and land were deeded to their son Lewis Jr. and his wife Ann. It changed hands many times before being bought by W.S. Page in 1909. It was during this ownership that the exterior of the home was changed from the original log dwelling to the prominent “Colonial Revival” style that it presently has. Before Dr. Eaker purchased the home and 2.25 acres in 2003 it had many other uses — from a schoolhouse to a daycare, many stories were told within its walls. Unfortunately, it had sat vacant and was in such disrepair that Dr. Eaker salvaged what he could from the interior and upon recommendation from the historical society, he donated the original structure to the local fire department for a training burn. But before the burn, the local Jaycees had a “Spooky Good Time” using the home as a haunted house. The rebuild was structured off of the Page home from 1909 but brought up to date with modern electrical, plumbing and HVAC. A large ADA compliant ramp was also built along the parking lot side of the home to help accommodate those in wheelchairs. Handcrafted Dentistry is honored to reside in a building so rich in history.
Insurance & Payment
We’ll work with your insurance provider to make sure you fully understand and best utilize your dental benefits.
At Handcrafted Dentistry, your oral health is our priority, and we’ve done everything we can to ensure you will receive the treatment you need at a price that fits your budget and your lifestyle. We believe that dental insurance shouldn’t dictate who your dentist is; we believe that decision should be up to you. Handcrafted Dentistry accepts most major insurance plans as an out-of-network provider. As a courtesy, our insurance coordinator
will file your claims and take care of all of the paperwork for you. If you want to talk details or have questions about your insurance plan, please call the office at
(919) 544-5620 and we will be happy to provide you with more information about your specific plan.
We accept cash, check, & major credit cards. Additionally, we offer Care Credit to help patients who need extensive or extended payment options for care.
Your smile is yours forever, and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to receive the best care – whenever you need it
At Handcrafted Dentistry, we understand that your time is valuable and that nobody likes paperwork! The following forms are necessary so that we can safely and legally treat you in our office. In order to spend more time focusing on your oral health during your appointment at our Durham, NC dental practice, we invite you to complete the following patient forms before arriving at your appointment. Please remember to email them ahead of your scheduled appointment to info@handcrafteddentistry.com
New Patients
Your First Visit
Your first visit to Handcrafted Dentistry involves a few special steps so that we can get to know you. To understand what to expect, please read through this page and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about it! You’ll find all the practical information you need, such as a map and directions to our office, practice hours, payment policies, and more. There’s also background information about our committed staff and our first visit procedures. You can also save some time by printing out and completing the patient forms here in advance of your appointment—or we are happy to email them to you.
Since we schedule longer examinations than the average dentist in order to truly get to know you, there may be a short delay in being able to schedule an initial appointment. If you have an urgent need, please let us know and we’ll get you in as quickly as possible to evaluate your main area of concern.
Since we schedule longer examinations than the average dentist in order to truly get to know you, there may be a short delay in being able to schedule an initial appointment. If you have an urgent need, please let us know and we’ll get you in as quickly as possible to evaluate your main area of concern.
At the first appointment, we will initially review medical and dental history, find out your goals, determine how to make dentistry comfortable for you, and answer any questions you might have. We will then do a full dental examination. This includes an oral cancer exam, evaluating gum disease (the painless, most common cause of tooth loss), note evidence of wear, recession, mobility of teeth, how they function, the condition of existing restorations (such as fillings, crowns, implants, etc.), and note any cavities. We use many diagnostic aids in this process, including photographs and x-rays (if none are up-to-date, of good quality, and available from a previous office). After thorough diagnosis, depending on your individual needs, a cleaning or gum therapy will be scheduled for a separate visit with one of our skilled dental hygienists.
Our Services
Services we offer include:
Bonding – to repair small chips or cracks
Crowns & Bridges – to replace large amounts of lost or broken tooth structure and/or missing teeth
Dental Implant Crowns – for replacement of a missing tooth or multiple teeth (utilizing local oral surgeons to help plan and surgically place the implants)
Fillings – to remove decay and make your teeth strong and healthy again
Invisalign – using clear aligners to straighten teeth and align your bite
Nightguards – to protect teeth from clenching and grinding (bruxism) while you sleep
Oral Cancer Screenings – to detect disease early and at a curable stage
Periodontal (Gum) Disease Therapy – to prevent tooth mobility leading to tooth loss and
reduce bleeding gums (also called scaling and root planing)
Porcelain Veneers – for repairing larger chips and cracks and reshaping teeth
Professional Teeth Cleanings – to maintain good oral health
Removable Dentures – to help you smile again
Sealants – to protect teeth from decay
Teeth Whitening – to brighten a faded or discolored smile
Tooth Extractions – removal for when a tooth is hopelessly damaged, decayed or
infected
Emergency Dental Treatment
If you have a life-threatening or severe injury, or swelling that is making it difficult to breathe, call 911 or go directly to the nearest hospital emergency room. We can treat a variety of traumatic dental injuries, including teeth that have been chipped, moved, or knocked out entirely. Please call our office at (919) 544-5620 for assistance.