About us
Meet The Doctor
Meet Dr. Bednark, a skilled dentist and lover of science and art. Dr. Bednark graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy and has since dedicated his career to helping patients achieve healthy, beautiful smiles.
Dr. Bednark has a unique perspective on dentistry, as he enjoys blending science and art to create truly beautiful and functional results. He is also an avid ceramic kiln potter and enjoys spending his free time studying biology and culturing different fungi, which he uses in the creation of things such as soy sauce.
When he’s not in the office or in the studio, Dr. Bednark loves spending time with his spouse, Miranda, and their four beloved rabbits. He brings his passion for creativity and attention to detail to every aspect of his life, including his work as a dentist. Patients appreciate Dr. Bednark’s warm and friendly demeanor, as well as his commitment to providing exceptional dental care that exceeds expectations.
Personal Goals
Dr. Bednark’s life goals include being of utmost service to God and his fellows and getting closer to the deeper truths within his own heart. However you may feel about this, to him it is an adventurous and exciting pursuit. Dr. Bednark cultivates himself to become the best version of himself – including providing dental care to the best of his abilities.
What We Need Most From You
Communication is of utmost importance for your relationship with Dr. Bednark. He wants to share knowledge with you and help you better understand your health conditions and how to improve. We believe that in today’s world there seems to be less and less time to get things done, especially in healthcare settings. We are committed to working efficiently, but also to taking enough time to care for you properly – from a thorough and complete exam, diagnosis of problems, time taken to educate patients on what is happening and why, and time to deliver the chosen treatment. Our goal is not to do dentistry; our goal is for you to be your best and to prevent dental problems from getting in the way of your life.
Empathy
Dr. Bednark wants you to understand that he has had extensive experience as a dental patient starting from a young age. This includes tooth decay, esthetic problems, teeth alignment problems, jaw growth problems, gum disease, sleep apnea, and other problems (today he is doing reasonably well!). Some of these mouth problems connect to human body systems that are beyond the scope of dentistry and some problems that seem distant from the mouth can be treated by a dentist. Dr. Bednark believes that having experienced these problem – and treatments – he is suited to better understand other people and compassionately provide solutions that they might not reach at other dental offices.
Drakeview Dental is a small office with a small, hardworking team. We like working this way because we can work together closely and enjoy our relationships with patients and staff. We believe that the appointment flow and communication are quite different from other dental offices. We hope that you appreciate that.
Education, Materials & Methods
Dr. Bednark has been trained by some of the best doctors in the world. At the University of Detroit- Mercy he was taught by doctors who chose to be in Detroit and chose to teach, because they could have thrived anywhere in the world. Detroit has a mystique and gritty appeal with lots of adventure and excitement for those willing to look for it. This brought incredible oral surgeons from India, prosthodontists from wealthier suburbs around Detroit with access to the most modern technology, and many other people willing to accept the challenge and hopefully reap the rewards of a special experience. This bond united his dental class, the U of D faculty and the community.
Today Dr. Bednark continues his lifelong education through experience with modern dentistry. He currently uses a variety of methods to make crowns, depending on the conditions present; one popular choice is a CAD/CAM process to design and mill high-quality ceramic crowns in the office that are completed on the same day. This saves the patient time and does not compromise quality or esthetics.He offers both traditional and holistic approaches to dental problems. Today some medicines can be used to treat tooth decay more comfortably than traditional methods. For example, when very young children who present with tooth decay but may not be tolerate a dental drill or endure a shot to get their teeth numb, dentists like Dr. Bednark can still help to treat the problem. Sometimes this option is viable for adult teeth, too! When traditional teeth fillings are warranted, Dr. Bednark uses interesting materials to achieve the most esthetic and healthy results. Dr. Bednark considers strength of the materials, how well they can bond, what types of plasticizers are used and what happens when they fail. Some materials are stronger than a tooth and won’t break – however, sometimes we would rather have the material break than have the tooth itself break and cause a catastrophic failure. Other materials are bioactive and release minerals to help strengthen the tooth and adjacent teeth. Some filling materials get broken down through normal wear and can release chemicals that we would prefer not be exposed to. Dr. Bednark is conscious of this and wields his professional judgement carefully to offer a variety of choices. If his first choice isn’t acceptable, then the plan can be discussed and adjusted.
Dr. Bednark is truly interested in the science of dental problems and solutions, and he will do his best to share that technology with you and communicate the science if you’re interested to know how it works.
Artistry
Dr. Bednark will use his artistic talents for your benefit in the dental operatory. His interest in art began as a child and took off at Albion College. The subject of these projects was “Zinc Macrocrystalline Ceramics,” a mix of chemistry and art to develop interesting glazes on stoneware and porcelain forms. Albion College faculty in both the chemistry and art departments advocated for his work and together added a new high-temperature kiln to their art studio to help control the glaze firing temperatures. In the below photo you can see the dramatic visual appeal of crystalline-glazed ceramics, however, an office visit will allow you to see some of his crystalline pieces firsthand!
Education
Hard worker instilled by parents High school valedictorian, athlete and musician, 4.0 GPA (above 4.0 was not possible at that time) Undergraduate degree with aggressive curriculum and Summa Cum Laude (with highest) honors 3.92 GPA, Albion College
Dental School at U of Detroit-Mercy
Continuing Education through the Academy of General Dentistry, the Healthy Start and many mentors
Every day is an opportunity to grow.