My Smile Family Dental ★9.5

A 1980 family practice that runs like a walk-in room

My Smile Family Dental opened in northwest Edmonton the year its founder, Dr. Terry Orsten, graduated from the University of Alberta, and it has stayed a general family office ever since. What separates it from the city’s other long-established practices is what grew on top: a dozen dentists on the roster and an open door for urgent cases, walk-ins included, every day of the week.

Treatments offered

Prevention anchors the schedule: exams and cleanings on the six-month rhythm the Canadian Dental Association recommends, fluoride, sealants for children’s molars, low-dose digital radiographs taken only when the exam calls for them. Restorative work covers implants, root canals, wisdom tooth removal, dentures and lab-made inlays. Fillings come both ways — tooth-coloured composite and traditional amalgam, still placed for patients who ask. Cosmetic care means whitening, porcelain veneers, crowns and bridges; Invisalign and conventional orthodontics run for children, teens and adults.

The emergency door

Urgent dentistry is a defined program here, not an exception. The published protocol covers nine categories — avulsed teeth, fractures, abscess and swelling, soft-tissue trauma, acute sensitivity, jaw-joint pain — with home first aid for each and a thirty-minute window for replanting a knocked-out tooth. Arrivals are triaged at the door and frozen for comfort first. Nitrous oxide and conscious sedation are there for anxious patients and longer procedures.

The dentists

Dr. Orsten still practises, with a particular interest in people frightened of dentistry. Dr. Tyler Halabi handles surgical extractions, Dr. Aaron Fong complex restorations and full-mouth rehabilitation, Dr. Julia Rutkowski cosmetic and emergency work — she is fluent in Polish. Dr. Arshpreet Kaur, who practised in India before earning her Canadian DDS with honours at Western, sees patients in Punjabi and Hindi. Dr. Justin Highmoor served with the Canadian Forces before settling in Alberta.

Who it suits

Families who want one office for every age. Nervous patients: blankets, neck pillows, in-room screens and a children’s toy box come standard. Anyone with a cracked tooth or facial swelling who cannot wait for a booking.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an appointment for an emergency? No — walk-ins are taken; calling ahead lets the team ready a chair.

I am terrified of the drill. Say so when you book: sedation is arranged in advance, and the founder built much of his reputation on treating dental fear.

Will you place a silver filling if I ask? Yes — amalgam stays on the list alongside composite.

Can I choose my dentist? Yes, or take any open slot and be matched to the doctor who fits the case.

Opening hours