I had an interesting experience a few years back when I was diagnosed with cancer, and because of anunpredictable future,I retired from dentistry. However, through the grace of God, I am eightyears in remission and healthier than ever.
This leave of absence from dentistry taught me much about myself. My love of my profession gives me purpose in my life, and over the years I have found that the most rewarding part of dentistry is the relationships that grow with my patients.
My philosophy in treating dental patients is to treat each and every patient as if they were a member of my family. What would I do that tooth if this were my mothers? In fact, my patients are like family to me and I truly value the friendships we have built.
One of the most incredible things about my profession is the rapid change in science and technology. Through a wide variety of continuing education, I am able to stay abreast of these developments and evaluate their respective strengths and weaknesses. This ongoing training ensures Iofferpatients the bestcare and treatment options.
I was raised in the Northern California area and have called Chico my home for more than 30 years. My wife Kathy and I have been married for three decades and have two adult children, both of whom live and work in Chico. I am proud to have our daughter, Katie,as a part of ourdental hygiene team: She is one of our highly skilled hygienists here at Forest Avenue Dental.
Her favorite part of her job is hearing all of the wonderful compliments and comments from patients about how enjoyable their dental experience was with Dr. Walker and his team. How he has a rare quality of making everyone feel as if they were family. 'Everyone here is the true meaning of the word TEAM.'
In her spare time, Kari enjoys playing golf, bowling, traveling, and most of all spending time with her son and daughter-in-law in Oregon. She has a cute little dog, Brody, who she says is very spoiled and very loved.
Denise really enjoys working with Dr. Walker and his team. She loves meeting her wonderful patients, getting to know them, and becoming their friends. She sets up the treatment rooms, and prepares the patients for treatment, thenexplains what will happen during their procedure.
Her family keeps her busy outside of work. She and her husband Mike were married in 2002. They have two amazing sons, Jayson and Bentley. They love swimming, camping, house boating, and watching Jayson play baseball with the Chico Aces. They also enjoy time with their family, which is spread across the US.
Rosalba loves helping her patients get over their fear of dentistry. Its rewarding to help people have pleasant, worry-free visits and get to know them on a personal level. When someone thanks her at the end of a procedure, she is thrilled! She assists Dr. Walker in the back office: working during procedures and supporting our patients.
Vanessa began her dental career in 2009, with previous experience assisting in orthodontics and periodontics. Now at Forest Avenue Dental, Vanessa works alongside Dr. Walker, assisting him during procedures and ensuring patient comfort. Prior to beginning any work, she explains the procedure and answers any questions our patients may have to help them feel at ease.
Outside of work, Vanessas family keeps her very busy. She and her husband have four human children and two fur children. She is a part of a large Mexican-American family and therefore is fluent in Spanish. In her free time, Vanessa enjoys spending time with family, traveling, going on hikes, and riding her bike.
Katie was born and raised in Chico. She attended Pleasant Valley High School and studied Public Health at Chico State. She received her dental hygiene degree and Diode Laser certification from Taft College in 2017.
Katie found her calling to the dental field whileworking in her father's dental practice throughout high school and college. She is thrilled to work with her father in helping the people ofher community achieve beautiful healthy smiles! She enjoys educating patients on how to maintain a healthy mouth.
Keleigh began her career as a dental hygienist in 2008 and recently joined the Forest Avenue Dental team. Her goal is to provide the best prevention methods and treatment options for gum disease, as well as educate her patients on oral hygiene and the effects of nutrition and oral health. She enjoys forming relationships with her patients and working together with them to achieve optimal oral health.
Keleigh is married with one stepson and two grandchildren who are the light of her life. She and her husband love to camp, ride Quads and spend their days on Lake Oroville. Her favorite time of year is football seasonshe loves the Miami Dolphins!
For Dr. Gary Walker and the Forest Avenue Dental team, dentistry is more than caring for teeth. Each of us thrives on the connections we build with our patients, and we treateveryone with the same care and attention we offer our family members.
All the leading-edge options also run in sync with our commitment to old-fashioned customer service. Here, we combine a patient-centered approach with state-of-the-art processes. You will always know we genuinely care about you and want only the best for you:the best health, the happiest life, and the most incredible smile!
Reviews
Rating 4.1 out of 5 based on 13 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestNikole Anderson
2 years ago
Gary and his staff are super great! I definitely recommend his office for your dental needs.
Jacob Maier
2 years ago
Temp filling fell out and when I called concerned they said it would be fine. The toothe snapped and I had to come in and have him break it up to get it out, wherein not all was able to be extracted. The lidocaine they used caused adverse side effect to my tongue...splitting. So they tried a topical for further work, which wasn't very effective causing the work to be quite painful. Worst Dental experience ever.
Jane Allyson Barrett
2 years ago
Great Experience with this office and I've had poor dentists, believe me. Very personable and efficient staff on-time. Never spent even 5 minutes in the waiting room. They were one of the few that accepted my insurance and I'm very pleased I found them.
Sharon Nichols
2 years ago
Dr. Walker is professional, personable, trustworthy, knowledgeable, courteous, and best dentist I have experienced. The office and support staff are patient oriented and always professional and friendly. I highly recommend Forest Avenue Dental.
Avery Smith
2 years ago
If I could give this office a zero, I would. Dr walker billed me before my insurance and was extremely unprofessional. He said Smile wide that's your "sexy smile" ?? Also my new dentist said my filling was done extremely poorly and it was done a year ago by dr walker.unprofessional to say the very least.
Kayla Helgeson
2 years ago
Sadly, if I could give this office a 0, I would, based on their billing practices. Dr. Walker is a Contracted Provider for my insurance plan. I had to pay for services BEFORE my insurance was even billed. Once the insurance processed the claim I learned I had overpaid them. There was a line on the claim that wasn't reimbursable, based on their CONTRACT, because they had already been paid by the insurance company the maximum amount ALLOWED BY THEIR CONTRACT for that tooth. I left a message with their office explaining this and asked for a call-back. NO RESPONSE. Today, I received NOT A REFUND from my OVERPAYMENT, but a past-due bill for money they're not even entitled to UNDER THEIR INSURANCE CONTRACT with a little note for ME to contact my insurance company. Well guess what - I DID contact them and Dr. Walker is in violation of his CONTRACT. It's providers like this, who try to bully money from their patients that they're not entitled to, who are the scum of the earth. BAD BUSINESS, Dr. Walker!!!
Kayla Helgeson
3 years ago
Sadly, if I could give this office a 0, I would, based on their billing practices. Dr. Walker is a Contracted Provider for my insurance plan. I had to pay for services BEFORE my insurance was even billed. Once the insurance processed the claim I learned I had overpaid them. There was a line on the claim that wasn't reimbursable, based on their CONTRACT, because they had already been paid by the insurance company the maximum amount ALLOWED BY THEIR CONTRACT for that tooth. I left a message with their office explaining this and asked for a call-back. NO RESPONSE. Today, I received NOT A REFUND from my OVERPAYMENT, but a past-due bill for money they're not even entitled to UNDER THEIR INSURANCE CONTRACT with a little note for ME to contact my insurance company. Well guess what - I DID contact them and Dr. Walker is in violation of his CONTRACT. It's providers like this, who try to bully money from their patients that they're not entitled to, who are the scum of the earth. BAD BUSINESS, Dr. Walker!!!
Kristi
4 years ago
I had three crowns done, some metal fillings removed, and cavities filled. My teeth were a mess. Dr. Walker fixed everything in two relatively short visits, and it was all surprisingly painless. I expected I'd have to endure a little pain but there was none. No pain with the initial novocaine injection either because he used a topical numbing agent first. He is very in tune with people's sensitivity and pain tolerance levels and just seems to naturally know how to put people at ease and how to intuit what his patients are feeling and what their anxiety level is. I consider that true artistic dentistry. He has a great, easy, fun rapport with his staff, who are all very kind people. The wait time is pretty much non existent once you're in the office. They are the most "on time" dentist or doctor's office I've EVER been to. I also loved that everything is done on site, and fast! My crowns were ready lickety split! No waiting hours, days or weeks for crowns to be made. They do it right there with stealthy, state of the art machinery. Amazing experience! I highly recommend Dr. Walker and his lovely and caring staff :)
Joseph Mares
4 years ago
I copy pasted this from FB to make sure people knew where to go. DDS. Walker was awesome! Him, his staff and everyone I interacted with was sweet, nice and informative. Some backstory, I broke my teeth as a child and have been in the dentist office many many times for painful procedures. They understood my nervousness and made sure I understood that it was ok and common to feel this way, which made me feel good. Understanding my hesitation Mr. Walker took it slow and helped me get through my 20 year fear of the dentist chair. Long story short the experience was tip top (10/10 would recommend), all questions were answered and they made sure I understood the answers. I'll be getting my regular cleanings and check ups from now. I haven't practiced good dental visit practices even knowing that brushing isn't enough, but now I have a dentist that makes me comfortable and willing to sit in the chair. Seriously from a 31 year old (for what that's worth), best dental visit ever!
Daniel Perkins
4 years ago
Great, friendly staff. I would recommend them to anyone. Dr. Walker is the best I've been to!
Margaret Keyes
4 years ago
I'd like to share my dental experience with the Chico community. Dr Gary Walker has transformed my smile with the most beautiful veneers you've ever seen. He's done other extensive dental work and has been my dentist for more than 20 years. He takes care of the dental needs for my entire family and most of my friends. He has a beautiful office, state-of-the-art equipment, and the most amazing staff. Katie cleans my teeth, Denise and Kari are wonderful, happy and helpful. What a wonderful experience!
Nancy Brooks
4 years ago
I've just had an amazing dental experience at Forest Avenue dental with Dr. Gary Walker. After multiple bone graphs and extractions, I am in day two of recovery. Recovery is a very mild term for the fact that I felt absolutely no pain during the procedure or after. Dr. Walker's staff is extremely helpful and kind and the atmosphere in the office is wonderful. It is a pleasure to sit in the dental chair and look outside a beautiful window. The whole experience was amazing and comfortable. The office is beautiful and extremely well organized. The equipment is state-of-the-art. You just know you're in good hands with Dr. Gary Walker. I live in Arizona but plan to return to Dr Walker for the next step in my treatment. I'm so pleased to have found him.
Maria Engbrecht
4 years ago
Dr. Walker and his staff are amazing. I hate waiting at the Dr. Office, not here! They had the red carpet rolled out when I arrived. Not only that, but I was able to have all my issues fixed in just two visits. That saved me time and money. No in between visits, fillings and grindings. They do everything on site. And I swear Dr. Walker spins his needles from silk. I didn't feel a thing. I highly recommend them.
Pat Kelley
4 years ago
Unbelievable dental experience! I would highly recommend to anyone in the area to go meet with Dr. Walker and his staff. You will be blown away by the quality of treatment and friendly service. My time is very valuable and I was able to get my crown prepped and completed within an hour and a half.
Joseph Mares
4 years ago
I copy pasted this from FB to make sure people knew where to go. DDS. Walker was awesome! Him, his staff and everyone I interacted with was sweet, nice and informative. Some backstory, I broke my teeth as a child and have been in the dentist office many many times for painful procedures. They understood my nervousness and made sure I understood that it was ok and common to feel this way, which made me feel good. Understanding my hesitation Mr. Walker took it slow and helped me get through my 20 year fear of the dentist chair. Long story short the experience was tip top (10/10 would recommend), all questions were answered and they made sure I understood the answers. I'll be getting my regular cleanings and check ups from now. I haven't practiced good dental visit practices even knowing that brushing isn't enough, but now I have a dentist that makes me comfortable and willing to sit in the chair. Seriously from a 31 year old (for what that's worth), best dental visit ever!
Kristi
4 years ago
I had three crowns done, some metal fillings removed, and cavities filled. My teeth were a mess. Dr. Walker fixed everything in two relatively short visits, and it was all surprisingly painless. I expected I'd have to endure a little pain but there was none. No pain with the initial novocaine injection either because he used a topical numbing agent first. He is very in tune with people's sensitivity and pain tolerance levels and just seems to naturally know how to put people at ease and how to intuit what his patients are feeling and what their anxiety level is. I consider that true artistic dentistry. He has a great, easy, fun rapport with his staff, who are all very kind people. The wait time is pretty much non existent once you're in the office. They are the most "on time" dentist or doctor's office I've EVER been to. I also loved that everything is done on site, and fast! My crowns were ready lickety split! No waiting hours, days or weeks for crowns to be made. They do it right there with stealthy, state of the art machinery. Amazing experience! I highly recommend Dr. Walker and his lovely and caring staff :)
Daniel Perkins
4 years ago
Great, friendly staff. I would recommend them to anyone. Dr. Walker is the best I've been to!
Maria Engbrecht
5 years ago
Dr. Walker and his staff are amazing. I hate waiting at the Dr. Office, not here! They had the red carpet rolled out when I arrived. Not only that, but I was able to have all my issues fixed in just two visits. That saved me time and money. No in between visits, fillings and grindings. They do everything on site. And I swear Dr. Walker spins his needles from silk. I didn't feel a thing. I highly recommend them.
Pat Kelley
5 years ago
Unbelievable dental experience! I would highly recommend to anyone in the area to go meet with Dr. Walker and his staff. You will be blown away by the quality of treatment and friendly service. My time is very valuable and I was able to get my crown prepped and completed within an hour and a half.
Nancy Brooks
5 years ago
I've just had an amazing dental experience at Forest Avenue dental with Dr. Gary Walker. After multiple bone graphs and extractions, I am in day two of recovery. Recovery is a very mild term for the fact that I felt absolutely no pain during the procedure or after. Dr. Walker's staff is extremely helpful and kind and the atmosphere in the office is wonderful. It is a pleasure to sit in the dental chair and look outside a beautiful window. The whole experience was amazing and comfortable. The office is beautiful and extremely well organized. The equipment is state-of-the-art. You just know you're in good hands with Dr. Gary Walker. I live in Arizona but plan to return to Dr Walker for the next step in my treatment. I'm so pleased to have found him.
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