Dr. Thornell and his wife Sherry have lived in Pagosa Springs for over sixteen years. Originally drawn by the natural beauty of southwest Colorado, there was something about the people and community of Pagosa Springs that made the transition from city life to rural America more of a calling. This move was the prefect marriage of serving and making a difference with the love of all that Pagosa Springs has to offer.
Dr. Thornell has over thirty years of experience in every facet of modern dentistry with specialized training in dental implant surgery and complex restorative care. Dentistry has changed dramatically over the years and Dr. Thornell has stayed on top of all the latest advancements and technology by participating in over a hundred and fifty hours of advanced clinical education a year.
One of the most exciting advances in dentistry Dr. Thornell passionately offers is the Teeth in A Day or the All-on-4 technique for those individuals who may be losing all their teeth or have dentures that do not fit well, look good or function properly. If someone has battled tooth decay, endless dental repairs or gum disease that has never gone away even after treatment, the All-on-4 solution is truly a God Send. Instead of this being a hopeless situation the All-on-4, Teeth in A Day solution can deliver stability and peace of mind where there is no longer any worry or anxiety about your dental health.
Dr. Thornell can now offer life restoring hope to those who have these debilitating conditions by giving them beautiful teeth, confidence and functionality in just one day. This is a service that Dr. Thornell has been uniquely trained and certified in that only few dentists are qualified to perform. Nowhere else in southwest Colorado can you exchange your poor dental health and teeth for a vibrant new healthy smile in just one day!
Along with this specialized training, Dr. Thornell has also been awarded Diplomat status with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, their highest level of accreditation and Master accreditation with the International Dental Implant Association for his expertise in dental implant surgery and dental implant restoration. These organizations are led by the most respected and experienced implantologists from all over the world and have rigorous standards and requirements for implant excellence that Dr. Thornell has attained.
In addition, he has been selected by the Academy of General Dentistry to receive their coveted Mastership award in 2017 for completing over fifteen hundred hours of advanced continuing education in every dental discipline being taught today, an achievement that less than three percent of all dentists in the U.S. and Canada have obtained. Along with the all the training and education Dr. Thornell possesses, special attention has also been given to the latest technology he owns and utilizes daily to provide a level of care that rivals any specialty practice in a large metropolitan city.
One of the best things about being a dentist Dr. Thornell says is being able to change the lives of people he serves. He believes that the well being of the whole body depends on keeping all areas of the body disease free. When he can help restore someone back to health, function and happiness, it is a reward that lives on past the service itself and will impact the lives of others for years to come. This is the legacy Dr. Thornell wants to leave and he is passionate about serving others with the best dentistry has to offer.
When you are looking for a permanent solution to replace failing or missing teeth, you should choose only the most experienced doctor in Pagosa Springs, CO. Dr. Thornell aims to provide every patient seeking dental implants a personal, convenient and gentle experience that results in a lifetime of beautiful smiles. We perform every step of the implant process in our state-of-the-art office, from capturing detailed digital images of your jaw with our brand-new i-CAT CBCT scanner to restoring the dental implant with lifelike crowns. Dr. Thornell is also the exclusive provider of our Smile Today dental implant solution in all of Pagosa Springs, CO. We even work with Medicare to make your dream smile affordable for you! When youre looking for such a life-changing treatment, choosing the doctor who has specialized in dental implants exclusively for over 12 years will give you the results you deserve!
Reviews
Rating 4.9 out of 5 based on 117 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestBernice Muskrat
a year ago
Great dental care and expertise in his field. Dr.Thornell and his Staff truly care about their patients and have helped me from the beginning until the end. I love my new Smile and it's really going to help my health overall.
Jessica Nicole Collins
a year ago
Dr. Thornell and staff are super friendly, great with scheduling appointments around my needs. I'm a 36 year old single mother of two small children, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, and my teeth rotted out from prednisone use. They made sure my experience with full mouth implants was as painless and easy as possible. They were extremely thorough with detailing exactly what I should expect from surgery, as well as living with the implants themselves. Most impressive, they're equally amazing with post-op instructions. They are as dedicated to making their work highly functional and durable as I am myself. They do not neglect details with follow up progress appointments, X-rays to monitor proper healing, and overall comfort and functionality. Lastly, I'm impressed with the minor--yet highly important details-- other practices tend to neglect. Both Dr. Thornell and staff delightfully take time to repeat and reexplain instructions and procedures to further assure excellent, lifetime results-- not to mention very little wait times with the thorough, yet surprisingly quick appointment times.
Tina Martinez
a year ago
I love my teeth, professional staff. Connie was my nurse evey time and she is awesome. Dr. Takes care of you and explained everything. Highly recommend.
Gary Walthall
a year ago
My experience was incredible throughout. Starting with conversations with Samantha and my first visit after a referral from an old friend. Dr. Thornell was up front and honest and asked me to come back the next day. I was pretty scared of the process and expense but knew my teeth were not going to improve. My procedure, although postponed a little, was tiring and at times painful, but being the day after, having no pain. I fell in love with Connie as my dentist assistant and liked Brit very much also. I highly recommend this procedure if you have any questions about the future of your dental life. I felt very respected by the doctor and the staff and would recommend anyone with questions to make the call to Samantha. She stayed on top of everything throughout.
Notorious RC3
a year ago
Very friendly and helpful environment. Dr. Thornhill is a genius! A quick and painless procedure that has changed my life for the better! Thank you so much! 10/10! Im recommending him to all my Colorado friends!
Walter Logue
a year ago
When I first came to Pagosa Dental (in 2021) the doctor was very receptive and responsive to my needs HOWEVER, please be forewarned, when I tried to schedule the mandatory follow ups and checkups, I found that appointments were very hard to come by. This office, like many offices, schedules too many patients for the staff and equipment to accommodate. I often waited more than a half hour in the waiting room and then more than a half hour in the dental chair before I could even see the dentist. I was made to feel that MY schedule was an inconvenience to THEM and I finally was forced to stop coming altogether. The doctor was at times rude and unhelpful on a few occasions though I was kind, courteous and professional from the start. I hope that customers can be related to with more professionalism in the future. I know that I REPEATEDLY felt abandoned and marginalized once my money was collected. I had whole mouth implants and gladly paid a large sum, but was assured that I would be cared for throughout all of the mandatory follow ups and healing processes, because I paid UP FRONT for this, but I did NOT receive the care that was needed to the point that I could not even get appointments for the care I was promised. My teeth never fit correctly from the start, that was explained to the doctor and staff many times but now I will need to have this resolved by a different dentist, and I will pay ALL OVER AGAIN for that which I was promised and what I prepaid for. BEWARE.
Darren Goodwin
a year ago
My experience at Dr. Thornell's office has been a great experience while dealing with a scary situation! I started having some issues with a front tooth a few months after having a root canal that I had completed in another state. My tooth wasn't hurting so like a lot of other people I put the situation on hold while I was struggling with the thought of losing my front tooth and working on putting myself in the position to deal with it financially. After a year of putting off any type of treatment I finally met with Dr. Thornell and he took the time to explain to me clearly the seriousness of my situation and the damage that was going on inside my mouth. Pagosa Dental Implant Center offered many payment options. This was exactly what I needed. I made the appointment and decided to move forward with my treatment understanding all the possibilities of my treatment. I'm so glad that I was able to have Dr. Thornell as my dentist. I had damaged so much bone by letting this go on for such a long period of time and I'm thankful for the years of experience and education that Dr. Thornell provided. He has given me my front tooth back and I'm so grateful for the time and care he has invested in me. I 100% recommended Dr. Thornell and his amazing staff for any of your future dental needs.
Jessenia Aultmon
a year ago
They took great care of my brother in law Rayjay. Thanks a million to the team!!
Dennis Gibbons
a year ago
This place was fantastic! All of the people were gracious, kind and treat you respect. Such beautiful people they all are. Dr Thornhell and staff are very professional! I love my new implants and teeth. Great smile now! Would recommend highly!
Lana Angus
2 years ago
My dentist is a artist! My teeth look fantastic. Staff is like no other feels like family. Love my doctor and staff
Rob Havens
2 years ago
Dr Thornell and his staff were so awesome!! They are so caring and so professional!! I had hardly any pain with a full mouth implant and I love my teeth now !! Thank-you so much , this will be life changing !!
Lyn Bogle
2 years ago
My wife, Pam, and I recently received full sets of dental implants from Pagosa Dental Implant Center. We couldn't have asked for better care and service. The procedure was professional and absolutely perfect when finished. Dr. Thornell and his crew took care of our every need and comfort during this procedure. The time it took to complete, seemed short even though it took several hours. The care after the procedure, was everything we expected and more. The final result was beautiful and perfect. We highly recommend Dr. Thornell to do your replacement teeth, should you ever have the need.
Ginger Raythank you for sharing
2 years ago
I feel like a brand new person.since I have received incredible care from Dr Thornel an his wonderfully caring staff my implant teeth are beautiful. I WOULD recommend this to anyone who needs teeth .
Stephanie Kosovich
2 years ago
I was very pleased with the care I received at Pagosa Dental Implant Center. I traveled from my home in Florida for the procedure and I couldn't be happier with the results. Thank You to Dr Thornell and his staff for taking such exceptional care of me. P.S. I LOVE MY BEAUTIFUL NEW TEETH!
Hollie Benson-Dowd
2 years ago
I cannot speak any higher about a dental practice if I could. I had a medical condition that caused me to gradually lose my teeth. Regretfully my only option was to have all my teeth pulled and to wear dentures. I did extensive research in the area where I live, to see if I had other options. I knew once losing the teeth, my gums and jaws would be compromised and needed to make decisions quickly. Thank goodness I found Doctor Thornell. I was very impressed by his lengthy experience with this kind of work with full mouth implant surgery and decided it was the right way for me to go. While not inexpensive, the ladies in the office worked very diligently to find me the best financing options for the procedure. I decided it's my only mouth and my health, and worth every dime. The surgery went very well and and I'm ecstatic with my results. The entire office was so caring, and helped me through it all. Thank you Pagosa Dental Implant Center, Dr. Thornell and the beautiful ladies there who support the doctor. You've all changed my life.
Taylor Cook
2 years ago
He has been absolutely amazing I feel like I can smile again I highly recommend him and his staff.
Patti Colbert
2 years ago
This was an awesome experience, everything went extremely smooth. I will be back and refer to others.
scott oakman
2 years ago
I was going to wait until completely done with this journey that takes about 90 days start to finish before posting. However, since it has started out so well I feel everybody should know how my experience went. A little history first. I am 75 and have seen a lot and done a lot, some good and some bad. As a small child I went through a lot of bad experiences with dentist. They would tie me down and when it was over my father would beat me for crying when got home. So I always feared going to have my teeth taken care of, and bad flash backs. As a result, over many years I ended up with mouth full of missing and broken teeth. I hope this story will help anybody who has put off thier dental health. PRE OP: From the first visit I found that the denist and the whole staff was so friendly and helpfull. They explained every thing that needed to be done and what I needed to do. What stands out to me the most was the dentist fully explained what was wrong with my mouth and asked me what I thought should be done before he told me what he thought should happen. We both agreed a full implant was the right way to proceed. He expained the procedure as well as having examples to show me how the implants work. SURGERY: The dentist had previously explained everything which was going to be done prior to proceeding. He made me feel comfortable and made sure my anxiety level was low. The first day of surgery was a Thursday and it went well. The dentist pulled all the bottoms and put in my new lowers. The second day of surgery was Friday, the dentist pulled out my top teeth and put in my new uppers. Prior to leaving both days the dentist made sure I was alert and able to comprehend everything which had been done prior to releasing me. The dentist had scheduled my follow-up appointment on Saturday but due to another surgey he was preforming he had to reschedule me for Sunday, which I had never heard of a dentist going out of his way to make sure his patient was doing well. As a note of what kind of person he is, after each surgery he walked me down stairs, helped me walk on the ice, and would not close the car door until I put on my seatbelt (unheard of). So anybody who wants top notch dental work with caring attention, it's here at Pagosa Dental Implant Center. I will post again at the end and let everybody know if my 5 star rating holds up.
Daryl Osden
2 years ago
I was extremely satisfied with Dr. Thornell and his staff from start to finish. I probably spent 5 years looking at my options and they were positive and supportive and I my case straight to the point which I felt was not totally there with others. I checked out clinics up to 10 hours away and in several countries and many pricepints. With that said I really feel the research was worth it but I should not have waited so long but I was looking for perfection and I found it!
Lisa Burley
2 years ago
Dr. Thornell and all his staff are the best. It is the best Dentist I have ever had. All of them were so friendly and helpful and very clear on all the questions asked. Their office is spotless, the waiting room cozy. I had really bad teeth on top and had them pulled and a full upper inplant done in same day. I am afraid of dentists and Dr. Thornell gives you an IV Sedation which calms you down and makes it much easier. I am so proud of my new teeth and happy to smile again. I actually feel whole again. I can't wait to bite into a hamburger, a carmel apple, corn on the Cobb and so much more. Thank you so much Dr. Thornell and staff. You are all awesome.
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