Dr. Chris Martel of Downtown Dental literally searched the world over before landing in Corvallis.

"I fell in love with the West Coast while I was in the Navy," Martel said. "While serving I did research on different communities and Corvallis really stood out."

Bike-friendly, environmentally conscious and rainy, Corvallis was a far cry from Puerto Rico, where he studied abroad, Kuwait, where he was stationed in the Navy, or Missouri, where he grew up and went to school. But for Martel, it was the perfect place to open a dental practice and start a life.

In college, Martel was originally on track to become a doctor, but was turned onto dentistry by a friend who was studying it.

"It's a nice blend of art, science, business and people," he said.

Art?

"It really has to be functional art. It has to work, fit, look good, and be a functional member of the patient's family."

His practice in Corvallis would be decidedly special, blending each of the four aforementioned elements of dentistry and transforming the science of helping people who can't afford insurance get dental treatment into an art form.

Fluent in Spanish after years of studying in and traveling throughout Latin America, Martel also employs his Spanish-speaking skills to help serve Corvallis' Latino population.

Downtown Dental, located on Southwest Second Street in Corvallis, opened its doors in July and aims to be unique - and flexible - in its options for treatment and payment. Martel understands that dental insurance is a luxury that many Corvallis residents and students can't afford, especially with insurance premiums increasing and the number of insureds decreasing as a result.

He welcomes patients who have insurance, but specializes in catering to those who don't.

"Uninsureds typically don't access care unless it's dire," Martel said. "I try to help folks who don't have insurance by being available outside of normal hours."

He also aids uninsured patients who pay as they go by offering a 10 percent discount for those who pay at the time of their visit, cash or credit.

"My job is to give folks options," he said. "When they come in, I tell them what treatment is of the highest priority so we can take care of it now and what treatment can be postponed."

Martel sees between eight and 12 patients per day and operates with a staff of himself and two full-time employees - a dental assistant and a receptionist. While his demographic of patients varies, the bulk of his patients include college students and local businesspeople who have heard of Downtown Dental's flexibility with payment and treatment options.

In between the drone of the recent health care debate, which seems to separate the haves from the have-nots in terms of being able to afford insurance, a few simple facts stand out for Martel:

"When insurance premiums go up, less people will be able to afford coverage, and that will reduce the number of people who can go see a dentist," he said.

"Lots of people who don't have insurance might actually be inclined to go to a dentist if they knew someone would listen to them and understand them."

He can do that - in both English and Spanish.

Candice Ruud was an intern last summer at the Corvallis Gazette-Times. She is a student at Oregon State University.