Smiling family of five outdoors with parents and three children in casual autumn clothing during sunset.

Meet the Doctor Who Puts Patients First

Meet the Doctor Who Puts Patients First

I do what I do because first and foremost I like helping people. The whole reason I wanted to become a dentist was for the relationships that you get to foster with people and their families over time and plus I get to fix problems for them. So someone can walk in with an immediate problem and in most cases, in many cases, they can leave and I've fixed it.There's so many different aspects of what I do where I get to solve problems, I get to tinker with toys, I get to be a little bit of an artist. There's not any one thing. It never gets boring but I think at its core I get to help and it's really rewarding.I grew up in Colstrip, went to college in western North Dakota, got a degree in chemistry and then afterwards I mean that was just, you know, that was a lot and I didn't really have a plan so that was kind of the reason for the break. But after working for the dentist in Seattle, I realized I wanted to be a dentist but I didn't have all the required classes to get into dental school so there was a couple years where I worked full-time and I went to night school in Seattle. The original plan was that I was going to come back and work with the dentist that I'd originally worked for but I had an opportunity at the end of my senior year in Portland where I and another student that we were chosen or asked to be part of a residency program based out of LA, you know, so I did a one-year residency at UCLA at their AEGD which is an advanced education for general dentists that was a fantastic experience.And then after that I went into private practice and I practiced for a couple years in the Bellevue, Washington area before taking over the practice here in Montana. I'm always curious and the more I learn I realize that there's so much more to learn. I'm at a point in my career where I feel like I'm fairly knowledgeable but, you know, I think if you get complacent and think that you know it all, well that's just foolhardy.My wife and I are both from small towns and I guess I feel like I could practice anywhere but we wanted to choose to live here. Just because we're in a smaller semi-rural environment doesn't mean that people shouldn't have access to world-class care and that's who we try to be.

Meet Dr. Chris Clave

Dr. Chris Clave is your go-to small-town dentist who brings cutting-edge dental technology to our community. With expertise in advanced clinical dentistry, Dr. Clave offers the latest advancements, including cosmetic dentistry and mercury-free restorations. What makes him truly special is his ability to combine his skills with the warm, personal touch that makes you feel right at home.

Dr. Clave was born in Colorado and grew up in Colstrip, MT. After excelling at Dickinson State University and joining Omicron Kappa Upsilon (the national dental honor society), he continued his education at UCLA and practiced in Bellevue, WA before returning to Montana.

Now settled in Polson with his wife, Bernie, and their daughter and twin boys, Dr. Clave is excited to be part of this family-oriented community. They enjoy playing golf, hiking, snowboarding/skiing, and spending time together. Come see Dr. Clave and experience top-notch dental care with a personal touch!