08/28/2017
This letter was sent to all of Dr. Steve's patients in middle July:
Good things come to those who wait.
I am Janice Brazeau, who after 44 years of marriage lost my beautiful husband, my best friend and our beloved dentist.
Dr. Steven Brazeau passed away on February 28th from septic shock and post-surgical complications. He is greatly missed.
The day after he died we learned a dentist was interested in buying the practice. Our staff and family rallied to prepare for a sale. In short what followed was a succession of unsuccessful bids and attempts by at least 4 dentists. None were able to complete the process for one reason or another.
All the while, our staff, patients and family grieved hard with the added distress that our office was still missing a dentist.
Just as things were about to unravel, just days away from selling our patient charts to the highest bidder and piecing out the dental equipment to sell, Dr. Victor Immel presented me with a firm and good offer.
Before he introduces himself, I want to write some things I know of him that he would be too humble to say.
Dr. Vic Immel and his wife, Monika are close friends of ours. He is a man of strong faith and conviction, much like Dr. Steven Brazeau. Dr. Vic is a true gentleman.
When we lead teams to serve poor villages in the Dominican Republic, Dr. Vic is often with us. After the horrific 2010 quake in Haiti, he put aside his dental tools to work with the international relief agencies (and our Yakima team) caring for those whose lives and limbs were shattered. He and Dr. Steve organized supplies and assisted in surgery. Dr. Vic stooped on the ground to change the soiled dressings of amputees.
When Dr. Steve was absent from the office, we directed our patients to Dr. Vic Immel. When Dr. Steve needed a dentist himself, he would go to Dr. Vic. He would say to me, smiling, “Vic is a great dentist – he is greatly skilled – and a nice guy, just like me!” How appropriate that now that Dr. Steve will be absent in perpetuity, his trusted colleague, Dr. Vic Immel will be in the dentist chair.
Dr. Immel will sell his own office building and bring his patients and staff to our property.
Dr. Immel’s website (immeldmd.com) reports that was born and raised in Yakima. He graduated from Oregon Health Sciences University with a doctorate of medical dentistry. After returning to Yakima, he worked for several years in public health dentistry at Farm Workers Clinic in Grandview, Toppen*sh, and Yakima. Dr. Immel helped to establish Neighborhood Health Clinic's dental department. In 1998 he purchased an existing practice and has been there for almost eighteen years. His practice is a general family practice that sees both children and adults.
Dr. Immel has volunteered in missions work in the Dominican Republic, providing basic dental and medical services along with a team of other healthcare professionals. He volunteers at the Union Gospel Mission, providing dental care to the community.
Dr. Immel completed a training program emphasizing a comprehensive team approach to restorative therapy for dental implants.
Outside of his practice, Dr. Immel spends his time hiking, reading, playing tennis and golf, working with computers, rock hounding and spending time with his wife and four children.
And now, to you, our good and faithful patients: These past four months you have waited. You kept your 6 month hygiene appointments. You kept our practice alive. Thank you. One by one you created a brilliant display of your goodness and love to us all in the memory of Dr. Steven Brazeau. You know he would have wanted the best dentist for you. I can confidently say that by the grace of God, we have Dr. Steve Brazeau’s first choice: Dr. Victor Immel.
We waited. And good things have come to us. I have a great new dentist! Sincerely,
Janice Brazeau
