By Daria Belov
Chiropractors have been practicing in the state of California since the early 1900s. While big cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco, are home to a great number of chiropractors, one can find chiropractors practicing in nearly every city and county located within the state, including Stanislaus County. Modesto, California is located in the County of Stanislaus, and it’s the practice location for Dr. Nick J. Baker, a second-generation chiropractor.
I interviewed Dr. Baker so we could know more about his practice and what it’s like to be a chiropractor in Modesto, California. It’s not the coastal beach community of San Clemente, but it’s our second interview in a row, featuring a California chiropractor practicing the Gonstead protocol. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Dr. Nick Baker.
Dr. Nick J. Baker — Baker Family Chiropractic Center
2150 Scenic Drive Modesto, CA 95350 — 209-527-8560
PC: How was it that you got started in the field of chiropractic?
NB: I have been around chiropractic my whole life. My dad is a practicing chiropractor so I have been getting adjusted since day 1. I believe everyone should be adjusted with or without symptoms. It would make this world a better place. Wasn’t that B.J. Palmer’s “The Big Idea”? Everyone should read it.
PC: You’re located not a far distance from two chiropractic colleges. Did you visit the schools and what motivated you to choose the one that you did?
NB: After visiting and talking to people at all the chiropractic schools in California I realized it didn’t matter which school I attended but rather that I got out as soon as possible. I ended up choosing Life West because a good, same minded friend was attending.
PC: Life West has been a well reviewed school according to some graduates. I understand they offer a well-rounded education and don’t push their students into any specific type of practice mindset. What’s the main focus in your chiropractic office?
NB: Our office focuses on detecting and removing vertebral subluxation. We use full spine x-ray and Gonstead protocol. We also utilize SOT blocks and activator when necessary.
PC: That is the second time this week I heard from a California chiropractor utilizing Gonstead protocol. Sound like your office focuses more on fixing problems rather than masking symptoms, how do you set up methods for people to be able to pay for care?
NB: We use cash plans in our office which focus on stabilization and correction and not temporary relief. People do utilize care credit occasionally and personal injury cases are accepted. Our patients bill their own insurance if covered at all to keep our fees reasonable.
PC: We know you’re in Northern California, what’s your office location like?
NB: Our office sits alongside Dry Creek on the east side of Modesto. Directly behind the office is a beautiful park which has everything from tennis to dirt bike tracks to Frisbee golf. A great place to bring a family to spend a day. While Modesto has no beach it is centrally located 2 hours from Santa Cruz and 2 1/2 hours from Tahoe. 45 minutes away you have 5-6 large lakes to go fishing, and boating. 10 minutes out of town and you are in beautiful California country.
PC: Sounds like you have access to many places in the NorCal area. How about your own community, what kind of involvement is going on in Modesto?
NB: Right now we are actively involved in our community in several ways. We set up a kiosk one weekend a month at the mall and talk to people. This on average introduces 82 people to chiropractic in our office. We set up booths at family events such as the county fair, earth day, Ceres Street Fair and Hughson Fruit and Nut Festival. These events get chiropractic into the community as well as patients into the office. The more you greet, the more you meet, the more you treat. Own that one. Every Wednesday we give a health class at 6:15 which lasts an hour. Anyone can attend and it’s mandatory for new patients. If they understand what chiropractic is then they can better explain it to friends and family.
PC: Wow, you guys aren’t messing around. I think it was the late Ian Grassam that said (in reference to Californian nut festivals) “if you’re going to be a nut, you may as well be a big nut.” No doubt more more people could benefit from improved health and wellness with the knowledge they gain from attending chiropractic offices offering health classes. Besides your Wednesday night events, what’s the Modesto community claim to fame?
NB: Our communities claim to fame is agriculture like grapes and almonds. We also have a classic car culture which brings a “graffiti night” once a year. We have a main strip which goes through the center of town and everyone cruises their classic cars. Modesto has a lot of blue collar, hard working people that keep California’s fed and moving forward.
PC: There’s a good amount of young adults on the Internet seeking information about chiropractic education, since you’ve been out in practice are there any particular schools you’d recommend?
NB: The one school I would highly recommend would be Sherman.
PC: A student reporter from Modesto Junior College or someone from the Modesto Bee visits your chiropractic office to get a scoop on what it is you do. What’s your 30 second reply?
NB: If a reporter asked “What is it you do?” I would say, we help people get well and stay well by removing interference from their nervous system. We help families be healthy. We are serving our community the best way we know how. Through chiropractic. Can I mention we have fun doing it as well?
PC: Makes me want to visit your office! Last question, anything we haven’t covered that you’d like to mention?
NB: I would like to say it is my personal mission to help as many people I can through Chiropractic care. At the age of 27 my mission is just starting and is in full swing. When I am not in the office or doing a talk I am still a chiropractor 100% of the time. You never know when the opportunity to change a life for the better will present itself. ADIO! Dr. B.
PC: Thanks for being a part of our Planet Chiropractic interview series Dr. Baker. It’s great to see chiropractors so excited about serving their communities and building on that big idea. Here is to many wonderful years in practice.
Do you know an exceptional chiropractor (practicing anywhere in the world) Planet Chiropractic should be interviewing? Tell them to add their office contact information to the growing list of comments on this Chiropractors blog post. That way our writing staff can then contact them and help spread the word.
planetc1.com-news @ 12:20 pm | Article ID: 1216927276
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