Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, a Naturopathic Doctor ( ND) also known as a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD) is a “real” doctor. NDs or NMDs are licensed and registered healthcare professionals. Like conventional Medical Doctors (MD), Naturopathic Doctors complete a bachelor’s degree with a minimum three-year science-based pre-medical program as well as graduate from an accredited Naturopathic Medical College with a four-year doctorate degree.

Naturopathic medical students receive medical training and instruction similar to traditional MDs in their first two years of school. Also like MDs, Naturopathic Physicians continue with their clinical training in years three and four before passing board examinations to receive state licensure. NDs are licensed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and can prescribe pharmaceuticals if necessary but advocate for the prevention and treatment of most illnesses without the use of surgery or unnatural, chemically-derived drugs.

Many NDs go on to receive additional certifications, requiring rigorous advanced training and testing. Dr. Smith is a licensed NMD and is also certified in Environmental Medicine, Swiss Biological Medicine, and the Shoemaker Protocol for Mold and Biotoxin Illness.

Silver Tree Wellness Center is right for you if you can say “yes” to most of these questions:

1. Do you want to partner in preventative care with a professional, honest, compassionate, life-changing team of certified practitioners who understand and make use of the most natural, least invasive, non-toxic healing modalities available while drawing upon conventional healthcare procedures when necessary?
2. Have you seen doctor after doctor without solutions to your chronic, debilitating, or life-threatening condition?
3. Are you suffering from multi-system, multi-symptom illness and can’t get relief or even a diagnosis?
4. Have you been exposed to mold or an environmental toxin and suspect you have Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) or toxic mold illness?
5. Do you have a Lyme disease diagnosis but want to regain your health without the use of long-term antibiotics?
6. Are you ready to take responsibility for your part in care, investing time and resources to make the necessary changes to your environment, lifestyle, and diet that will reverse the root cause of your illness and restore your health?
7. Do you want to reclaim your joy in living?

We value and practice the patient-provider partnership. At Silver Tree, we don’t care for you. We care with you. Take these easy steps to start your healing journey with us:

1. Schedule a 15-minute consultation with our care coordinator to see if Silver Tree is the right fit for you.
2. Schedule an in-person intake consultation (minimum 2 hours). Your initial visit must be at the clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.
3. Carry out your personalized therapeutic treatment plan with follow-up visits in office if you’re local or through our 100% HIPAA-compliant telemedicine platform if you live outside the Phoenix metro.

Yes, you will need your PCP. Silver Tree Wellness Center is not intended to serve as your day-to-day medical home. We strongly advise you keep your MD, PA, NP, or DO as your primary provider for emergencies, acute illness, routine care, screenings, and annual physicals.

We currently do not accept or bill insurance directly. Payment is required at the time of service. What we can do is provide you with a fully-itemized super bill with diagnostic codes so you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. While questions about your coverage should be directed to your insurance carrier, please consider many of our services are not found to be medically necessary by major insurance companies.

Common lab tests are typically covered by most insurance policies, but our staff can help you determine whether paying cash or your out-of-pocket deductible is best. Medications are also typically covered. If not, we use specialty pharmacies to supply your prescription needs. Supplements, specialty labs, office visits, and most clinical therapies are not reimbursable but may be covered by your Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

Your intake consultation will be a minimum of two hours and a chance for us to get to know one another. The patient-provider partnership is one of our core values, and we believe it has true therapeutic potential.

During our visit, we’ll carefully listen to your healthcare concerns and perform a comprehensive physical exam. Evaluation of your diet and lifestyle, family history, social and spiritual wellbeing, past illness, and environmental exposures will all be considered in order to begin to determine a diagnosis and develop your therapeutic treatment plan.

Advanced lab testing is often required to confirm the root cause of illness and your current biochemical needs. We’ll order necessary diagnostic tests for you to complete with one of our recommended laboratories. At the end of the first visit, we’ll schedule a follow-up visit, which can be at the clinic or via our secure and confidential telemedicine platform, to review your lab results and finalize your treatment plan.

Your first visit is a chance for a new beginning. As partners in care, we’re setting off on a promising new healthcare journey together, looking to the future with the hope of what is to come — the dawn of a happier, healthier tomorrow.