Prosthodontics
Dental School: Georgetown University, 1985
Years in Practice: 35
What is the most common prosthodontic procedure?
It’s the fabrication of a full-coverage crown. However, some of the newer materials allow me to perform very conservative dentistry replacing just the damaged part of a tooth with a ceramic workpiece, decreasing the amount of full-coverage crowns I make yearly.
You have given lectures at prominent dental conferences across the country. What is the most important thing you want audiences to take away from your presentations?
To be great at something requires mastering the basics, identifying and training your weaknesses, and learning from your failures. High -quality dentistry is a “work in progress” – meaning it requires time, patience and working prototypes to get to the end point that meets or exceeds my patients’ expectations.
What are some of the newest trends in prosthodontics?
“Digital dentistry” would be the obvious answer. New technology needs to produce a better product, faster and cheaper. I utilize a lot of the newest technologies; however, there are times when the analog techniques still work better. My best case results are a combination of both digital and analog dentistry.
You’re passionate about team-based dentistry. How does that approach benefit dentists and patients?
It benefits the patient enormously to have the most skilled doctors and technicians working together for a common goal. With technology moving so quickly, it is very difficult today for any single practitioner to be proficient at every aspect of dentistry.
How did you come to be an expert on dental digital photography?
I’ve been into photography since high school. I had a dark room and a Nikon camera. When digital photography became available, I attended a lot of professional courses, including a week at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado photographing athletes in action! Photography is a necessary tool in dentistry.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I’m a huge fitness fan and enjoy cycling before work each morning, [but] my absolute favorite activity is drumming! I’ve been playing drums since I was 9 years old. I’ve played in several bands over the years and met my wife on a blind date at one of my shows.
What’s the funniest thing a patient has said to you on nitrous oxide?
Some patients don’t need nitrous oxide to be funny. I can’t tell you the details, but recently I had one of my senior female patients make me blush!
