Dental Anesthesiology
Dental School: Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
Years in Practice: 13
You were part of our first dental anesthesiology class in Top Dentists two years ago. When and why did it become a distinct field?
It’s been around since 1980. However, it became recognized as an official dental specialty in 2017. After four years of dental school, we train in a hospital for three more years, so we end up going to school for a minimum of seven years after college. It is a lot of work, but definitely worth it.
Can patients request specific types of anesthesia, or is that always a physician’s call?
Adults have several choices: conscious sedation, moderate sedation or general anesthesia. We usually let the patient and their doctor decide what they prefer. It also depends on the complexity of the patient’s medical history. For children, we typically go straight to general anesthesia because they have a hard time following instructions and relaxing like an adult.
Have you ever needed dental anesthesia? How did your experience affect your own practice/care philosophy?
I have never needed general anesthesia – however, my children have, and it completely changed my approach when speaking with parents. I can completely relate to the parents’ anxieties regarding anesthesia for themselves or their children. With that said, [it’s] extremely safe. I have performed over 16,000 cases in my 13 years of private practice, with zero complications.
You’re from North Dakota and went to school in Nebraska. What do you miss most about the Midwest?
Yeah, I definitely miss the Midwest. I probably miss the incredible lakes and all the green grass the most. The summer weather is also incredible. Unfortunately, the winters were too cold for my wife and me, so we decided the Southwest would be the best for our family.
You enjoy cycling, hiking and biking. Favorite trails or courses in the Valley?
I live in Cave Creek, so there are some awesome trails in [my neighborhood]. For road biking, I love the Sonoran Desert Drive. For trail riding, my family loves the Pima Dynamite Trailhead area. If any of you want an awesome hike during the winter, then I highly suggest Tom’s Thumb. That is a fun hike.
What’s the funniest thing a patient has said to you while on nitrous oxide?
Well, I performed conscious sedation on a woman in her 70s, [and] after she became lucid, she started to worry that I was going to take her pink cowgirl hat because apparently, I “had that look.” She kept telling me that the hat was hers and I was not to touch it. I reassured the lady that her hat was incredible and taking it was very tempting, however, I would let her leave the office with her pink cowgirl hat.
“If I wasn’t a dentist, I’d be…”
A historian or archaeologist. I’m so fascinated with ancient ruins like Göbekli Tepe, Baalbek in Lebanon, polygonal masonry in Sacsayhuamán and places like that. Visiting them is definitely on my bucket list.
