Q. Tell us about yourself and your practice.
A. I am a general dentist in Raleigh, NC and have been at my practice since 2003. I graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1998 with a BS in dental hygiene and received my DDS degree in 2003. I briefly worked with a medicaid dental clinic upon graduation until I settled with Drs. Rich and Smith in North Raleigh.
Q. What are the main services you provide?
A. I provide a comprehensive range of dental services including restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns, bridges, etc.), surgery (extractions), esthetic dentistry (veneers, bonding), pediatric dentistry, endodontics (root canals), limited implant dentistry, and some periodontics (deep cleanings). I try to customize each treatment plan based on individual patient needs and I try to practice as conservatively as possible while maintaining the highest quality of care.
Q. What patient resources do you offer? (example: insurance filing)
A. Our office does file insurance for all patients as a service. We try to emphasize the patient experience and have an insurance department to help patients understand their benefits. We do not participate with any insurance companies as a network provider.
Q. When a child starts to get permanent teeth and they are found discolored, what should be the cause for it and what can be done about it?
A. Sometimes, permanent teeth do appear discolored when they erupt. Some causes are decalcification, fluorosis, or just intrinsic discoloration. Often, discoloration could be the result of a high fever occurring when the teeth were developing. We determine treatment based on the cause, but it could involve microabrasion (a surface treatment) and later bleaching or bonding.
Q. How important is screening for oral cancer?
A. Oral cancer screenings are very important. Patients should have a visual exam with every check-up. Our office also offers Vizilite exams which are recommended once a year to help detect even precancerous lesions so they can be removed early! This exam is painless and only takes about five minutes.
Q. How often one should have dental exam and clean?
A. For most patients, exams and cleanings are recommended every six months. If a patient has periodontal disease or is medically compromised, it may be more frequently.
Q. What are the cases where cosmetic dentistry is required?
A. Cosmetic dentistry is indicated for various reasons. Trauma, discoloration, positioning, and missing teeth are the most common indications. Many patients want to have comsetic dentistry simply to achieve a better smile. This is done as per patient request.
Q. When should children be taken to a dentist?
A. New guidelines suggest that children see their dentist yearly once the teeth erupt. This allows for patient/parent education, a growth and eruption evaluation, and time to become comfortable in an office setting. Usually by three years of age, a child prophylaxis (cleaning) can be performed successfully.
Q. What is the most common cause of tooth loss?
A. Main causes of tooth loss include caries (decay), periodontal disease, trauma, and fractures. Preventative dentistry and education is the best way to help reduce tooth loss. |
