Periodontist treats an often neglected disease

Scott Smith treats people who might not know they have a problem.

Smith, who is a doctor of dental surgery, specializes in periodontics. Unfortunately, a lot of people who have periodontal disease don't know it. But there's good news for those who do suffer from the disease that can rob people of their teeth.

Smith, who was born in Fresno and raised in Merced, wanted to be a dentist or a physician.

"I liked dentistry," Smith said. "I liked what I saw, and a lot of people I went to school with in Merced were dentists."

Smith decided to be a specialist early in his career. After four years of dental school, he studied two more years to specialize in periodontics. He attended dental school in San Antonio, then two years at the University of California at San Francisco.

"Being in San Francisco brought me back to California, and I always wanted to come back to Merced," Smith said.

Smith sees a lot of people who need dental implants or surgery. He focuses on gums and the supporting structure of the teeth. "We do a variety of things, including implants," Smith said. "Up to 70 percent of adults have some type of periodontal disease -- it's very common."

Many people who have gum disease don't know it, Smith said. The mild symptoms of gum disease can be treated by a dentist, so it's the advanced cases Smith sees. "When I diagnose what's going on, I take a thorough medical history," Smith said. "There could be medical problems, like diabetes, going on."

Smith can deal with a patient's fear of the dentist. "Most of the time people have had a bad experience as a young child," Smith said. "In our practice, we use sedation. There are things now that allow us to generate bone using biological growth factors and bone grafting materials."

Smith also can perform DNA and genetic testing, to test for what type of bacteria is affecting the teeth. "We make sure the correct antibiotic is used," Smith said.

Smith said dentistry has changed in the 21st century, and people shouldn't be afraid to fix their teeth. "I see people who are aging, and are losing their teeth, or who have lost them," Smith said. "The last thing people want to worry about is their mouth."

Reporter Carol Reiter can be reached at (209) 385-2486 or creiter@mercedsun-star.com.