cover feature
Dr. Lopez is committed to utilizing advanced dental technology to provide
patients with the highest level of dental care.
Care with Dignity and Respect
Dr. J.F. Lopez
W
by Tina Cauller
hile Guatemala is rich in natural beauty, it is also
among the poorest countries in the world. Many
of its residents live without fluoridation, adequate
nutrition, or basic dental hygiene, and in some
areas, even clean water or electricity. As is often
the case in impoverished communities, cheap, sugary foods and
drinks are readily available. These factors all contribute to poor
dental health and, at the same time, the rugged topography and
lack of resources combine to make access to dental care an
unfortunate rarity.
Dr. J.F. Lopez traveled to the remote mountain communities of
Guatemala as a young dental student on a humanitarian mis-
sion to help provide dental care. There, his passion for making
a positive difference in the lives of others met a budding interest
6 HOUSTON DENTISTRY | www.houstondentistrymagazine.com
in oral surgery, and the course of his professional career as an
oral and maxillofacial surgeon was set.
Although the Guatemala trip sparked his interest in surgery, the
foundation for his career was laid years earlier. As a child,
Dr. Lopez saw firsthand how families dealing with economic
challenges struggle to find access to affordable care, and his
early years shaped him into the compassionate, caring person
he is today.
“From my own experience growing up, I understand the diffi-
culties people face,” he notes. “I remember as a young child of
seven, my mother waking me up very early in the morning to
catch the city bus from the Fifth Ward neighborhood into down-
town. We would go to the clinic early to get in line for well child