The Catalyst Issue 7 | Summer 2010 | Page 23

Oral surgeons may see some patients from the Scott & White Sleep Institute who have sleep apnea. This is a condition that disrupts breathing. Patients are required to wear a mask at night that for some is uncomfortable. (See the Fall 2009 issue of THE CATALYST for more information about sleep apnea.) “Sometimes sleep apnea patients get claustrophobic having the mask on,” Dr. Read says. “Our team of dentists makes the splints to bring the mandible forward at night during sleep so patients don’t feel claustrophobic, like they have something obstructing their nasal passage.” More serious sleep apnea cases may require orthognathic surgery to move the upper and lower jaws forward and thus open the upper airway. dentures, crowns, veneers, and implants. “He’s a wonderful addition to our practice,” Dr. Read says. The practice has an interesting past. Dr. Chiles, a Texas native, came to Scott & White in 2007, glad to return to the Lone Star State after working in Alaska. He also taught at the Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas prior to coming to Scott & White, and one of his pupils there was Dr. Read. “My former student is now my boss,” Dr. Chiles says. “The practice has a culture of service excellence to patients, due to Dr. Chiles’s vision,” says Ron Holder, assistant executive director of the Department of Surgery. “Dr. Read is a leader in orthognathic surgery—he does a lot of complex procedures that you just don’t see anyone else in the area doing.” Repairing a person’s teeth can be gratifying to a dentist and oral surgeon, Dr. Read says. “I just like to see patients be able to function better,” he says. “To get them out of pain—that’s a good thing.” ■ Dr. Chiles also is an assistant professor of surgery, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. Dr. Read also is an assistant professor of surgery, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. Future practice Dr. Read would like to continue recruiting specialists to the clinic. He plans to establish a postdoctoral fellowship training program in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons at Scott & White agree that working collaboratively with general dentists helps ensure the best care for patients. Dr. Read plans to reach out to local dentists in a collaborative way, including discussing the advantages of oral surgery at Scott & White. For example, he says, “We do sedations in a hospital setting, making patients’ care that much safer.” The division also welcomed prosthodontist Ace Jovanovski, DMD, to its staff in 2009. Dr. Jovanovski can perform full-mouth renovations, including Dr. Lance Read explains to Cheryl Vasta the benefit of a dental implant. sw.org | Summer 10 THE CATALYST 23