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
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