What exactly is a periodontist anyway?

A periodontist is a dentist who has expertise related to the gum and bone that support the your teeth. In most cases patient are referred to a periodontist due to disease that causes deterioration of the support of their teeth. If teeth are not savable, a periodontist can help in the planning and executing the replacement of teeth with implants, bridges, dentures or a combination of these treatments. 

A periodontist is also trained in the art of replacing missing teeth. Even if you have already lost your tooth or teeth, a periodontist has the expertise to determine if you have enough bone for implant placement. If you don’t have enough bone, they can also determine if you are a good candidate for grafting to increase bone volume for implant placement. 

In order to become a periodontist, Dr. John McGehee completed four years of dental school. During his last year of dental school, he applied to several periodontal residency programs throughout the country. Dr. McGehee was accepted into multiple residency programs prior to committing to the program at the University of Louisville due to the program’s extensive research and involvement in the techniques of bone grafting and soft tissue grafting with donor tissue. 

During this vigorous three-year residency, Dr. McGehee conducted a clinical research project in immediate implant placement for which he defended his thesis on his way to being awarded a Masters in Dental Science. While in the U.S. Navy, Dr. McGehee served on staff as mentor for the residents at the prestigious Naval Postgraduate Dental School in Bethesda, Maryland.