Teeth Straighten In ‘Fast Braces’
Dr. Cedric Lewis
Dentist and owner of Dental Care of Pearlridge
Finding the right Manchester dentist to help you keep your teeth healthy is important. You want to make sure you’re getting the best treatment so your oral health can continue to shine. Of course, many people want to have straight smiles with white teeth so they look for cosmetic procedures to help them achieve this. This is where Dr. Lewis comes in.
Where did you |receive your schooling and training?
I graduated from Punahou High School, went on to college at Lewis and Clark College in Portland and then completed my dental training at Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry in 1996.
How long have you been in practice?
I have been practicing dentistry since 1996.
Is Dental Care of Pearl-ridge much like its parent practice, Waialae Dental Care?
Yes, we are a family practice that treats patients from “1 year old to 101 years old,” much like our sister practice in Kahala, and hope to develop a strong community relationship just like we proudly have established in East Honolulu.
What stands out about the Dental Care system and service?
We focus on what seems to be lacking in health care these days: customer service and convenience. We respect people’s comfort, budget and time, and we also are able to provide our patients with a beautiful, state-ofthe art, patient-friendly facility.
What services does Dental Care of Pearlridge offer?
We are proud that our doctors are able to take care of all of our patients’ needs, from your average fillings and cleanings to complex dentistry, surgery, root canals, dental implants, braces and rehabilitation. We offer convenient appointments before and after work or school Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We pride ourselves on our ability to listen, explain and care for people’s individual needs, rather than imposing our dental will or agenda on our patients.
Any particular aspect of your work at Dental Care on which you’d like to elaborate?
We offer a revolutionary orthodontic (teeth straightening) therapy called Fast Braces that allows for the gentle movement of the roots of the teeth toward their final “straight” position from the beginning of treatment – usually from three months to a year as opposed to traditional braces, which typically move the roots of the teeth toward their final position during the second year and takes several years to complete.
This safe and proven technique has almost 20 years of history and thousands of cases. University research has shown that Fast Braces is not only safe, but patients experience less discomfort. In fact, there is no more risk with Fast Braces than there is associated with traditional braces. The braces are on for less time than traditional methods and therefore we see much less chance of tooth decay. They also are affordable because they allow for less treatment time, which means the patient doesn’t have to spend as much time with the doctor, and that means we don’t have to charge as much.
Can you talk about some of the community service that you do?
Community service is important to me. I have volunteered with Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Health Center in which I developed a mentorship program called Opening Doors and Changing Lives. This program was created for high school kids from Kalihi Valley who typically did not have the opportunity or exposure to dentistry as a career choice. We created a mentorship program that was located at the health center and offered classroom learning opportunities, hands-on experience with laboratory skills, and the ability for these kids to shadow doctors to learn about the profession.
I also volunteered at the Hawaii Special Olympics, in which we offered complimentary exams, education and oral health care counseling to the athletes and their caregivers to provide community support for those with special needs. We also took impressions to make athletic mouth guards to ensure protection of the athletes’ teeth during their events.
I have been on the board of directors at Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii for the past two years, in which we oversee operations and fundraising efforts to ensure the growth and support of this nonprofit organization that supports the children of Hawaii.
Anything else you’d like to mention about Dental Care of Pearlridge?
We are excited and honored to have the opportunity to serve Pearlridge and its surrounding communities. We welcome you and your families to join our family here at Dental Care of Pearlridge.
rfournier@midweek.com
