The belief that education is an important first step toward achieving good oral health is one that Dr. David Schwartz takes seriously. As a Doctor of Dental Surgery, and a Fellow of the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, he views clients as partners and assists them in making decisions and personal choices that are investments in their long-term health, with the main goal of providing quality oral health and reliable, friendly service. Schwartz is joined by team members Nancy, his wife, who is a certified and expanded function dental assistant, and Jana, a dental assistant and clerical receptionist. 

At Schwartz Family Dental, in order to provide the best care possible to everyone––adults and children alike––and foster a solid, trusting relationship between dental practitioner and client, extra time is built into appointments for the development of personalized treatment plans. The team’s exceptional knowledge of general, cosmetic and neuromuscular dentistry and the latest, most advanced technology available are combined with Schwartz’s artistic inspiration that is catered to individual needs. 

The team employs painless, mercury-free dentistry procedures, taking care to maintain high standards of personal comfort for all guests. By teaching preventive measures and offering the most advanced and best treatments available, they strive to ensure the highest level of comprehensive health. 

The prevention of tooth decay and gum disease is a lifelong process that can and should begin as early as possible, and Schwartz recommends that a child’s first dental visit happen as soon as the child has teeth. Schwartz and his team believe in the importance of teaching everyone how to care for their teeth and how to maintain good oral health. 

Proper oral care from birth that promotes good growth and development are topics spoken about with parents. For example, Schwartz advises expectant parents about tongue-tie (ankyloglossia), a condition that restricts the tongue’s range of motion, and suggests having their infant checked immediately, since the condition can be taken care of after birth. He also makes suggestions about the use of pacifiers, bottles and sippy cups, informing parents about which designs could create orthodontic issues later in life. 

Education happens within the office as well as in local schools. The American Dental Association designates February as National Children’s Dental Health Month. Locally, The Berks County Dental Society asks for volunteers to make presentations to third grade classes as part of this program. Schwartz has volunteered for over 20 years, bringing dental education to elementary school children, teaching them not only brushing, flossing and mouth-care techniques but also about the importance of watching their sugar intake by choosing low-carb, low-sugar foods, and avoiding high-fructose corn syrup to promote cavity-free living. 

His thorough oral exams and patient interviews ask questions about overall health. When evaluating children, it is important to know if they grind their teeth, snore or even wet the bed, as these can be indicators of an upper airway obstruction. Poor breathing and sleep apnea in children are not normal. In addition, studies have shown that an upper airway obstruction increases a child’s risk for developing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). 

Schwartz’s expertise and desire to help others sets him apart. He regularly furthers his education in the areas of dentistry, orthodontics, neuromuscular issues and orofacial myofunctional disorders impacted by the tongue, a powerful mouth muscle that can cause growth and development issues. Schwartz also tests new dental technologies, incorporating those that prove to be of value into daily routines. The latest advances in technology assist him in providing diagnoses that are related to the proper functioning and overall health of the body—such as facial and masticatory muscles that can tighten, leading to sleep disorders, malocclusion (crooked bite), Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) and neuromuscular dental problems. 

In addition to being trained and skilled in caring for people with neuromuscular dental problems, Schwartz understands the pain and frustration that goes along with an improper diagnosis, because he suffered with the condition himself until he found relief through neuromuscular dental treatments. Improper diagnosis can lead to unsuccessful orthodontic treatment when what a person may actually need first is a realignment of his or her jaw, correcting the way it functions. 

Neuromuscular orthodontics focuses beyond the immediate and visual issues people present with their teeth. Malocclusion and TMD are caused by problems that occur within the airway, muscles, nerves, ligaments and bones that make up the head and neck. This not only affects the appearance of the jaw, but can also change the shape of a person’s face. 

“My greatest passion is the challenge of helping people with difficult issues from which others have been unable to provide them relief,” shares Schwartz. “We strive for the utmost in health, comfort and happiness of each guest every day, because this is the kind of service people deserve.” 

Location: 9 Bristol Ct., Wyomissing. For more information, call 610-670-6910, email [email protected] or visit SchwartzFamilyDental.com. 

Gisele Rinaldi Siebold is a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings Lancaster-Berks edition. Connect with her at [email protected].