By Kayleen Holder
Editor
We would like to introduce you to a new dentist in this area, Dr. Justin Crocker, who recently took over a practice on Main Street in Lytle (formerly Dr. Carter’s office). Crocker and his team serve the whole family– serving everyone from children to adults all under one roof. They do everything from braces to root canals to dentures, and also offer modern dentistry options such as “Sleep Dentistry”.
“This is really good for patients who are very anxious. We are able to give patients a pill about an hour before the dental work starts so they can be as comfortable as possible,” Dr. Crocker said.
This is offered in addition to traditional sedatives such as nitrous oxide or “laughing gas”.
Speaking from experience, you’ll find an office staff eager to greet you and book your appointment, and great customer service at this locally owned, small business.
They are happy to work around your busy schedule and work towards booking back to back appointments for family members or even see mom and the kids at the same time.
“We want it to be as convenient as possible for families who have more than one family member needing an appointment, so a lot of times what we’ll do is have mom getting her teeth cleaned in one room while a child is in the other room getting their x-rays or other work done at the same time, so it’s as seamless as we can make it,” Dr. Croker said.
And if you are in need of denture work, Dr. Crocker is working toward offering same-day denture repairs in his office.
“A lot of times, patients who need repairs to dentures or partials have to wait a couple days to get them back because it was to be sent off for work. We are going to have a set day, where offer in-house repairs on the same day in-house,” Dr. Crocker said.
When it comes to dental issues, Dr. Crocker will tell you–an ounce of prevention can go a long way.
“One common thing we see is bleeding gums when you’re brushing your teeth,” he said. “This is a symptom that leads to gum disease. People sometimes tend to put off symptoms like this. Gum Disease is easily treated, and if you come in sooner rather than later, we can keep that from getting worse.”
He explains there’s a simple solution to another common dental issue.
“As we get older, our bottom teeth tend to get more crowded. We can usually do an Invisalign treatment and set it straight within 6 months. This will keep your teeth more cleansable and keep them healthier for longer.”
“A lot of people ask us about a safe whitening treatment too,” Dr. Crocker said. “We have prescription strength, take-home whitening kit that is affordable and effective and very safe.”
He fell in love with dentistry when he was in high school.
“We had to do a class report on a healthcare professional, so I got to follow around an Orthodontist for a half day. I knew right then and there that was what I wanted to do,” he said.
After 23 years, Dr. Crocker still enjoys the profession for many reasons, but his favorite is being able to help others.
“Your smile really affects your self esteem, and I love being able to help people with that. As corny as it sounds, it’s the truth,” he said.
Dr. Crocker attended the University of Texas at San Antonio where he received a Biology degree. He then went on to graduate from the University of Texas Health Science Center with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. After graduation he went into private practice, and he also taught as a clinical professor at the dental school in the department of general dentistry.
Dr. Crocker has written and published many articles in dental journals, as well as, lecturing on advances in cosmetic and adhesive surgery.
He has done many interesting things in his career including a mission trip to Guatemala to provide dental care to children and also participating in an exchange program with Ashai Dental University in Japan where he spent a week learning about Japanese dental techniques and culture.
“Our goal is to offer small town values with high tech care,” Dr. Crocker adds.
This June, Lytle Family Dentistry is welcoming dental hygienist Stephanie Morales to the team and will be extending hours to include Fridays too as of mid-June.
See ad on page 2 for more details.