February 23, 2007
Thomasville-- After practicing as a traditional dentist for many years, Dr. Tommy Oppenheim began working with new technologies in cosmetic dentistry.
Ten years ago he became one of only two hundred and forty-three dentists accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
"I wanted to project myself as, not necessarily an expert, but the go-to guy in the community because I liked doing it so much," said Oppenheim. He's not just the go-to guy for Thomasville. People come from all over the country to see Dr. Oppenheim.
William Twaite was just such a person. "A friend of mine mentioned there was a brilliant dentist in Thomasville, Georgia," said Twaite.
Twaite went through life with dark, tetracycline-stained teeth. By the time Dr. Oppenheim finished his work, the results were remarkable.
Twaite says its changed his life. "I couldn't smile. It was really tough for me even to get in front of a camera because my teeth were so dark." Now he's all smiles.
Dr. Oppenheim's work caught the attention of the Journal for Cosmetic Dentistry. His patients have been featured five times on the quarterly magazine.
This issue is the sixth since 1998. "I never thought I'd be on the cover of a magazine. The fact that I'm on the cover it's a little, its overwhelming," said Twaite.
Dr. Oppenheim says he appreciates the acclaim, but for him, its all about the people. "Every single patient that comes in here, I just put my heart and soul into it, as if its going to be on a billboard somewhere," he said.
Maybe not a billboard, but there's a chance you could end up on the cover of a magazine.
The Journal for Cosmetic Dentistry is distributed in fifty-seven countries, and is considered the equivalent to the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Oppenheim is the only dentist to have his work featured on the cover so many times.
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