Experience & Credentials: the foundation of excellence
Dr. Sara Chen is a highly trained dentist with advanced post-graduate training residency in Prosthodontics. As a Prosthodontist, Dr. Chen can help patients restore function and aesthetics to their smile after tooth loss or advanced dental health problems. Dr. Chen has the skill and expertise to restore a smile with dental implants, dentures, and bridges while maintaining the natural facial musculoskeletal structure. This provides an exceptional outcome for the patient and supports long-term oral health and wellness.
Dr. Mark Sowell is a general dentist in Plano, Texas. Through a constant pursuit of excellence, has undergone rigorous post-graduate training. This makes him one of the most credentialed dentists around. Most patients are surprised to learn that the majority of dental schools do not teach or only teach introductory courses in cosmetic, advanced restorative, implant, and laser dentistry.
After dental school, Dr. Sowell attended a one-year general practice residency. There, he rotated through all the specialties of dentistry for advanced training. About 10% of graduating dentists attend general dentistry residencies before a private practice.
In 1987 he earned a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry in recognition of post-graduate continuing education. In 1996 he was awarded Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, which is the highest recognition for continuing education the academy offers its members.
About 2,000 dentists out of the 140,000 dentists in the United States have this recognition for continuing education. For more information on fellowship and mastership: www.agd.org.
Cosmetic Dentistry Credentials
Every dentist says they are a cosmetic dentist. But since it is not a recognized specialty of the American Dental Association, there is no official training required to market yourself as a cosmetic dentist. The Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is the world’s largest organization devoted to the science and art of cosmetic dentistry. It has over 7,000 members in the U.S. and 40 countries worldwide.
In administering the leading accreditation program for cosmetic dentistry, the AACD requires applicants to attend a number of continuing education courses, pass strenuous testing and submit a number of case studies which are judged by a panel of expert cosmetic dentists, and the applicant must orally defend their clinical decisions. Today, there are less than 350 accredited members of the AACD in the world.
Dr. Sowell received his accreditation in 2002 at the annual AACD meeting in Boston. Additionally, Dr. Sowell received a Fellowship award from the International Academy of Dental Facial Esthetics in 2006 in New York in the same class as Dr. Gorden Christiansen, who was a field evaluator for 10 years, in recognition of his work in cosmetic dentistry.
Dental Implants Specialist
Like cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry is not a recognized specialty of the American Dental Association. To advance proficiency in implant dentistry, a dentist must seek out post-graduate training programs. Dr. Sowell has been restoring dental Implants since 1985 and placing them (surgical phase) since 2002.
He has completed the University of Texas Preceptorship in Implantology, Ken Hobble’s Hands-on Institute. He completed the Surgical (placing) and Prosthetic (restoring) programs at the Misch International Implant Institute.
The International Congress of Oral Implantology has awarded Dr. Sowell Fellowship status.
Sedation Dentistry Credentials
Dr. Sowell is licensed by the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. He can provide enteral conscious sedation and is governed by the board’s standard of care during administration.
Laser Dentistry Credentials
Dr. Sowell uses the Biolase MD laser to keep his patient comfortable during and after treatment. Biolase and the World Laser Institute provided the training.
Education and Teaching Credentials
Dr. Sowell has studied under Bill Dickerson, founder of the Las Vegas Institute, Jimmy Eubanks (the Eubanks Teaching Institute), the Pankey Institute continuums I-V, Peter Dawson, and Frank Spear at the Seattle Institute for Advanced Dental Education.
He now is proud to teach under Frank Spear at Spear Education as a visiting Faculty at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry. Dentists go there to advance their education in the diagnosis and treatment of advanced restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Mastery of these skills allows dentists to practice a level of dentistry that sets them apart from their colleagues. It makes the experience for their patients much more predictable.