Dental Care

What Is Oral Medicine?

Oral medicine focuses on the diagnosis and management of complex medical conditions that affect oral health. Interventions may include diagnostic biopsies, therapeutic injections, and topical and systemic medications.

Dentists and doctors make referrals to our oral medicine specialists when their patients have oral infections, ulcerations, or lesions; unusual growths or swelling in the orofacial region; oral health complications from cancer treatment or systemic disease such as diabetes; or functional impairment or pain of the mouth, jaws, or face.

Our oral medicine team, led by Dr. Amadeo Valdez, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of:

• Atypical facial pain and non-dental “phantom” toothaches
• Chemosensory or neurological oral conditions such as burning mouth syndrome
• Oral health complications from cancer treatment including:
  • graft-versus-host diseases
  • medication-induced osteonecrosis
  • mucositis
  • radiation-induced salivary dysfunction
• Mucosal viral and fungal infections such as candidiasis (yeast or "thrush")
• Oral mucosal diseases including:
  • allergic stomatitis
  • aphthous ulcers
  • erythema multiforme
  • leukoplakia
  • lichen planus
  • pemphigoid and pemphigus
• Orofacial pain caused by temporomandibular disorders or trigeminal neuralgia
• Salivary gland disorders such as Sjögren syndrome
• Xerostomia or hyposalivation ("dry mouth")

Referring Dentists and Physicians

We work closely with referring dentists, primary care physicians, and medical specialists such as dermatologists, rheumatologists, otolaryngologists, and oncologists to determine the most appropriate individualized treatment plan for oral health in conjunction with ongoing medical care. To refer your patient, contact us at 828-252-4290.

We also welcome self-referrals and collaborate with dental and medical healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care. Download our referral form here.