Q & A with Frisco Oral Surgeon Dr. Rex Eatmon, DDS

Dr. R. Rex Eatmon, DDS, is a veteran practicing oral surgeon in the North Dallas/Collin County area.  Currently residing in Frisco, Texas, Dr. Eatmon has provided oral surgery care for literally thousands of local residents over the years.  I recently had an opportunity to visit with Dr. Eatmon and discuss his career in oral surgery:

Dr. Shannon: Dr. Eatmon, I understand you’ve been caring for patients for more than thirty years.  Tell me about your background and experience in oral surgery, and why you decided to pursue a career in this field.

Dr. Eatmon: I became interested in oral surgery as a student at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas (Class of 1968).  Upon graduation, I spent a year in the Air Force doing an internship that had me working in all areas of dentistry.  This experience convinced me to pursue oral surgery.  After completion of my residency at Ohio State University Hospital and College of Dentistry, I returned to Dallas and entered private practice in 1974.  For the past 32 years I’ve provided a broad range of surgical care and outpatient anesthesia services.

Dr. Shannon: The field of oral surgery covers a lot of ground.  Tell me what a typical day is like in the office.

Dr. Eatmon: My days are usually filled with patient evaluations, doing various surgical procedures, and developing diagnostic assessments for patients in need of non-surgical treatment of temporomandibular (TMJ) joint dysfunctions.  I give my patients the time they need for a complete discussion of their problems and available treatment options.  In major cases these options are shared with the referring doctor for optimal treatment planning.

Dr. Shannon: That definitely makes for a full day.  Is there a particular aspect of your specialty that you find most rewarding professionally?

Dr. Eatmon: There really isn’t any one thing – I find myself enjoying various challenges, including patients in need of implants to replace missing teeth, the removal of impacted wisdom teeth, as well as other dental surgeries, and the non-surgical care of the TMJ patient.  Through the use of neuromuscular occlusion analysis I have found that most ‘TMJ’ problems are really due to a mechanical malalignment of the dental bite and respond favorably to non-surgical management.

Dr. Shannon: Many parents arrange to have their children’s wisdom teeth removed during the summer.  At what age should a child have this done and how do you prefer to care for such a patient?

Dr. Eatmon: Wisdom teeth can be a source of minor to major problems.  When they are impacted it can lead to pain and infection; crowding of teeth, especially after orthodontic treatment; destruction of the surrounding bone; and, damage to adjacent good teeth.  Removing them as an early preventative treatment can be done anytime from the teen years into the early twenties.  I strongly recommend a pre-surgical consultation along with current x-rays to assist the patient in making informed choices about the upcoming surgery and anesthesia.

Dr. Shannon: I know you go to great lengths to inform and educate your patients on all aspects of their care.  You’ve got a great deal of experience as an oral surgeon.  Do you have a personal philosophy that motivates you?

Dr. Eatmon: I certainly do.  My personal philosophy is based on kindness to each and every patient.  I strive to give each patient the best of my experience and expertise, and treat everyone with compassion. 

Dr. Rex Eatmon currently provides oral surgery care in two offices.  One is in North Dallas at 10 Medical Parkway, Suite 101 (telephone # 972-243-5035), and the other is in Frisco at 7500 Stonebrook Parkway, Suite 101 (telephone # 972-712-5035).

To learn more about Dr. Rex Eatmon please click here.