Five Questions With: Dr. Joanne Lewis

"By treating patients in my private practice, I have encountered special cases and patients with extensive treatment needs that require treatment in a hospital setting. "

Dr. Joanne Lewis is a board-certified pedodontist. She graduated with honors from Baylor College of Dentistry in 2005 and then received additional training in the specialty of pediatric dentistry by undergoing a two-year post graduate program at Lutheran Medical Center’s St. Joseph Hospital site in Providence. Prior to dental school, she attended Texas A&M University where she received a degree in mathematics. She is currently an attending doctor at St. Joseph’s and is on staff at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital.

PBN: You’ve said before that by limiting patients’ exposure to anesthesia – and for instance combining procedures when a patient is under a general – you improve outcomes for patients. How does that work and what types of procedures can be combined?
LEWIS:
This works when doctors coordinate the care of a patient under anesthesia so that multiple services can be provided at once. Many pediatric patients require dental care under anesthesia, and if that treatment can be combined with other common pediatric procedures such as tonsil or adenoid removal, it is better for the patient and an efficient use of health care resources.

PBN: Is there an openness to combining anesthesia this way in this region – or more so elsewhere?
LEWIS: Collaborative care is not as commonly practiced here in the Northeast as it is in other parts of the country. In my experience, providers in southwestern states (where I previously practiced) are more open to the idea of coordinating surgical services.

PBN: In a typical week, you teach residents at St. Joseph’s, treat patients at Fatima, and see a goodly stream of little ones in your office. Do all three parts of your practice build on one another?
LEWIS:
Yes, I believe they do build on one another. By treating patients in my private practice, I have encountered special cases and patients with extensive treatment needs that require treatment in a hospital setting. I am able to treat these patients at Fatima Hospital and get them to a state of oral health. Having a broad knowledge about hospital-based treatment, and treatment performed in private practice, I am able to impart a well-rounded knowledge base to my residents at St. Joseph’s.

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PBN: What big changes have there been in the field of pediatric dentistry in the past 15 or 20 years??
LEWIS:
Pediatric dentistry has improved vastly over the past 20 years in many ways. Behavior management, in my opinion, would be the most changed aspect of pediatric dental care. The attitude used to be that treatment must get done, no matter what. Now most pediatric practitioners take a softer approach, with the goal of not only getting the work done, but also teaching children that dental treatment needn’t be frightening. Children and parents are considered partners in care, as opposed to mere patients whose treatment needs are dictated by the doctor. There is an increased emphasis on prevention, and we encourage parents and children to be active participants in maintaining good oral health.

PBN: You have four children. How helpful is it to be a parent as a pediatric dentist, and how helpful is it to be a pediatric dentist as a parent?
LEWIS:
A key component of my job is to be able to relate to children, to gain their trust and cooperation. As a mother of four, I have personal experience with children at all stages and ages, and I also understand the joys and challenges that parents face. Being a pediatric dentist also means that I see children who are in pain and need my help to be well again. The knowledge I have gained by specializing in pediatrics has helped me to understand how children operate, and I can apply these principles to my parenting style.

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