Sticking their fingers in your mouth and judging you for not flossing might be what dentists are notorious for, but an oral surgeon from our neighborhood is shooting for a different reputation.
“Eating is a pleasure,” Dr. Reed Gibbins says. “Everything is on the table if it tastes good.”
Gibbins got into cooking after graduating from college at Southern Methodist University and was tired of eating out all the time. After watching Food Network and picking up a Betty Crocker cookbook, he got to work trying out recipes and cooking for himself.
A men’s cooking class at Sur La Table, a gift from his sister-in-law, taught him to shop and make recipes outside of Betty Crocker.
But still, Gibbins was only cooking for himself and his family. That is, until the pandemic started, and the dental industry was restricted to treating only emergency patients. Gibbins filled that time with at-home school for his kids, baking and taking long walks.
It was along the Northaven Trail where Gibbins’ wife, Kristen, came up with the idea to post his dishes on Instagram. A publicist, she saw the intersection of her husband’s two interests and started @surgeonbites.
The page is mostly viewed by friends and family, and Gibbins says he does it just for fun, although they have plans to expand the page. Grilled lamb, roasted asparagus, white bean and tomato bruschetta was one recent dish. They’re also open to requests, via Instagram direct messaging, to spur creativity.
Gibbins and Dr. Tom Draper of ArchPoint Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and ArchPoint Implant Dentistry, were the first in Dallas to bring robotic devices into dental implant surgery.
“Obviously, robotic surgery is not new to the medical field. There’ve been many robots used in things like orthopedic surgery and abdominal surgery or pelvic surgery,” Gibbins says. “But this is the first of its kind in the dental industry.”
The YOMI robot allows oral surgeons to alter the surgical plan in real-time, saving patients from repeat visits.
Gibbins is introducing non-invasive laser technology to the practice, including LipLase and NightLase, which help naturally plump the lips and minimize snoring and sleep apnea, respectively. The surgeon specializes in treating facial trauma; these services are just another way to make his patients feel good about their smiles again.
“A lot of patients that we take care of are getting a whole new smile and brand new teeth … we do our whole dental implant treatment for them, and a lot of times they’re commenting about their skin or other things that maybe need to be addressed,” Gibbins says. “It’s a way to engage them and give them an option for additional treatment.”
