Coral Oaks Medical Dental Center
2655 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Suite 1
Fort Lauderdale 33306
Dr. Charmaine Johnson, DDS, PA
Coral Oaks Medical Dental Center
2655 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Suite 1
Fort Lauderdale 33306
Dr. Charmaine Johnson graduated from the University of Witwatersrand’s Dental School in Johannesburg, South Africa, with honors, in 1995. She completed her advanced dental education by completing a general practice residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she was the chief resident from 2000 to 2001. She bought the 20 year old practice in Oakland Park five years ago.
Hotspots caught up with the intelligent and friendly dentist and asked her about her practice.
What are some of the newest innovations in dentistry?
VizLite Oral Cancer Screening – it’s a test with an LED light and it picks up any small cancerous lesions. It’s for early detection. Also, we do Oral DNA testing for patients who have hard to control gum disease – we test their saliva and it picks up the type of bacteria they have; if it’s resistant, we can put them on an antibiotic. We also have Invisalign, which is fantastic and works out well for older patients.
Tell me about your staff.
We have a great staff – a fun, friendly group of people. Their primary goal is the patient. It’s a diverse group – we have people from all over the world – Peru, Puerto Rico, Bahamas- with different levels of experience. One of our hygienists has been here for 20 years.
We have specialists come in and offer services – a periodontist for gum surgeries, and an endodontist for root canals. Our patients found it more convenient to come to one place. They love that.
Are you available for patients with special needs?
My residency was for those with special needs and those who are medically compromised. I worked with patients with diabetes, who were HIV positive and who had high blood pressure. I also worked with patients who had cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. We have a lot of elderly patients here and we offer them transportation.
How do you handle those who have a fear of dental work?
We try to get an understanding of where the fear came from – maybe a past experience or a patient being judged by a past dentist. My main goal is to listen to the fear and help them overcome them and to not judge them for having them. We have people here who help with meditation and we offer oral sedation.
What is your philosophy on dentistry?
I think health and function come first and then cosmetics. We make sure their foundation is taken care of first. We’re also big on educating our patients and we give them material that they need so that they can maintain their teeth themselves. Our staff has all been trained in education. I also do community outreach and do lectures on gum disease and try to provide educational materials to the public. Every quarter, I send out a newsletter to my patients with helpful tips and it also includes a letter from the dentist.
Do you take insurance?
We accept most. Call our office and give us your information and we will call back and let you know.
