Say hello to Dr. Justin Waters at Serenity Smiles in Scottsdale, Arizona, our dentist spotlight! Dr. Waters specializes in general dentistry and is passionate about bringing good dentistry to people, snap-in dentures and implants and making people smile. He provides dental care for people of all ages.
Dr. Waters earned his Doctorate of Medicinal Dentistry at Midwestern University in Glendale. Outside of work, he loves to spend his time reading, working on cars and trying new restaurants.
What made you decide to become a dentist?
When I was growing up, my mom was a dental hygienist and she was always telling me to be a doctor or lawyer. She would tell me that every day from the time I was maybe, five, until I was in college. That was what steered me in the direction of becoming a doctor. But I didn’t really want to work in a hospital, so my mom suggested I look into dentistry. It just ended up being the career for me.
What is your specialty/area of interest?
I don’t really have one. I’m a general dentist, but I do a lot of specialized types of treatment. I like to do implant dentures and cosmetic dentistry. But what I love doing is comprehensive treatment. We just want to provide good dentistry for people. My main focus is quality.
Do you brush and floss yourself as much as you recommend your patients?
Yes, I do!
What’s your favorite flavor of toothpaste?
Oh, that’s a good question. I love the Arm and Hammer whitening toothpaste. There’s a strong mint taste that I enjoy.
Electric or manual toothbrush (for yourself and recommended for patients)?
Electric! The ADA has research that’s been published that says that it doesn’t matter what type of electric toothbrush you use, they all have the same efficacy. However, the ADA recommends Oral B or Sonicare. Both of those show to be more effective than manual tooth brushing.
Which celebrity has the best smile and why?
Catherine Zeta Jones has a nice smile and nice teeth!
If you could tell patients to stop doing one thing, what would it be?
One thing I would tell patients to stop doing is putting off preventative care because if you put it off, it becomes way more expensive. Anything you put off in dentistry becomes way more expensive. Go to your dentist, see your dentist regularly and prevent things from getting worse. If you have something that can be done as a filling right now, if you put it off for, let’s say six months, it may need a crown and six months after that you may need a root canal. And then it just becomes worse.
What is the best dental advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received about being a dentist and owning my own practice is to not let other people’s problems be your problems. Don’t care about a patient’s teeth more than they care about them. And I always tell all my staff, don’t let patients make their problems, your problems. You offer solutions for their problems.
What is the best thing about being a Delta Dental dentist?
Delta Dental is patient-friendly. They focus on preventative dentistry, like offering extra cleanings for special populations such as diabetics or pregnant women. There are other insurance companies who aren’t providing that, so it’s a really unique approach.
What are three things that always make you smile?
My wife, my dog and making people laugh. One thing I love is listening to my mother-in-law and my wife laugh because they laugh the same way; it’s so contagious. I like making people happy. We do a lot of that here. And a lot of my patients get up and they’ll say, “Wow, I’ve never had such a good experience at the dentist before!”
What are three things that people can do to ensure a healthy and beautiful smile?
See your dentist every six months (or whatever the recommended cleaning time is), brush and floss daily and wear a nightguard. Those three things will make your teeth last forever.
Are there any special dental concerns that senior citizens should be afraid of?
One major one is dry mouth. That can absolutely destroy your teeth.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three items would you bring?
My wife, a beach chair and probably a flare gun so they could find me when I was ready.
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