Why dentistry?
It’s the best job for me that I can think of. I decided in high school that if I’m going to spend one-third of my life working, I’d better love it. Dentistry is perfect for me because it merges my favorite interests: science (biology, in particular) and art (my one and only talent). So, work becomes fun for me; I enjoy every filling I place, even a small one. Dentistry is my artistic outlet. Some people sing or dance, while I like to spend hours sculpting teeth. And the really amazing thing is that I actually make a living helping people. It is so rewarding to heal and help people and sometimes improve their lives. That’s why I focused on cosmetic dentistry for over a decade until I found my true calling.
How did you become a holistic dentist?
It all began in 2001. I learned that the best diet for human health is our ancestral diet. It changed my life. I finally became healthy. And all because I ate a diet that emulated the diet of our ancestry—a diet designed by nature, not humans. So, when I was introduced in 2005 to biomimetic dentistry, my mindset was well prepared. You see, biomimetic dentistry is the science and techniques of reconstructing teeth to emulate the natural tooth in form, physics and function and, for me, cosmetics. I was eating naturally and I was rebuilding teeth to mimic nature. Therefore, a more natural approach to dental care was the obvious next step. That’s why I pursued an education in naturopathy. I needed to learn natural medicine and explore alternatives to allopathic medicine. I wanted to treat the whole person, because the health of your mouth affects your overall health, and your overall health affects the health of the mouth. It’s one beautiful and intricate system that we are just beginning to understand. It has been an amazing journey so far. I can tell you for sure that this holistic approach to dental care is far better than what I learned in dental school, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
What is your treatment philosophy?
Here is the simple fact: Medicine is getting better and better in keeping us alive longer. Even really sick people. So, if you are living a healthy lifestyle, you will live very long, which is the majority of my current patient population. It is common to see relatively healthy 80 year olds, and more and more 90 year olds and centenarians. Our teeth need to last us much longer than any other time in human history. Preserving our natural teeth is the key, since there is nothing synthetic about our own natural teeth. I have a dental implant. I love that I have my missing tooth back, but it’s not like the real thing. Nothing manmade is better than made by nature. A tooth-conserving, nature-emulating, minimally invasive, nontoxic, gentle approach is my treatment philosophy.
For more information, call Dr. Alex Shvartsman at the Long Island Center for Healthier Dentistry at 631-361-3577 or visit SmithtownSmiles.com.
