Meet Dr. Watson

Now that the secret is out about our new Dental Van we’d like to get you up to speed on some of the finer points of the program. Let’s start by introducing you to our dentist, Dr. Joseph Watson.

Dr. Watson brings 19 years of experience to Mobile CARE and most recently practiced in Peoria, Illinois. He also brings a firsthand understanding of how important early oral health care is to children. “My childhood dentist and experience volunteering at a hospital dental clinic motivated me to become a dentist while I attended college.”

It is not only inspiring to learn that Dr. Watson’s positive experiences with oral healthcare led him to pursue a career in dentistry, but it further illustrates the importance of delivering dental care to children in need. Often, when people consider their health the teeth are often overlooked and it isn’t until a tooth begins to hurt that a visit to a dentist is sought after. This misconception is not good. Explains  Dr. Watson, “Teeth are organs like the lung, liver and kidneys. Teeth have their own vascular and nervous systems that are connected to our bodies through our head/skull. Not only can diseased teeth affect our ability to eat, they can also adversely affect our heart, eyes and brain.”

Helping people and clearing up that misconception is part of the reason Dr. Watson became a dentist. When asked what he likes most about being a dentist he says, “Providing care that can improve the quality of one’s life.”

When asked what he’s most looking forward to about working at Mobile CARE he responded “The great staff and the mobility!” Not one to put too fine a point on it, Dr. Watson also reminded the staff at Mobile CARE that while regularly brushing and flossing are all good the “most important thing we can do to achieve good oral health is to regularly see a dentist.”

And for our young patients feeling nervous about their first trip to the Dental Van, don’t worry. Dr. Watson promised “no shots or drilling at the first appointment!” You hold him to that!

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You heard it straight from Dr. Watson himself: seeing a dentist regularly is important for good health. Can you help us send low income children to see Dr. Watson? Help us reach our goal through the Race to 2500!

Want to get completely up to speed? You can read more about our Dental Program here: http://mobilecarechicago.org/dentalvanprogram/