Checking in with Dr. Suzuki

Dr. Yusuke Suzuki will be replacing Dr. Bradford Dickey, a Lodi dentist who recently retired due to illness. Suzuki was born and raised in Japan. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

Checking in with Dr. Suzuki

Lodi's latest dentist is focusing on perfection and giving patients his time

Thursday, August 21, 2008 11:19 PM PDT

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When Dr. Yusuke Suzuki first came to Lodi, he immediately fell in love with the city. Having been born and raised in Tokyo, and having lived in New York, Los Angeles, and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Orange County, Suzuki was tired of big city life.

Not long ago, Lodi dentist Dr. Bradford Dickey was forced to retire. He had learned about Suzuki through a mutual acquaintance. After an interview, Suzuki admits he begged Dickey to bring him on board.

Suzuki and his wife, Waka, have lived here for a couple of months, and he says they couldn't be happier. With a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Syracuse University and a D.M.D. in dentistry from Nova Southeastern University, Suzuki brings the same ideals and work ethic as the now-retired Dickey, who started his practice in 1987.

As Suzuki is getting adjusted to his new practice, with colleagues Dr. Tsang and Dr. Norman, he states he plans to retire right here in Lodi.

Suzuki took a moment between patients to chat with Business Editor Marc Lutz about life in Lodi, dentistry and what not to eat.

Q: Are you and your wife finding it easy to adapt to life in Lodi?

A: We actually (are), surprisingly. I spent a lot of time in Los Angeles. I grew up in Tokyo. I'm not really into that big city thing anymore. I want to be relaxed and kick back in a nice cozy atmosphere.

Q: What are some of the main differences between how dentistry is practiced in Lodi and Japan?

A: Mostly, everyone over there is covered under national insurance. So health care is very inexpensive. Pretty much 100 percent of the dentists over there accept that type of insurance.

The amount of money paid by the government is extremely low, and, as a result, we see dentistry that's not quite as perfect as we'd like it to be.

Q: Is flossing or brushing more important?

A: Flossing or brushing ... You just have to floss and brush the ones you want to keep.

Q: What if you don't have a toothbrush with you? What can you do to clean your teeth?

A: If you're on the go, well, the old Boy Scout thing: Take some salt and rub it with your fingers onto your teeth. That'll kind of work. You can buy a toothbrush anywhere now.

Q: What's the most disturbing thing you've ever seen in a mouth?

A: A full denture on a teenager. I also did a residency for the medically compromised and handicapped.

Q: Can you brush your teeth too much?

A: Yes, you can. If you over-brush, meaning you go at it really hard, you can eventually cause some recession of the gums, and damage your teeth. It's important that patients use a soft-bristle toothbrush and gentle pressure. Make sure each (tooth) is clean. That could take one minute or five minutes depending on the person.

Q: What are some common dental hygiene tips people can use to have a healthier mouth?

A: Brushing and flossing. That's the only thing. Be careful with the frequency of food intake, because the mouth needs time to recuperate between meals, to recalcify. Every time you eat, the surfaces kind of melt down, become acidic. And once your mouth is empty and clean, the saliva is kind of flushing everything out and stabilizes it. That's why they recommend a sugarless gum between meals.

Q: What foods are hardest on teeth?

A: Popcorn kernels, ice, CornNuts, those are horrible. If you have any type of silver filling inside the tooth, that's wrenching the tooth already. If you chew on kernels, the tooth just explodes. We see that all the time.

Q: What foods are best?

A: Anything that's not acidic. Anything that's not sugary. It's only good if it doesn't do damage to (the teeth). There's nothing that actually makes it better.

Q: If you weren't a dentist, what would you do for a living?

A: The stuff I actually considered was some old traditional stuff, back in my old country life: making tatami mats. The straw mats. The pay is pretty darned lousy, but I like working with my hands and making stuff. Pottery, ceramics, stuff like that, I would have gone into.

Q: Is there an area of dentistry that you specialize in?

A: We're a general practice, but we here specialize in precision dentistry. We make sure everything is done perfectly every time with each patient. We spend a lot of time with each patient. We communicate with our patients.

Me, personally, I have a lot of experience through treating medically compromised patients, disabled patients.

Q: What is a problem where a person shouldn't wait, and should get in right away to see a dentist?

A: If the person experiences any type of discomfort or sensitivity, they should get in right away to consult a dentist. If they see any funky growths in their mouth, they should get in. Any bleeding of the gums, any concerns, they shouldn't wait long. Get their questions answered.

Contact Business Editor Marc Lutz at marcl@lodinews.com.

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