Prosthodontics are dental specialists in the restoration and replacement of teeth. They do much of what general dentists do (or perhaps is the other way around) but with a deeper understanding of everything related to treatment planning, esthetics/cosmetics, implants, dentures, partials, crowns, TMD/TMJ, and the function of the masticatory system. A minimum of three years of formal postgraduate education after dental school, at a residency program, provides prosthodontists with the skills for treating your smile. While many general dentists attend courses to increase their knowledge in the field of prosthodontics, typically those course are taught by a prosthodontist.
A maxillofacial prosthodontist is a prosthodontist who has done 1-2 years of additional training after the residency program, specific to the reconstruction of he most difficult cases, typically associated with trauma or cancer, as well as TMD/TMJ disorders and snoring/sleep apnea.
Not all prosthodontists are certified by the American Board of prosthodontics. Having this certification means a doctor has gone through the most rigorous examination process to validate his/her expertise.
We share space with Endodontist Dr. Kathleen Suk Ki. Lee and Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Stephen Clemens. This allows us to better serve you because we can address any clinical need associated with these two specialties in record time, without you having to travel from office to office. Also, since we are in the same building, our communicationa critical factor for treatment successis highly effective.
With that said, please note that we respect your choice of doctors. Should you need to see an endodontist or a surgeon, by no means are you obligated to see ours. Furthermore, if you arelike many patients of oursreferred from another doctor, it is possible that you already have established a relationship with other specialists or generalists, which is something we respect.
We have our own laboratory in house, something that is very unique in the dental industry. This allows us to maintain high quality. This also allow us to bring our customization for you to the next level. Furthermore, we can take care of problems in record time since our lab is right at our office.
Dr. Ambard, a son of an architect and a psychologist, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, where he grew up with an older brother and multiple animals, and where he completed his dental degree. After practicing general dentistry and working at a pediatric dentistry clinic for low-income families for 2 years, he moved to Birmingham, Alabama and completed his 3-year specialty training in prosthodontics, as well as a Masters Degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
In 2001 he moved to Chicago to complete a 1-year fellowship in maxillofacial prosthodontics at The University of Chicago. He also obtained certification from the American Board of Prosthodontics. He remains today the only maxillofacial prosthodontist in the Portland Metro area, and the prosthodontist with the most amount of certifications and education in Portland.
In addition to teaching at OHSU, Dr. Ambard lectured extensively, both nationally and internationally, and was the Director for the Implant program (training over 90 dentists) for Kaiser Permanente. He also was Director for the Head And Neck Cancer Multidisciplinary Clinic at Providence.
Despite all the highly specialized activities, he also remained committed to the general needs of his patients, and still does today. Likewise, he has given back to the community by doing volunteering work for two local organizations who help low income patients, and by coaching young kids on soccer.
Dr. Ambard has a black belt in karate. He was national champion and college national champion in Venezuela, and has a World Cup and a Pan-American Games bronze medal on his specialty. He also was a recipient of the Jose Felix Ribas Medal (a Venezuelan prize) for his achievement in collegiate and international sports.
While the days of karate are long gone, Dr. Ambard balances his life with writing. He has published short stories in literary journals, as well as two novels. He also plays average guitar and mediocre tennis. He lives with his wife Marie, a local anesthesiologist, his two boys, Leonardo and Victor, Missy The Cat, and Lola The Dog.