Dr. Chester V. Clark, Jr. has enjoyed helping people through dentistry since 1977. He loves to find easier and better ways to enhance smiles, preserve or replace teeth, and maintain healthy jaw joints all in the context of improving health and well-being. In 1985 he discontinued placing amalgam fillings and since then has pursued the developing protocols for safe mercury removal and healthier alternatives. He has been a member of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology since its founding in the 1980s and has attended more than 20 conferences. He holds memberships in the Academy of General Dentistry, Academy of Laser Dentistry, the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry,International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, and the American Academy of Ozonotherapy.

Dr. Clark has been involved with his local community by serving as City of Amity Alderman for 18 years and as mayor for 16 years. He was a founding board member of the Southwest Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority for 8 years and has served on various other foundations and school boards of directors.

Since 1968 Dr. Clark has been happily married to Harriet who has had an illustrious career as a dietitian, teacher and school administrator. They have four children,sixgrandchildren and one great grandchild.

In his rare spare time, Dr. Clark enjoys piloting a Cessna 182, gardening, construction, spending time with young people at the academy and Bible college he and his wife founded, and generally making the world a better place with his John Deere tractor and excavator.

While a tooth extraction is typically the last resort for dentists, there are many reasons why it may be necessary. When a tooth becomes too badly damaged by decay or trauma, extraction is often the best way to stop the pain.

At Amity Gentle Dental in Amity, AR, Dr. Chester V. Clark, Jr. performs safe and effective tooth extractions using the gram System, an advanced, non-invasive method for removing teeth that minimizes trauma to surrounding tissues. Our goal is to protect the health not just of your mouth, but of your entire body.

Dr. Clark always uses the gram System for tooth extraction. Developed by a German physician, this specialized technique reduces force and minimizes trauma to the tissue surrounding the extraction site.

First, Dr. Clark will ensure you are comfortable by administering a local anesthetic. If you are concerned about the procedure, you can discuss other forms of sedation with Dr. Clark beforehand. Once your are thoroughly numb, Dr. Clark will gently rotate the tooth to stretch the periodontal ligament.This allows the tooth to be released with less pressure and trauma. He may use platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) therapy to encourage clotting after the extraction.

I Care Dentistry. At Amity Gentle Dental we believe you are unique and special. You come to us with needs, desires and background experiences that no one else has had. We not only examine your oral condition very thoroughly but also want to understand your fears, anxieties and desires for health and attractiveness.

Your mouth is such an important part of your body and plays a vital role in many aspects of lifeeating, speaking, showing affection, and breathing. We believe God made us integrated beings. That means the mouth is not an isolated structure to be treated as if it functions independently from the rest of the body. What happens in the mouth directly affects the rest of the body, for good or bad. Thus we are very concerned that the materials we use are health enhancing rather than health destroying.

The three primary disease processes that dentists deal with are: caries (cavities), periodontal (gum) disease, and trauma of Occlusion (bite-related problems). These three disease processes are thought of as separate and distinct. However, there are many connections and overlapping symptoms. For example, untreated caries often leads to tooth loss which causes shifting of teeth, changing the bite and upsetting the balance in the jaw joint which then leads to noise in the joint, headaches, then neck and back problems. This whole scenario with years of suffering and much medical expense could be avoided by taking care of a small cavity at the right time. A similar scenario could be written showing the connections between gum disease and bite problems or cavities and gum disease.

Dr. Clark and his staff are uniquely qualified to treat all of these diseases. They are also trained to see the interrelations or cross-over affects of multiple disease symptoms. Dr. Clarks experiences with patients presenting signs and symptoms of micro-mercurialism (long-term low-dose mercury exposure) also give him the ability to see the larger picture of how your oral health impacts other systems of your body.

It was 1985 when Dr. Clark began his journey into biological dentistry. Several events and some disturbing scientific articles led him to discontinue his use of mercury fillings. Since then he has found the science supporting that decision to be overwhelming.

Marlyn is one of our very caring dental assistants. She is also bilingual and very knowledgeable. Marlyn loves health and learning all the exciting ways our office can benefit your overall dental wellbeing. She is atrue asset to our office, and we are very blessed she is with us.

*Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is not intended as medical or dental advice and should not be interpreted as such. The intent is to provide as much scientific information as possible on different dental materials and aspects of dentistry where controversy exists and scientific clarification would be of benefit to patients, staff, dentists, physicians and scientists in making informed judgments. If you seek medical or dental advice, please consult with a health care professional. You must always exercise your own best judgment when using the services of any health care practitioner. Results are not guaranteed, may not be permanent, and can vary per individual. Some images are of models, not actual patients.