You 're probably wondering 'Who is Dr. David Scharf?' 'What are his qualifications?' 'Why should I choose him to be my periodontist?' Dr. Scharf is highly respected in his field, not only because of his extensive education and experience but also because of his personal attention to each and every patient. He and his team are committed to make every treatment as comfortable as possible. Learn why many consider him as the best Periodontist in Long Island.

Dr. Scharf was raised in North Massapequa and graduated fourth in his class from Plainedge High School with honors. He attended both college and dental school at Boston University, where he graduated cum laude. Dr. Scharf was enrolled in an accelerated honors program where he earned undergraduate and dental degrees in six years instead of the usual eight. (Dr. Scharf was one of only three students selected nationwide for this prestigious program.)

Dr. Scharf was elected to Omicron Kappa Upsilon (the 'Phi Beta Kappa' for dentists) and received the Boston University award for Excellence in Periodontology. He was also awarded the Boston University Predoctoral Prosthetic Award for Excellence in Prosthetics, the Academy of General Dentistry Outstanding Senior Student Award, the Boston University Operative Dentistry Special Achievement Award, and the Quintessence Publishing Company Outstanding Senior Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice. When you choose Dr. Scharf, you are choosing a doctor who graduated at the top of his class!

Following dental school, Dr. Scharf completed a yearlong General Practice Residency at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. As a resident participating in this top New York program, he gained extensive clinical experience in different dental fields such as:

This experience was augmented by clinical rotations in the departments of general medicine, anesthesia, and emergency medicine. This intensive medical training outside the specialty field of periodontics is rare among dentists and makes Dr. Scharf able to offer his patients extra reassurance and confidence in his skills and knowledge.

While completing his residency, Dr. Scharf was asked to join a group practice in general dentistry in Plainview, New York. The years he spent practicing family dentistry gave him a unique perspective as a specialist working together with general dentists to provide the best care for his patients.

Dr. Scharf returned to school full-time for specialty training in the field of Periodontics while continuing his general practice on a part-time basis. He was 1 of 4 dentists chosen out of over 200 applicants for the highly competitive position as a postdoctoral resident in periodontics at New York University, received exhaustive training, and did extensive clinical research in the fields of both dental implants and Periodontics.

Dr. Scharf developed a new surgical technique for soft tissue ridge augmentation , and his research has greatly simplified implant surgery. In May 1995, Dr. Scharf became a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. This was the culmination of years of preparation and involved both written and oral examinations. Nationwide, less than 25 percent of periodontists ever reach this level of achievement.

Dr. Scharf held the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor in periodontics at New York University, where he trained dental students in periodontics. He subsequently held the position of Clinical Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he educated dentists training to be specialists in periodontics. Dr. Scharf is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Implant Dentistry at New York University, where he is responsible for providing advanced implant training to other dental specialists. This position also gives him access to new research findings months and even years before publication, allowing him to offer his patients care from the very leading edge of dental research.

Having published numerous articles in major dental journals in the fields of both periodontics and implants, Dr. Scharf is frequently called upon to lecture to his colleagues. He has lectured at local, national, and international levels (including in India and Korea) and is the founder and President of the Integrated Dental Group, an organization he created to further the continuing dental education of local dentists. Dr. Scharf is committed to continuing his own education. He is one of a handful of dentists on all of Long Island with over 2,400 hours of continuing education credits. This is over 10 times the required amount of continuing education credits required, which showcases Dr. Scharf's commitment to providing the best in dental care to his patients by staying abreast of the latest dental technologies, methods, and instruments available.

Dr. Scharf's patients continually comment on his kind and gentle manner. He is especially good with apprehensive patients, with a contagious sense of humor and a gentle touch that quickly puts patients at ease. (Please visit the patient reviews section of this site to read what Dr. Scharf's patients have to say about their experience in his office.)

Dr. Scharf currently divides his time between his thriving practice in Babylon, New York, and his teaching and research responsibilities at New York University. Dr. Scharf lives locally with his wife, Karen, and their three young children, and serves the local community as both a volunteer fireman and an emergency medical technician.

Sadly, for many people, the answer is no. Dental patients routinely endure rude staff, long waits, minimal explanations, and poor servicevisit after visit after visit. For many, the thought of trying to switch to a new dentist seems overwhelmingand there's no guarantee it will be any different if they do.

At my office, YOU come firstyour comfort, your education, your choices. My staff and I will always treat you as a valued patient and will never dismiss your feelings, anxieties, or questions. We are here to provide the very best possible care for you, and that means listening to you with compassion and respect, and coming up with a treatment plan that fits your needs and your budget.

If you like, you can take a few minutes to browse this site and learn about my education, my board certification, the countries I have lectured in, the articles I have published, and how many years I have been both practicing as a periodontist and teaching other expert dentists how to do dental implants. You can also read about the dental technology we use to enhance your treatment and learn for yourself what dental implants are and how they work. I have pursued technical excellence during my entire career and have received professional recognition from my colleagues, and all of this is importantbut what makes my practice a special and intimate place is the way we treat our patients.

I was named 'Best Periodontist of Long Island' by the Long Island Press for four years in a row2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016. While my technical abilities were necessary for this award, I believe the reason I won was because of the way patients feel about the attention and care they receive here. We treat our patients right, and this turns them into fans of our practice!

It all starts with our team. When I hire new team members, I look for the right personality first. How they interact with my patients is the top priority, as I can always teach them the skills they may be lacking. You can teach people a skill, but you can't teach them to be cheerful, helpful, and accommodating if that is not their nature.

Once the right people are on board, I give them a simple instruction that will guide their every action in my office. I tell my staff to 'treat our patients as you would treat a guest in your home.' A guest in someone 's home is greeted with a smile and a warm hello, not a clipboard with instructions to 'sign in and sit down.' A guest is given a tour of your home, not left to wander alone. A guest is treated with kindness, and his or her comfort comes first. The people we accept as patients in our practice are always treated as I would treat guests in my own home.

Our attention to your needs begins with your first call to our office. When the office is not staffed, we forward the office phone to a cell phone that is carried home with us after hours. This allows us to help you by phone when it's convenient for your schedule. There are times when we are sleeping or simply can't answer the phone. For those times, we have chosen voice mail as opposed to an answering service so we can hear your concern in your own words rather than an interpretation of your needs by a third party. We will call you back and address your needs within a very short time.

We send our new patients a welcome packet in the mail. This packet contains your medical history and patient registration forms. We will transcribe any information you gave us over the phone for you in order to save you time. You can also download the forms directly from this website if you wish.

Treatment rooms are bright, airy, and uncluttered, with large picture windows and televisions in the ceiling. We use plenty of topical anesthetic to make sure you are adequately numb before we start treatment. Nitrous oxide, Nu-Calm, oral sedation, and IV sedation are available. To assure your comfort after a visit, we give you Motrin and/or Tylenol to take when we start your treatment. This way, when the 'novocaine' wears off, you are comfortable. We will also readily prescribe medications for your comfort.

As a patient in my practice, you will enjoy special privileges. You will have my private contact information. You will not have to worry about getting in touch with me if you need me. You will not get an answering service or have to type your phone number in to have me paged. You will not be directed to another dentist to manage your concern (unless I 'm out of the country lecturing). You will just call me directly, and I will answer the phone. Patients in good standing with our office who call with a dental emergency are asked, 'How soon can you get to our office?' and their care is assured. You will never have to worry about being able to reach me after hours or in an emergency.

As a member of our practice, we will shower you with a million little niceties. Vanilla ice cream is very soothing after a procedure, so we keep it on hand to send home with you. We also supply our patients with cold packs, hot packs, gauze, easy-to-understand written instructions, and anything else you need for a quick recovery. We'll call in your prescriptions and even offer to pick them up for you. Some our seasonal niceties include heated massage chair pads, warm neck pillows, and hand warmers so you can snuggle in and relax.

When we see that we are behind schedule, we will do a couple of things. First, for patients who are in the office, we will come directly to you and give you our best estimate of when you will be seen. This means you will never sit in our office for hours wondering what went wrong. Second, if you are not in the office yet, we will call you to let you know there may be a wait and give you the option of rescheduling or coming a little later so as to minimize your wait. This does not happen often, but when it does, our patients appreciate that we give them this choice.

We give each patient the time he or she needs and wants. Visits are not a rushed whirlwind. We set aside time to explain what is being done and to make sure your questions and concerns are addressed. This creates an experience that is comfortable and 'just feels right.' Our patients are intelligent, discerning people, and we care deeply about the experience they have in our office.

You must be 100 percent satisfied with your experience in my office. If you are not, please tell me how we could have done better, and we will address the issue. Don't just take my word for it. Visit the patient letters section of this website to see copies of the thank-you notes that patients have written me over the years. When was the last time you were so inspired by an experience in a doctor's office that you sent a thank-you note?

There are many dentists today who offer dental implants. In many cases, they offer what may look like a bargain for these services. But know that with your health, you typically get what you pay for. A Periodontist, like Dr. Scharf, is an expert in the structures that support a tooth - the same structures that will support your dental implant. That makes them specially qualified to provide dental implants that are placed correctly and ensure that they are integrating with the bone as they should be. Here are a few reasons you ought to consider coming to Dr. Scharf for your dental implants.

A periodontist is a specialist in the gums and bones that surround your teeth. These are also the structures that will support your implants. This expertise comes in handy especially if you require tissue regeneration or treatment for gum disease before implants can be placed. Typically a general dentist will have to refer you to a periodontist anyway if this is the case.

Periodontists like Dr. Scharf are required to complete extra schooling that includes dental implantology as part of their course work. This is a primary area of study for them, not something they learn as a supplementary service later in their careers. They also tend to keep their skills sharp by performing this procedure on a more regular basis than dentists who offer a wide range of general dentistry services. Because of this, periodontists understand that thorough planning is essential for successful implants. This includes proper diagnosis, 3D imaging to assess the quality and quantity of the bone, and a complete treatment plan covering the entire process from beginning to end.

While you won't have to worry about cavities in your dental implants, they are subject to many of the same threats your natural teeth are. Implants can fail as the result of poor placement and infection of the surrounding tissue. Many periodontists have the equipment and expertise to save your implant when others cannot. LAPIP is a procedure that utilizes soft tissue laser to target infected tissue around the implant and allows your bone to repair itself and reintegrate with the implant.

Dr. David R. Scharf and his team have helped many patients who struggled with periodontal disease. We often allow the worries of everyday life to take over and we might neglect our oral hygiene as a result. It is extremely important not to delay periodontal disease treatment though, because the implications can have an impact on your general health, result in the loss of teeth, and lower your self-confidence.

You might've heard all about plaque and gingivitis when you've watched commercials on television for oral health products. Gingivitis is a form of infection caused by the buildup of unhealthy bacteria in your mouth. It can cause your gums to be irritated and inflamed, but some cases take longer before it becomes a noticeable concern. As the bacteria builds up, it is able to spread through your gums and into your teeth and jaw.

We see more patients lose teeth to gingivitis than to other factors such as an injury or an untreated cavity. The reason for this is that unhealthy gums can't support your teeth and they'll pull away from your teeth if you don't receive periodontal disease treatment in time. If the infection spreads to your bone, it can become difficult to treat because it's not easy to reach or drain the bacteria as your immune system fights off the infection.

In the most severe cases, gum disease can threaten your general health. Infections that reach the blood can move to other areas of the body. While it's rare, some patients have suffered from septic shock due to untreated periodontal disease. It can be easy to discount the impact that your oral health has on the rest of your body, but treating your condition and then performing a daily care routine is important.

The first symptom that you've got minor gum disease is when you see pink in the sink. Gingivitis causes inflammation and this irritation can cause bleeding when you're brushing or flossing your teeth. The other symptoms to look out for include the following.

It's also possible for you to suffer from periodontal disease without any symptoms at all. This is why it's so important to see Dr. Scharf at least twice a year for a routine dental examination. We can detect the early signs and go over periodontal disease treatment options with you if we discover something of concern.

If you've been diagnosed with gum disease, Dr. Scharf will review the treatment options with you that he feels will be most successful. Here are some of the ways we may be able to treat your condition.

Dr. Scharf is both experienced and reputable as one of the leaders in periodontal disease treatment. His team will help you throughout the diagnosis and treatment of your condition so that you can restore your bright smile and recover from the pain you may be experiencing. Oral health is important to your overall health and state of wellbeing. You need a periodontist who is compassionate and provides the quality of care that patients have come to expect from Dr. Scharf.