Laurel Smile Dentistry is a Oakland based family dentist practice that treats patients of all ages. We are committed to delivering the highest quality dental care and do so using advanced dental equipment. We are a cosmetic dentist that offers services like checkups, teeth cleaning, crowns, veneers and more.

Mussie Sibhatu, DDS, MS, is a trusted and talented dentist and prosthodontist at Laurel Smile Dentistry in Oakland, California. Dr. Sibhatu offers dental implants, crowns, bridges, dentures, tooth extraction, and many other general and advanced dentistry services.

As a prosthodontist, Dr. Sibhatu has extensive training beyond his dentistry degree. Dr. Sibhatu attended University of Michigan School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for both his dental degree and his three-year specialty training in prosthodontics.

Dr. Sibhatu has advanced training in dental implants, removable dentures, cosmetic dentistry, and full-mouth reconstruction. He puts that training and skill to work every day by treating patients of all ages using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques.

Matthew Spero grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He graduated high school in the top 1% of his class and then went on to attend the University of California at San Diego. Graduating with Provost Honors, he pursued an education in Biochemistry with an emphasis in Chemistry while becoming a National Champion for the club soccer team. He is a graduate of UOP Dental School and went on to complete an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program. Matthew received advanced training in treating medically complex and special needs patients at CPMC and Highland Hospital. He also received training in prosthodontics, crowns and veneers, Invisalign, digital impression dentistry, restoring single and multiple implants, All-On-4 concept, implant supported locator attachments for dentures, removable partial dentures and complete dentures.

Dr. Matthew is a member of the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association and the Alameda County Dental Society. He has proudly volunteered his time fabricating dentures for those in need at California Dental Associations Solano and Modesto events as well as East Bay Veteran Stand Down in Pleasanton, California. Matthew participated as a volunteer dentist for Special Olympic events in Union City and Davis, California. He was selected to serve as a volunteer dentist through the 1000 smiles project in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Dr. Matthew is committed to his patients health and success through a comprehensive treatment approach. He is a general dentist who works alongside specialists in order to deliver quality care. In his spare time Matthew enjoys soccer, spearfishing, scuba diving, filming, travel and being with his family.

'My goal is to deliver comprehensive care to patients. It is important to me that patients understand the risks, benefits and alternatives to treatment. I am also an educator who believes in preventive dentistry in order to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.'

Michelle Crump has been working in the dental field for 23 years, beginning her career as Treatment Coordinator, then advancing to Financial Coordinator, and then most recently as Office Manager at Laurel Smile Dentistry. She thoroughly enjoys helping patients work out the financial aspect of their treatments, by offering a wide variety of payment options. She is organized, detail-oriented, and does her very best to provide excellent customer service. She is familiar with many different insurance companies, so that claims can be processed accurately in a timely fashion, making the patients visit as smooth as possible.

Michelle grew up in Berkeley, and adores the Bay Area. She comes from a large family, and in her free time she enjoys spending time with her children and her husband. She attends community events and participates in continuing education courses. She also loves soccer, and roots for Barcelona.

Since 2016 I have been involved with dentistry. My goal is to help alleviate the common stressors associated with visiting a dental office. I graduated from the Dental Assisting program at Carrington College in San Leandro, California. After graduating, I worked as a Dental Assistant for a few years and have since transitioned my skills to the front office. In my spare time, I enjoy being with my significant other, attending concerts, comedy shows, traveling and hanging out with my family as well as two Siberian Husky rescues: Harley and Alaska.

Growing up in Alameda, I began my career in the dental field in 1999 as a dental assistant. In 2008, I completed my licensure to become a dental hygienist. For 16 years I lived and practiced in Seattle, Washington. Since then, I have moved back to the place I love taking care of my home community. I am bilingual and speak English and Tigrena. I love doing volunteer work with children and the elderly. My biggest strength is being able to work with a wide range of patients. I am passionate about educating my patients and teaching preventive care. When Im not working, I love spending time with my family and friends. Some personal hobbies of mine are traveling, cooking, riding jet skis, and camping.

Lisa has been our dental hygienist for 25 years. She was born and raised in the Oakland/Hayward area. After she graduated from Chabot College dental hygiene school, she continued to take classes at Cal State East Bay. She attends a variety of continuing education courses to be current on the dental trends and practices. Lisa helps all patients appreciate and maintain their oral health for a lifetime through education. She is committed to a high standard of care, always values patient 's comfort, and is known to have that 'gentle touch'. Lisa enjoys lap swimming, cooking and gardening.

Merhawi Kifle currently works as a dental assistant in Laurel Smile Dentistry. He graduated as a Doctor of Dental medicine in Eritrea and worked in Eritrea and Ethiopia as a general dentist for five years. He is striving to be a dentist in the United States and in the meantime serves the role at Laurel Smile Dentistry as a multidisciplinary dental assistant. Merhawi is a precious asset for the company. His experience helps him to provide our patients with clear pre and post treatment instructions. Merhawi has excellent communication skills for your comfort. Outside of work he likes to spend his time with his family and enjoys playing soccer.

Sonia is our practice Dental Assistant and began her career in the dental field in 1999. The early years of Sonias career were heavily focused on cosmetic dentistry, oral surgery, orthodontics and Invisalign, making her an expert in the field. Sonia has since continued her learning in restorative dentistry as well as training in prosthodontics here at Laurel Smile.

Sonia is a long time Oakland resident who enjoys spending her time with her family, friends and has a passion for soccer. You can find her cheering for her adorable son when she is not at the office! Her lively and friendly personality, flexibility and appreciation of the team structure make her a true joy to work with.

Sirak Gebremeskel is our Dental Assistant who entered the field in 2017. He is very organized and efficient. Sirak has demonstrated his abilities by assisting Dr. Sibhatu throughout treatment and dental procedures, providing equipment, assisting with X-rays, lab work and much more. He is an excellent team player and always strives for creating a positive work environment. As part of his effort to deepen dental knowledge, he is constantly taking classes and closely following in-house tutorials given by Dr. Sibhatu to refine his talents. Sirak is known for his social and spiritual activities and likes to spend time with his friends and family members. He has a family of six and loves taking care of them. In his spare time he coaches soccer for his children and still loves to play.

Caring, kind hearted, friendly and very helpful are the words to describe Diamond. She began her dental career here at Laurel Smile Dentistry as a Dental Assistant in 2021 shortly after graduating from College of Alameda. When she is not in the office, she loves to be around her family and friends. She likes to cook and travel. She will be continuing her dental education to become a Dental Hygienist. She loves to see a smile on a patient's face after treatment.

Debora Walker has been in the dental field for close to 30 years. She started her career as a chair side assistant where she worked for 8 years before transitioning to the front office. Her favorite thing about her position is building relationships with the patients and ensuring that their needs are met. When she is not working she spends time with family and friends, running, camping, and reading.

A family dentist serves patients of most ages, addressing their different oral health needs as they grow older. Patients can keep seeing the same family dentist or the same group of family dentists for decades. Family dentist practices function as primary care dentists and treat family members such as parents, children, and grandparents.

Family dentists work with both children and adults to care for these patients as they grow and change. These dentists emphasize patient involvement by providing accessible, continuous, patient-centered, and comprehensive care. The hallmarks of many family dentistry practices include services that benefit patients at all stages of life, such as:

Family dentists make a point of getting to know their patients. They encourage regular checkups and catch emerging issues such as cavities. They provide continuity of care even if patients do not see the same professional on each visit. Information such as medical histories, diagnoses, and treatment plans are less likely to fall through any cracks. Centralized paperwork and familiarity with medical history also help dentists pinpoint and treat various oral health issues.

A family dentist can practice alone, but some partner with other dentists. Whatever the case, a family dentist treats various needs. Patients often turn to their family dental practice for checkups, cleanings, cavity prevention and treatment, tooth decay deterrence, and gum disease prevention. Some practices may even provide orthodontic services, cosmetic dentistry, pediatric dentistry, and other types of specialized dentistry. When necessary, family dentists refer patients to specialized dentists for other types of treatment.

A patient's first visit to a family dentist will consist of a thorough physical examination to assess their needs and current dental health. This will involve a dental exam and updated X-rays. X-rays are particularly essential as they can diagnose and evaluate any potential issues that an exam cannot detect. Laurel Smile Dentistry will also perform a thorough dental cleaning as part of the first visit. Then, once completed, our team will discuss any X-ray results and devise a customized treatment plan to meet each patient's unique needs.

A. Family dentists treat most ages, caring for both children and senior citizens. If the practice includes a pediatric dentist, it might accept infant patients. Otherwise, a family dentist tends to see children once they are in kindergarten.

A. Most likely, yes. However, if the cavity is severe enough, family dentists may need to refer patients elsewhere for more specialized care. Regular checkups with your family dentist can help prevent cavities.

A. In general, each patient should visit once or twice a year. Dentists prefer to see children every six months. Meanwhile, adults with teeth in excellent condition might visit only once a year. People who are pregnant, undergoing chemotherapy, or dealing with serious health issues may need to visit their dentist more frequently than twice a year. We can help determine your unique risk profile.

By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with treatment options.

Dental veneers can provide a quality, long-term solution to a number of cosmetic dental issues. Discover the common tooth troubles a dental professional may recommend these tooth coverings to fix.Each patient is unique, and a variety of factors such as age, medical history, and current oral health determine whether this type of treatment is recommended.

All too often, people avoid seeing a cosmetic dentist out of fear treatment is not right for them, and understanding the services a cosmetic dentist can offer can help you determine whether you should consider a visit. Cosmetic dentists can help with most smile imperfections, including teeth stains, damaged teeth, missing teeth, and misalignments.Every experienced

A dental restoration can restore, renew and even replace teeth that are in bad shape. They are often used to repair teeth that have been lost, decayed or even slightly damaged from a chip or a crown. However, with all dental restorations, comes the possibility that it may not work, which is why it is

Patients can enjoy a more comfortable and functional bite after losing teeth with dental implants. Implants act as artificial roots to anchor permanent teeth replacements. If you are missing one or more teeth or need to have one extracted, dental replacements can be a great option to restore your smile.

Dental implants act as artificial tooth roots to support new replacement teeth. During the procedure, an incision is made in the patients gum to expose the bone where the implant will be placed. We will then insert the implant and suture the gum around the implant post. In some cases, a temporary denture is used instead of replacement teeth.

Following the surgery, the bone needs to heal around the dental implant. This process can take several weeks or months. Once it is sufficiently strong, a dentist can fit the permanent replacement teeth. According to the Mayo Clinic, some extra steps may be necessary. For patients with weak jawbones, a bone graft may be needed to ensure sufficient strength. After the bone has healed, an abutment connects a crown or dentures to the dental implant.

Caring for dental implants is very similar to caring for natural teeth, especially if the replacement teeth are permanent. Brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash is necessary for maintaining proper oral hygiene with implants. Getting regular checkups and teeth cleanings at the dentist are important for taking care of replacement teeth.

Dental implants may require extra cleaning to keep them in optimal condition. Removable, implant-supported dentures should be taken out at night and soaked in a denture solution. Patients can also use an oral irrigator to help clean below and around the dental implants.

Following the procedure, it is common to have swelling and discomfort around the implantation site. Some patients may experience minor bleeding and bruising of the skin and gums in the treatment area. These side effects can be managed with pain medication and antibiotics if necessary. Patients can expect such side effects to subside after a few days.

After receiving dental implants, it is best to stick to eating soft foods while the bone heals. Most dental implant procedures use dissolvable stitches, so patients will not have to come back to get them removed. These stitches will usually fall out within seven to 10 days. Following the aftercare instructions and advice will help the healing process.

A. According to the Cleveland Clinic, dental implants have a success rate of up to 97%. Furthermore, they can last a lifetime with proper care. Dental implants are one of the most permanent solutions for missing teeth.

A. No, implants may support one or more replacement teeth. Some patients receive partial dentures with multiple teeth, while others receive a full arch of teeth. Dental implants are a flexible solution for each patients needs.