A typical dental concern, especially among people over 50 years of age, is Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia. Dry mouth may occur due to several factors, including medications and illness, disease, nerve damage, chemotherapy, or other radiation therapy.
Although a dry mouth may not seem like a big deal, the saliva in your mouth does play a vital role in your oral health and overall wellness. It works to protect your tooth enamel from harmful bacteria, breaks down food particles to promote good digestion, and makes it possible for you to chew and swallow. A lack of saliva increases your risk of developing tooth decay and may prevent you from getting the nutrients you need.
Dr. Miner graduated from the University of Texas School of Dentistry, where he was a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the San Antonio District Dental Society, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
For more than 30 years, Dr. Miner has faithfully served the needs of his San Antonio area patients. They return year after year because of his skilled, attentive care and our teams warm, family-like treatment toward each patient.
Dr. Miner was born in Bostons North Shore and lived for a time in Manchester-by-the-Sea before his family moved to the Clear Lake/NASA area of Houston. Growing up, he loved sailing and playing various sports.
He attended Texas Christian University on a music scholarship and graduated with degrees in both chemistry and biology. Dr. Miner went on to graduate from the University of Texas School of Dentistry in 1985, where he was a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. Before buying his practice in 1987, he gained valuable skills and experience working as an associate dentist.
Dr. Miner and our staff focus on providing high-quality, low-volume dental care in a fun, upbeat and comfortable environment. Because of his natural artistic vibe, he loves performing cosmetic dentistry.
He says that the most enjoyable part of his job is watching a patient with compromised oral health and poor aesthetics transform into a confident individual with a beautiful and healthy lasting smile.
You know, I decided to be a dentist at a very, very young age. I think it was 12. Initially had some really good role models in the profession that I had spent a fair amount of time knowing their families and whatnot. They were great ambassadors to the profession. And I liked the fact that they were independent, not necessarily working in a corporate environment. They seemed to have the ability to provide some wonderful services to people. They seemed very happy with their choice and basically started me in that path. From there, I was very happy to find out in dental school that I actually did enjoy doing it, because theres always that worry: What if I get there and, uh-oh, this isnt right for me? But fortunately, its been a great choice. Great decision. I enjoy it because we have the ability to transform lives. We can do some pretty amazing things now that even when I was training was not available to us. College, I went to TCU. Great institution. Still a die-hard fan to this day. We go to way too many games, out-of-town games and whatnot. Fun place to be. The dental school here, outstanding school. Great learning experiences throughout the school. I used to kid with people that one of most valuable things I ever did is, for two years during dental school, I worked as a waiter, and thats where you really learn how to treat people. As far as continuing education, extremely important process to do. The majority of materials that we use now, the majority of the procedures we do now were not even around, basically, when I went to dental school. So one thing you have is experience that youve built over the years, but then you really need to keep up.
Our patients deserve the very best. Its a fine line between whats a new technology and whats going to be a proven, successful technology for the future. We need to know whats cutting edge, but we also need to know what to integrate into our practice. We have the ability to bring some very innovative, interesting procedures, treatment, to our patients. And I think anyone that comes to our office deserves to know whats out there and how we can better serve them.
The most rewarding part of dentistry, for me, is basically getting to know our patients, what their desires are, what their wants are, how we can match up our clinical skills with their wishes and desires. And when we do so, seeing the confidence it brings to them. Weve had plenty of examples of people weve done some nice work that have gone on to entirely different careers, partially based on their increased confidence. And then just getting to know the families that we serve and treat.
Niki has been in dentistry for over 20 years, with experience in pediatric dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and orthodontics. When asked about her career, Niki says; Dentistry chose me. Upon moving from Nashville to San Antonio, her first job was in dentistry. When she witnessed firsthand the ability to create beautiful smiles and help people achieve better self-esteem, she was hooked! One of her goals is to see that our veterans receive the oral health care they deserve and require. She attended San Antonio College with an emphasis on medical transcription and proofreading.
Niki and her husband have been married for over 20 years. Together they have raised three children including a set of twins. The family enjoys camping, exploring the outdoors, and all things Bravo! Niki loves to be creative with her culinary skills. She creates outstanding meals for family and friends.
Annette has been in the dental field for over 30 years. She has worked in general, pediatric, orthodontics & TMJ. She dedicates herself to help the back office run smoothly. She enjoys working with an office that brings genuine comradery. She wholeheartedly believes that a smile can be a welcome sign to meeting new people and patients.
Mary Adams is a registered dental hygienist. She loves to make people smile and to help patients maintain their overall dental health. She received her Associates of Science in Dental Hygiene from West Los Angeles College and has been in the dental field for over 30 years.
Mary and her husband have 2 sons, one of whom has served our country in the Reserves. They also recently welcomed their new grandson, Cole. In her free time, she loves to travel and spend time with her family.
Efrain is a registered dental assistant. He has practiced general dentistry for the last 3 years. His desire to make our patients comfortable and happy makes him an asset to our practice! He keeps us all healthy by sharing his workout tips and healthy eating habits!
Delia joins our Front office business team with over 20 years of experience in the dental Field! She knows all the ins and outs with those tricky insurance questions and loves to help our patients with the financial concerns that sometimes come with achieving the beautiful and healthy smile they need. Delia and her husband have been married for 30 years and have raised 2 young sons into grown men with thriving families of their own. Delia and her husband are also proud grandparents to 6 grandchildren! She and her family enjoy spending time with family and friends doing activities such as going camping and having cookouts.
Cosmetic dentistry includes several dental treatments; the aim of each of these treatments is to enhance the beauty of your smile. Through cosmetic dentistry, we can help you achieve a more beautiful, inviting smile that boosts your self-esteem and allows you to smile with confidence.
We may suggest cosmetic dentistry for any of our patients who would like to improve the beauty of their smiles. Cosmetic dentistry might be the solution you need if your smile is flawed by imperfections such as: