New dentist coming to North Shore

Dentist and North Chattanooga resident Dr. Connie Chamberlain, who has been practicing dentistry for the past decade in LaFayette, Ga., is the new owner of the Red Bank practice of Dr. David Mabe.

She has renamed the practice NorthShore Family Dentistry, as her goal is to relocate to a new space on the North Shore.

photo Dr. Connie Chamberlain, left, recently purchased Dr. David Mabe's Red Bank practice, which she plans to relocate to the North Shore and has therefore renamed NorthShore Family Dentistry. Hygienist Kim Holton, right, will continue to work at the practice.

"Our hope is to, in about six months, move into the new location," she said of the North Shore site, which has yet to be finalized.

Hygienist Kim Holton, who has 18 years of experience and worked with Mabe for the past seven, will continue to work at the practice with Chamberlain.

NorthShore Family Dentistry is a general practice treating all ages, with services including root canals, extractions and cosmetic restorations, such as fillings, crowns and bridges.

A big believer in preventative dentistry, Chamberlain said she emphasizes the importance of comprehensive examinations in order to catch problems as soon as possible.

"Usually patients don't realize they have a problem unless something's broken or it hurts," she said. "A dentist can see a problem before it happens, and early detection can prevent more expensive problems down the road."

Patients sometimes discover the remedy for certain health issues, such as chronic tension headaches, are associated with a problem in the oral cavity, she said.

"Things people wouldn't attribute to a dental condition can be found and addressed with a complete exam," said Chamberlain. "[I examine a patient's mouth] not just tooth by tooth, but look at how the whole system functions."

She said multiple options for treatment always exist, and she will discuss the range of choices with the patient to find one which fits their budget.

"We decide together how to proceed, deciding which are priority issues and what can wait," said Chamberlain.

She said each new patient must undergo a full exam before their first cleaning is scheduled, which allows her to determine what type of cleaning is necessary. Chamberlain said she offers free bleaching kits for new patients receiving a complete exam and X-rays.

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