Carolinas Center for Oral & Facial Surgery Will Open New Rock Hill office in August 2017
NC-based Center hopes to better serve SC patient population
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Carolinas Center for Oral & Facial Surgery is opening their first office in South Carolina in August. CCOFS has been considering an expansion into South Carolina since November 2014. Based on their surveys and research of the area, Rock Hill is a great choice for this kind of facility.
"It's a growing area," says Danny Ketola, Business Manager for CCOFS' six current offices. "The area hasn't had many oral surgeons move here, and we have a lot of patients that come up from South Carolina to access the type of care we offer, so the decision was an easy one."
Last year, CCOFS saw approximately 1,000 patients traveling from the South Carolina areas of or near Fort Mill and Rock Hill. These patients have usually sought treatment at CCOFS's Blakeney/Ballantyne office.
John H. Wessel, DMD, MD, currently at CCOFS's Concord office, is relocating to lead the Rock Hill office. Dr. Wessel is a fellowship-trained Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon who completed his training in Charlotte, NC under the mentorship of Drs. Brian Farrell and Myron Tucker. Dr. Wessel received his degrees from Harvard School of Dental Medicine and New Jersey Medical School, completing his fellowship at CCOFS, which offers a private fellowship program focused on Orthognathic, TMJ and reconstruction surgeries. Dr. Wessel is looking forward to overseeing the new office.
"I'm very excited to begin working in the Rock Hill community," says Dr. Wessel. "I have met with many dentists and dental specialists in the area and they all have a sense of community - It was a very warm reception."
Dr. Wessel has relocated to South Carolina and plans to become active in the local community planting roots for his family. "Living and working in the same community is a great experience - I'm treating my neighbors and friends. I'll be providing the same services which we offer in our five North Carolina locations, including wisdom teeth extraction, jaw surgery, dental implants, and sleep apnea surgery," says Dr.Wessel.
CCOFS will bring its state-of-art technology to South Carolina as the only AAAHC accredited oral surgery practice in the state. The practice pioneered The Charlotte Method, a virtual surgical planning system used in certain jaw surgeries. The Method begins with a CT scan of the patient, creating a digital record of the facial skeleton. This record provides CCOFS' doctors with an animated guide of how to complete the surgery before stepping into the operating room. This process is both cost and time savings and generally less invasive surgery for the patient (including less nerve damage), as well as, allowing the patient to view how they will appear afterwards."Faster surgery means faster recovery, so it's a fantastic application of biotechnology," says Dr.Wessel of The Charlotte Method.
CCOFS has been an innovator in oral and maxillofacial surgery since it began. In 1987, the practice opened as University Oral Surgery with a staff of two persons. More staff members were added throughout the early 1990s. By 1998, there were three offices in Charlotte and Concord with a fourth opening in 2005 in Denver, NC. The Blakeney/Ballantyne office opened in 2013.
Today, CCOFS is the largest oral and maxillofacial-focused practice in the Carolinas and one of the largest in the country. In 2016, the practice completed more than 300 jaw surgeries, including correcting overbites, underbites and sleep apnea corrections. CCOFS surgery team includes twelve (12) full and part-time oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Each of these surgeons is board-certified by the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and are fellows of the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons.
CCOFS also has the only accredited private practice cleft palate team in contrast to state-operated or university hospitals such as: Wake Forest University; Duke University; University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; Medical University of South Carolina; and University of South Carolina. CCOFS is also one of the few practices in the Carolinas offering total joint replacement surgeries. As for educational training, CCOFS started a private fellowship program in 2007 that focuses on Orthognathic, TMJ and reconstruction surgeries.
The expansion into Rock Hill will make it easier for patients to access world-class oral and maxillofacial care, and CCOFS hopes that having this facility nearby will encourage current or prospective patients to take charge of their oral health.
"Most people go where their dentist tells them to go and they don't look into any other options," said Danny Ketola. "Now, they can. We want them to know we are an option for any oral surgery procedure, including wisdom teeth removal."
To make an appointment, patients can call 803-207-8318. The address of the Rock Hill office is 1761 Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732.
About Carolinas Center for Oral & Facial Surgery. Carolinas Center for Oral & Facial Surgery is the Carolina's only AAAHC accredited oral and maxillofacial facility in the region. They have been the primary choice for procedures such as wisdom teeth removal and jaw surgery, as well as, sports incidents, accidental falls, motor vehicle accidents, facial assaults, and work-related accidents that require surgery for maxillofacial injuries. CCOFS staff some of the best-educated and trained surgeons in the area. For more information, please visit www.mycenters.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Danny Ketola, 704.820.1187 or [email protected]
SOURCE Carolinas Center For Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
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