‘The Best Care Possible’
At Integrated Dental Care in Exton, third-generation dentist Dr. Scott Nakamura provides ultramodern care based on each patient’s specific needs, wants, and budget.
by Phil Gianficaro

Much has changed in the field of dentistry since Dr. Scott Nakamura’s forefathers first entered the profession.
 
His grandfather, Napoleon, began practicing in the 1920s, a time when dental X-rays were a new and emerging diagnostic tool, and the first functional dental implant had yet to be invented. His father, Ronald, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in the 1960s. Back then, game-changing tools such as tooth-colored fillings, the electric toothbrush, high-speed drills, and titanium dental implants were on the verge of becoming commonplace in the profession.
 
Despite continued and significant changes and advancements in the diagnoses and treatments of dental patients, Dr. Nakamura and the team at Integrated Dental Care in Exton maintain a foundational philosophy passed down to him from prior generations. His grandfather said, “Do right whenever possible.” It’s a philosophy, he says, that will never change.
 
“We will do everything we can to ensure the patient receives the best care possible,” Dr. Nakamura adds. “We will care for every patient based on their specific needs, wants, and budget, and never pressure a patient into something because it’s what we want them to have.”
 
Dr. Nakamura’s patient-first vow means he always has a patient’s interests at heart, even if it means referring them elsewhere.
 
“If there’s an extremely difficult extraction or a complex procedure, and if we don’t believe the best option is to do it in-house, we’ll refer the patient to a more qualified specialist,” he says. “Again, it’s all about what’s best for the patient.”

Transforming Patients’ Smiles
Integrated Dental Care offers a complete range of dental services, from routine cleanings and examinations, to teaching patients about preventative care to enjoy a lifetime of good oral health, to offering a wide range of solutions and treatments with state-of-the-art technology—all designed to address the unique needs of each patient.
 
At Integrated Dental Care, patients can have their smile improved or completely transformed from a wide range of cosmetic services. Dental bonding, a process in which a tooth-colored composite resin is applied to the teeth, can repair chips, cracks, discoloration, spaces, and other damage. Stained or damaged teeth can be improved with dental veneers, the thin porcelain shells that are placed over the teeth to improve the smile’s overall aesthetics. Other cosmetic services include composite fillings that match the color of the teeth, and dental crowns, which are coverings made of ceramic or porcelain used to repair or support broken, damaged, or otherwise compromised teeth.
 
Integrated Dental Care also offers Zoom, a noninvasive light activated treatment that gives patients dramatically brighter teeth in a safe and effective one-hour session.
 
“Patients have these improvements and it boosts their self-confidence,” Dr. Nakamura says. “It transforms their appearance.”
 
At Integrated Dental Care, the focus is not limited to patients’ teeth but the health of their gums as well. Approximately 47 percent of adults 30 years and older and 70 percent of people 65 years and older have some form of gum disease, according to a recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
 
“Studies have shown a connection between the mouth and the body,” Dr. Nakamura says. “Gum disease leads to women giving birth to low-birthweight babies, and contributes to heart disease and other problems. The connection between maintaining healthy gums and overall health needs to be reinforced. Regular maintenance of one’s teeth can help prevent gum disease.”
 
Just as Dr. Nakamura’s grandfather’s patients benefited from the advent of dental X-rays, ultramodern technology has offered great upside to today’s patients. Cone Beam Computed Tomography, or CBCT, provides a three-dimensional view of the bones, teeth, and other hard tissues, allowing for a comprehensive view of areas that may have been hidden in traditional two-dimensional imaging. CBCT is essential for modern endodontics and dental implant planning, according to Dr. Nakamura.
 
“CBCT changed the way we can diagnose and look at problems,” he says. “The scan goes around the head and the computer processes it in only 15 seconds. The technology has been around since the ’90s. In the past, patients had to go to a hospital to have it done, but now the unit is right in our office. CBCT allows me to pick up so much more information than a regular X-ray. It gives me a wealth of information that plays an essential role in treatment planning.”
 
X-Guide Dynamic 3D Navigation is another innovative and cutting-edge technology offered at Integrated Dental Care. The groundbreaking surgical system enables Dr. Nakamura to place dental implants with a high level of precision and control based on CBCT imaging.
 
So much has changed in dentistry technology since Dr. Nakamura’s grandfather and father began their careers so many decades ago. But some things never change, such as the Nakamura commitment to putting patients first. After all these years, the family’s patient-focused philosophy remains the most important tool of all.

About Dr. Nakamura
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Dr. Nakamura studied at the University of Oregon, before receiving his dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1994. He subsequently pursued postgraduate training in periodontics and periodontal-prosthesis, also at Penn.
 
Dr. Nakamura is a much-sought-after lecturer locally, nationally, and internationally on topics such as dental implants, periodontics, and occlusion. He has also had articles published in many industry periodicals, including The Hawaii Medical Journal, Western Journal of Medicine, Penn Dental Journal, Journal of Prosthodontics, and The International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry. He has also lectured and written articles on Puccini’s operas Madama Butterfly and Turandot for Opera Philadelphia.
 
In addition to running his own practice, Dr. Nakamura appreciates the opportunity to share his expertise with the next generation of rising dental professionals. Currently he is a part-time adjunct clinical professor at the Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University. His previous academic responsibilities have included clinical assistant professor and primary care unit group leader in the Department of Preventative and Restorative Sciences at Penn Dental Medicine. 

Integrated Dental Care
80 W. Welsh Pool Road, No. 207
Exton, PA 19341
(610) 600-9745

Photograph by Jody Robinson

Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, October 2020