Welcome to a new blog series featuring specialists in different fields of dentistry. With many readers exploring dentistry as a pre-dental student in college or seeking specialty training, the objective of this blog series is to introduce post-graduate career paths and celebrate some of the amazing work in our dynamic field. That being said, I’d like to extend my network of colleagues and mentors I’ve connected with to help guide your future goals. This series will involve some specialists who are leading experts in their fields and are involved in clinical practice, research, and academia.
We are kick starting this series by "probing" the mind of Dr. Brett Weatherington, a board-certified periodontist. Most unique to Dr. Weatherington is how his specialty training has taken him all across the world from San Diego, New York, to even Japan. As a CA Native, Dr. Weatherington earned a BS in Microbiology from UCSB in 2012 and went on to complete his DDS (2017) and MS in Periodontics from NYU (2020). He completed his first duty station as a Naval dental officer in Iwakuni, Japan amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic and now serves as the Periodontal Division Officer of Naval Base Medical Center, San Diego. I’ve had the chance to work with him the last two years on a number of restorative cases, and here are some insights he has to share:
Why dentistry?
“My mom was an ICU nurse and dad is an electrical engineer. When it came time for me to explore career options, I saw how dentistry was a seamless blend providing service to others in health care and applying problem solving and critical thinking from engineering. I was also always interested in entrepreneurship and performing dental surgeries with an ideal work-life balance.”
Why did you join the Navy?
“I joined the Navy through the HPSP scholarship to serve my country as my grandparents were both Navy Veterans. I was also interested in the financial freedom and the opportunity to provide surgical services to a deserving patient population. Dental school costs are rising every year. My four years of NYU dental school tuition ($460K in 2024), NYU perio residency program ($360K in 2024), in addition to receiving salary and housing allowance for my time in residency easily exceeds a $1 million investment!”
How did you get interested in periodontics?
“To debunk periodontics for dental students, the specialty is far more than SRPs, OHI, and 1 month evals. After completing my 2 week perio rotation in dental school, I saw some awesome procedures that periodontists can do to not only treat disease, but also improve esthetic outcomes. It’s a rewarding and collaborative field where I can work with other specialists and generalists to provide optimum patient outcomes”.
What are some everyday surgical perio procedures students may not know?
The “bread and butter” of periodontics consists of esthetic crown lengthening (see before and after photo below), soft tissue grafting, and implants.
What are the steps to becoming a periodontist?
Attend an accredited dental school
Apply to residency the end of D3 year
Complete 3 year residency program (some with MS)
Optional: Board certification
Part 1: written exam
Part 2: oral board after 1 year of clinical practice
What are exciting innovations in periodontics?
“The field is transitioning from an “old school” resective approach to a regenerative methodology mirrored in other fields of medicine. While in the past, periodontal treatment consisted of removing tissue or bone to decrease pocket depth, there are new advents through lasers, bone grafting, etc. to regain hard and soft tissue”.
What advice do you have for dental students/ new dentists interested in periodontics?
Gain clinical experience: shadow local periodontist, work up cases with perio residents in clinic, explore honors specialty programs or literature clubs at your school
Network: attend annual American Academy of Periodontology Meetings.
What are your personal/professional goals in the next 5-10 years?
“Currently, I am an assistant professor at USHUS and would like to earn a promotion to associate professor. This usually entails publishing research and teaching in academic settings. I also want to remain clinically driven in my practice and pay my education forward as a professor to the next generation of dentists”.
Tell me a hobby or a fun fact about you.
How does being a periodontist in the Navy differ from private practice?
Navy:
Clinically, I see about 12-15 patients/day (4 surgeries). The biggest difference is my administrative role where I also oversee infection control, sterilization, laser safety of a large dental branch clinic.
Academia: One aspect I enjoy is the Navy allows me to flex a different muscle as a professor. I provide lectures and host periodontal rotations for AEGD and GPR residents, organize an annual Periodontics and Hygiene CE Course.
Private Practice:
Clinically, I see 15-20 patients/per day (4-6 surgical procedures). I spend time building relationships with local general dentists to facilitate referrals and connect with company representatives.
Any closing remarks?
“Becoming a periodontist in the Navy has been a unique way for me to actualize my goals! I love the diagnostic, artistic, and surgical components unique to periodontics.
If anyone is interested in specializing in perio, has questions about the Navy, or NYU, leave a comment below and I’m happy to get in touch with you.”
In the next blog post, we will explore additional specialty trainings.
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