Ortho for Kids - ages 5-10
Petaluma Dental Group
Petaluma Dental Group
1301 Southpoint Blvd Petaluma, CA 94954
Our orthodontist
Dr. Sunil Kapila, BDS, MS, PhD Orthodontist
We are honored to have an orthodontist of Dr. Kapila's stature.
As a professor and Eugene E. West Endowed Chair of Orthodontics at University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Dr. Kapila obtained his dental degree at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He received an MS in orthodontics at University of Oklahoma as a Fulbright-Hayes Scholar, and a PhD in Oral Biology from UCSF. Dr. Kapila is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.
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Dr. Kapila is the orthodontist's orthodontist! He is known throughout the orthodontic world and teaches others and is a respected speaker.
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Dr. Kapila has received several research and clinical awards including the American Association for Dental Research’s Hatton Award, the American Association of Orthodontist’s (AAO) Milo Hellman Award, and the B.F. Dewel Honorary Research Award from the AAO Foundation. He has also been recognized for his contributions to orthodontics by being selected by the AAO to present the prestigious Jacob A. Salzmann Lecture at their Annual Meeting in 2013.
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Dr. Kapila utilizes current approaches to both routine and complex orthodontic treatment of children and adults. His practice’s other emphasis is in interdisciplinary treatments involving other dental and specialty providers.
'All orthodontists are dentists...
however, not all dentists areÂ
orthodontists'
What is the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist?
A dentist and orthodontist both focus on oral care. They are both considered doctors, and deal with the teeth and gums.
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An orthodontist requires additional schooling as a dental specialty; the situation is similar to a doctor who obtains additional schooling to become a surgeon. Another difference is that orthodontists specialize in helping patients with the alignment of their teeth, improving their bite, or fitting them for corrective braces and devices. If a patient has requiring orthodontic correction, a dentist will refer them to an orthodontist.
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Orthodontists help with crooked teeth, but they assist patients with other issues as well. These include overbites and underbites, crossbites, spaces between teeth, overcrowding of teeth, and the management of temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
Autumn Winter, RDA Orthodontic Coordinator
" I love making people smile and helping people. I love ortho because watching how a smile is changed from beginning to end and seeing the amazing results makes me happy and proud of what I do"
"Teaming up with our patients to improve their smiles, function and overall feeling of well-being and confidence gives me joy everyday. "