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When George Goodis, D.D.S., says he and his colleagues are a 24/7 root canal specialty center, he's not kidding. With three offices located in Grosse Pointe, Sterling Heights, and New Baltimore, Dr. Goodis — along with Gerald Halk, D.D.S., and Susan Paurazas, D.D.S. — offer emergency services with one goal: to save teeth.

"Even dental trauma and sports injuries require immediate attention. More than 5 million teeth are knocked out every year, and when it happens, there's a lot of panic," says Dr. Goodis, an endodontist and former president of the Michigan Dental Association. "Especially with children, a knocked-out tooth can be replaced by an endodontic specialist if it's within 30 minutes to an hour [after the injury]."

If a child or an adult loses a tooth from trauma, the tooth needs to be picked up by the crown, rinsed with water, repositioned in the socket or placed in a glass of milk or inside the cheek until the patient is seen by the endodontist.

Dr. Goodis says sports injuries are treatable. Sometimes, if teeth aren't knocked out, they may be cracked so that the nerve is exposed. Again, an endodontist is the best dentist to determine the extent of the damage and the best treatment options.

An endodontist is a dentist who has completed more than two years of specialty education in root canals. While the dental field has three surgical specialties — oral surgeons, periodontists (gum specialists), and endodontists — it's often the general dentist who performs the majority of dental procedures. While this may be fine in many instances, it's also important to know there are options.

Dr. Goodis says he's noticed a greater degree of knowledge about endodontics within the general public. While referrals used to be solely through other dentists or physicians, he's seen a rise in patients coming in on their own or based on the advice of family or friends.

"It wasn't uncommon for our parents and grandparents to have all their teeth removed, but today, baby boomers want to save what they can. Our goal is always to save a tooth and maintain a natural smile," Dr. Goodis says.

While there's been a rising trend in dental implants for cosmetic reasons, Dr. Goodis notes that the best option is to save the natural tooth and then have cosmetic work to enhance it. "It gives us great satisfaction to work with the general dentist and be part of a team that saves the foundation of the tooth," he says.

As a small specialty practice, Dr. Goodis and his colleagues have a deep commitment to their patients, the referring dentists, and to their community. They participate in Donated Dental Services and Give Kids A Smile, which treats hundreds of children every year at the University of Detroit Mercy, where Drs. Goodis, Halk, and Paurazas are associate professors.

In addition, Dr. Halk — who also has a law degree — is the editor of the Macomb Dental Society Journal, and Dr. Paurazas is director of the residency program for literature review at U of D Mercy.
Dr. Goodis currently serves as the president of the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Endodontics, and last year was honored with the American Association of Endodontists' Lifetime Spirit of Service Award and the Leadership and Service Award from the Detroit District Dental Society.

"The thing you need to know about our specialty office is that we're dental urgent-care facilities. Since there's no convenient time for a toothache, our doctors are prepared to accept patients at any time. That's the nature of our work," Dr. Goodis says.

As specialists in oral-facial pain, Dr. Goodis and his colleagues often receive referrals from neurologists, ENTs, and cardiac surgeons who need to determine sources of infection before delving into the complexities of their treatment. "Often the source of sinusitis can be the teeth," Dr. Goodis says. "Endodontists can make that differential diagnosis."

While tooth pain is never pleasant, patients often wait too long to seek help. Dr. Goodis says to seek help immediately if a tooth is sensitive to heat, cold or to the touch. "If it becomes infected, it's no longer only a dental concern, it may be a medical concern, and earlier intervention requires less involved treatment."

While even the mention of a root canal can strike fear in even the most stoic adults, Dr. Goodis assures his patients that the experienced endodontists in his practice can make it a comfortable, pain-free experience. "We're the root canal specialists. It's what we do," he says.