The New Frontier in Holistic Healthcare
If you ask Dr. David Peterson about his approach to dentistry, he’ll recite a code of ethics roughly equivalent to the “Golden Rule” and talk about
his patients like they are his immediate family.
“I try to treat people how I want to be treated,” explains the Cottonwood Heights-based holistic dentist. His mission is to provide “comprehensive
aesthetic reconstructions of the mouth in a holistic way.”
If it sounds touchy feely for a dentist, that’s because it is. Dr. Peterson represents a breed of new dentists who consider themselves to be much
more than “tooth mechanics” Filling cavities. In the emerging field of biological dentistry, the biological or holistic dentist believes in addressing
the medicine of the mouth from a total body and wellness stance, even down to the effects environmental factors such as air pollution and fluoride in
drinking water can have on our dentition.
A member of the IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology), the world’s foremost authority on dental material
biocompatibility and toxicity in oral medicine, Dr. Peterson speaks passionately about integrating the whole individual when treating patients in
a comprehensive manner. In his practice he offers alternatives such as ozone therapy, safe amalgam removal and neuromuscular dentistry at his office,
The Dental Studio. These therapies complement a regular roster of more traditional dental services that include fillings—using non-mercury, non-
BPA composites—and safe root canals.
But where did this dedication to integrity, total body health, and quality arise? According to Dr. Peterson, they were among the principals he learned as an
Eagle Scout, and when he was a college student studying dentistry, where common sense and innovative approaches were mirrored in his lessons as
well.
The bottom line is that there is an oral-systemic link that relates to the overall health of the heart and body, he explains. “This is not a new concept. Every dentist is taught to [practice dentistry] this way if they listened in dental school. It’s what I believe and have practiced since 1991,” says Dr. Peterson.
Taking into account a new way of approaching dental care, Dr. Peterson promotes non-invasive, scientifically sound, and cutting-edge health practices in treating all his patients.
Ultimately, Dr. Peterson believes that patients need to take a proactive approach to finding a dentist who they can trust, and take their oral health
into their own hands. He cautions against opting for inexpensive solutions that could result in long term, detrimental health effects that take more
than finances to mend. Foremost, he believes in educating oneself about the benefits of sustainable, holistic healthcare. “You get what you pay for. We are prepared to do fine dentistry for the quality conscious,” he says. “I try to give my patients what I would give my own family and what I would want for myself. The Dental Studio is the place in Utah for impeccable service one guest at a time.”
Dr. Peterson is the Chairman of the Mastership committee for the Utah Academy of General Dentistry. He also serves on the board of regents for the International College of Cranio and Mandibular Orthopedics. He is a fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology (ICOI), a Misch International institute fellow, member of the UDA, ADA, and a past sustaining member of the AACD, and a member of the IAOMT.
