Peter E. Dawson, DDS
Founder & Director
Peter E. Dawson, DDS founded The Dawson Center in 1979 under the primary principle that "the teeth are but one part of the masticatory system" and therefore "to be a truly competent teeth doctor, one must be a masticatory system doctor". Over the past 28 years, The Dawson Center has been both a learning laboratory and a world-class internationally recognized teaching institute.
Peter Dawson credits Dr. L.D. Pankey as one of the greatest influences in his life, someone he met the very first year that he started to practice dentistry. The son of a dental laboratory technician, Peter Dawson graduated from Emery University Dental School and went on to shape the future of dentistry much like his friend and mentor. Dr. Pankey introduced him to many of the great names of the day in dentistry: Clyde schuyler, John Anderson, Henry Tanner, and Harold Worth. He was also a student and friend of Peter K. Thomas, Harvey Paine, Earnest Granger, Niles Guichet, Frank Celenza, Clair McCreay,Gerry Francatti, and Parker Mahan.
In his new book From TMJ to Smile Design, Dr. Dawson writes about how and why he created the Dawson Center:
"As long as I can remember, there has been (and continues to be) a need for congruency among dental specialists regarding the diagnosis and treatment of masticatory system problems. To this end, I began the process of bringing together an interdisciplinary group of specialists who were committed to an academic orientation toward comprehensive concepts of diagnosis and treatment of the full spectrum of masticatory system problems.
In addition, that commitment extended to a willingness to combine an active teaching effort with the everyday realities of private practice. What we learned, we would share. Because of political constraints and the interdepartmental warfare that often occurs at the University level, too many graduating dentists enter practice with a confusing set of departmental view points on some of the most important aspects of diagnosis and treatment planning. There is still a different concept of occlusion taught in each department in many dental schools...and different parts of the masticatory system are still being exclusively assigned to certain specialties. This is why orthodontists end up "moving teeth" and surgeons end up "treating TMJ's" as if they were mutually independent of each other.
And general dentists graduate to private practice not realizing that they are supposed to be the physician of the entire masticatory system. The concept of surgeons, orthodontists, restorative dentists and technicians working together, challenging each others ingrained beliefs and searching for the truth has been both exciting and productive. From within this combined group of specialists, a number of major diagnostic and treatment advancements have emerged, including doppler auscultation for TMJ disorders, differential arthrography to assess the role of muscle on disk derangements, new microsurgical procedures for correction of articular deformities, and new methods for repairing condylar fractures. New methods for classifying disk derangements and exciting new insights into degenerative joint disease have been clarified. Simplified instrumentation approaches have been developed for analysis of occlusal problems with the orthodontist and surgeon in mind, as well as, general practitioners. Even practice management systems have been developed to simplify planning, treatment, and communication.
Our purpose at the Dawson Center is to share what we have learned with those dental professionals striving to provide quality, complete care to their patients. It is our hope that we can bring logic to your understanding of the masticatory system. If we succeed, we will have served the basic purpose for which the Dawson Center exists."
For more information on the Dawson Center visit www.dawsoncenter.com
