Oral surgeon to host belated open house
Dr. Sandra Vergara is inviting the community to come see her new Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center on Tuesday, May 3.
Vergara has been in the new location for about a year. She said the timing wasn't right for an open house at that time - but it is now.
The business is located at 2186 Kell West Blvd. and the event is 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Dr. Vergara has been practicing in Wichita Falls for more than 10 years. Her previous office was closer to downtown.
She is the only female oral surgeon in Wichita Falls and practices a full range of oral and maxillofacial surgery, including dental implants, oral pathology, treatment of facial trauma and temporo-mandibular joint problems.
She is also one of the only surgeons in the area with an opioid-free approach to pain management for her patients.
"We have to educate the patients and really explain to them that are other ways with which we can control their pain," Vergara said.
The doctor adopted the approach of not prescribing narcotics for pain about five years ago during the height of the opioid epidemic.
Statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse indicate that in 2017 and 2018, there were more that 47,000 opioid-related overdose deaths.
Dr. Vergara also recently started a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, Action Against Opioids, to raise awareness of the problem. According her research, "there is not any other nonprofit that works against opioids, not in Wichita, but in all of Texas, at least not that I have found." said Vergara.
"My goal for the nonprofit is, No.1 to create awareness, No. 2 is create support, not only for the kids but for the parents because this is a problem that is actually in all social status, it is in all ages," Dr. Vergara added.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Oral surgeon hosting belated open house for new center
