Community Corner
Health Connection: Dentistry
Neighbors making a difference in our community's health and wellness.
He’s a Marylander through and through, giving North Potomac folks a reason to smile.
Dr. Nadim Kodsi of North Potomac Smiles may have been born in Lebanon, but he has lived nearly his entire life in Maryland. A graduate of Howard High School in Ellicott City, he earned his BS from University of Maryland and then graduated from University of Maryland’s School of Dentistry.
Dentistry won him over. As an undergrad, Dr. Kodsi knew he wanted to be in healthcare and thought being a physician was the “way to go,” but somewhere along the way he realized that the hospital was not for him.
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“I love the interpersonal relationships that I have with my patients,” he said. “I feel as though my friends are coming in to see me.”
Unlike some physicians who see a patient just for the duration of an illness, many of a dentist’s patient relationships are long term. For some patients, especially the young ones, Dr. Kodsi is the only dentist they have ever known. “In a way, I see them as they grow up,” he smiles and adds, “…at least twice a year.”
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Perhaps the best part of being a dentist, Dr. Kodsi adds, “is the instant gratification.” In modern dentistry, where much of the work is cosmetic reconstruction, crowns and veneers, there is great reward in a short period of time.
“Some people come in with a lifetime of dissatisfaction in their appearance, and we can make such a difference quickly,” he said. “Sometimes in just one day.”
What about your patients who fear the dentist?
“Pain is not the same as it used to be decades ago,” said Dr. Kodsi. “We can manage it better now with new measures, new anesthesia.” He has seen a lot of patients come a long way and overcome their fears.
His twin brother, a radiologist, has been all over the map and seems to have settled now in Pennsylvania. But Dr. Kodsi is committed to staying and practicing in Maryland and recently relocated North Potomac Smiles to 15200 Shady Grove Road in Rockville.
In his spare time, Dr. Kodsi likes to run, go for walks and try new restaurants.
And he especially likes to travel with his wife, generally beyond the borders of Maryland.