Meet the Team: Dr. Becky Weightman, Periodontist

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We wanted to sit down with our newest team member, Dr. Becky, so we could share a bit with you all about her life in and outside of dentistry. We couldn't be happier to have her!

What got you into Periodontics?

My uncle is a periodontist and he is the person that introduced me to dentistry as a career. When I was in dental school, the perio lectures were always my favorite, as I found the expression of  overall systemic health in the gum tissues to be fascinating. I then had the opportunity to try a few surgeries in dental school and spent a lot of time assisting in the department of Periodontics. From there, I was hooked. ​ There is a lot to think about in the treatment planning of each patient as an individual, I get to physically remove disease and rebuild the foundation for teeth with my own hands, and I also get to help patients to feel comfortable throughout a procedure that they were anxious for. It’s a very rewarding career.

What one thing do you wish your patients would do more?

This one is easy… floss!

Favorite hobby outside dentistry?

I love going to hot yoga. It helps me to relax, feel strong, and get the knots out of my back after a long surgery. I’ve also gotten into cooking in the last couple years. Middle eastern cooking is my favorite.

Funniest moment from dental school?

In dental school, we learned to give injections by first practicing them on each other. Can you imagine how nervous you would be if you knew the person coming at you with a needle had never given an injection before? My best friend, and roommate at the time, gave me my first injection. She dripped some anesthetic onto my tongue and tried to suction it out, but she accidentally grabbed the high speed suction instead of the saliva ejector and sucked half of my tongue up into the suction tube! She couldn’t figure out how to turn off the suction, but managed to wrestle it off my tongue, only to then get it stuck on my bottom lip. I was laughing so hard I was crying, but couldn’t talk to tell her I was okay. She thought I was injured so she ran off in a panic to get help. A dental assistant came to the rescue, turned off the suction, and I was freed.  I ended up with a bruised fat lip and a great story to embarrass my still very close friend with.