Encouraged by his successes, Kohler trained as an oral surgeon at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California and Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, finishing up his training in 1996. After 28 years in the Navy, he retired and entered private practice in 2000. Five years later he opened his own practice in Annapolis.
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From his many deployments and combat experiences, Dr. Kohler has learned to respect individual and cultural differences. His experience as a general dentist helps him to factor in restorative dental practices into surgical treatment plans. “It makes me a better surgeon and more attuned to the ‘big picture’ for a patient. I try not to look at just the ‘chief complaint’ but what the patient needs overall and what they need to consider for the next step or two or three.” He believes it is important to spend time with patients. This, he believes, sets him and his practice apart. “My practice is not meant to be a high-volume, well-oiled machine. I like to think of myself as a country doctor in the city.” He and his staff, which includes wife Amy, a Navy nurse whom he met shortly after he returned from Vietnam, strive to create a warm, personal environment geared to cultivate trust and minimize anxiety.
rHis days begin and end with his patients, and not bottom-line profits. He notes that, like a country doctor, he is careful not to be too hurried or rushed, giving each patient the time they need. This tactic benefits both patient and doctor, especially when diagnosing ailments and in easing the usual anxiety. “I spend time with my patients because it often takes time to really learn what’s going on. Some doctors with busy practices have to limit their conversations to just a few minutes, that is just not enough time. One of my goals is never to treat a stranger.”
rDr. Kohler is board certified in oral and maxillofacial surgery and trained in all aspects of the profession including dental implants, the treatment of wisdom teeth, oral pathology, trauma, growth abnormalities, and the administration of general anesthesia.
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Annapolis Oral Surgery, Pa
rDr. Gene Kohler, DMD
2525 Riva Road, Suite 122 Annapolis, MD
410-224-4952
www.annapolisos.com
