Meet the dentist who puts your smile first!
Why did you choose dentistry as your profession?
I chose dentistry as my profession because it's a way to help patients in an artistic way. For example, if you're good at something, it's like you become an artist in your craft.
Every time the patient smiles, it reflects on your work. When your patients come into the office and they're smiling, you go, "Wow, you have some pretty teeth." And you realize that it's thanks to your skills and your abilities. You get instant gratification from someone smiling right back at you. It's really satisfying to see a dramatic change in people in a short period of time. It can really be life-altering for the rest of their life. Every time they smile, it'll give them a sense of health and well-being for the rest of their life. That's really important, I think.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is just talking to the patients, getting to know them, BS-ing around a little bit, joking around, making them feel more at ease before we numb them or start drilling on their teeth. But the most fun part is getting to know who your patients are and what they do, what kind of things they do for fun. If they work at, if they're an attorney or whatever, teachers. It is interesting to try and guess before you ask them what they do. Sometimes I'm right, though.
What are your personal hobbies and interests outside of work?
Personal hobbies, I got into cycling a while ago, 15, 20 years ago, and I am an avid cyclist. I have actually pedaled around the world the equivalent distance of two and a half times around the world. You can normally find me on Fridays and Sundays pedaling around my hometown of Sacramento. We normally go 60 miles every time we ride our bikes.
What social networks are you active on?
I am not active on any social network. It's kind of funny—my staff handles all my social media for me. I know I have a Facebook and a Yelp account, but they're not really my accounts because I don't even know the passwords to them.
What dental schools did you attend?
I attended UCLA School of Dentistry. I graduated in 1992. Then I went on to do a two-year general practice residency at the VA hospital in West LA. I finished UCLA in '92, graduated from my residency in '94, and have been in private practice in my own office since 1995.
Please tell us your work history in the dental field
My work history in the dental field: my first day at work in my office was March 1st, 1995. I've been going to work every day, Monday through Thursday, since then, oftentimes doing 12-, 15-hour days because there are three dentists in my office. It's me, myself, and I. And all three of us handle everything there is to do.
What are some of your favorite aspects of providing dental care to patients?
My favorite aspect is to give my patients a restoration that is very lifelike. Now, when I say very lifelike, I mean even I can look in the mouth and not even realize that that is a crown or filling. It can fool me many times, and I think it's their own natural tooth when in fact it is not.
What certifications do you carry?
Certifications: I've been doing orthodontics for 30 years. I got Invisalign certified 25 years ago. I do all my own endodontics. At my residency, we learned to remove wisdom teeth, so I'm able to remove wisdom teeth. We sedate our patients with oral conscious sedation. We do implants. Everything we can do, we do in our office at Riverside Center for Esthetic Dentistry.
I have been a member of the American Academy of General Dentistry since 1994, a member of Tri-County Dental Society since 1994, and a member of the Mid-America Orthodontic Society since 1995. Lots in there.
What first attracted you to the study of dentistry?
I have always seen dentistry as a challenge; and the reward is that I get to see the results of my work in the smiles of my patients.
Where did you train?
I earned my D.D.S. degree at the University of California Los Angeles in 1992. Since that time, dentistry has been constantly improving; so I am always learning new procedures.
How do you stay up to date?
I take more than 50 hours of continuing education each year in courses such as orthodontics and implants. I underwent a two-year residency program with emphasis on Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine, Oral Surgery, ENT, Geriatric Dentistry, General Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Oral Pathology.
Your office seems to be filled with a great deal of high-tech equipment
Yes, it’s all a part of my commitment to offering the most comfortable, highest quality care to my patients. By using the latest materials and the newest techniques, I can ensure that the repairs I do today will last for years to come. My goal is to be a lifelong dental partner for my patients.
How important is interaction with your peers?
I find it very beneficial to meet with my fellow dentists in organizations such as the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, California Dental Association, the Tri-County Dental Society and the Mid-American Orthodontic Society. By sharing ideas and experiences, we are working to improve the level of dental care for everyone in our area.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The interaction with my patients. For me, dentistry has never been about fixing a tooth and moving on. It’s about keeping my patients’ smiles healthy and attractive for life. Knowing that I’ve helped give someone the confidence to share their smile will always be my greatest reward.
Awards:
- Chief Resident 1990-1994 VA Medical Center West Los Angeles
- Listed Top Dentist in Inland Empire Magazine 2011-2013
- Listed Top Dentist in Palm Springs Life Magazine, December 2009, 2017-2018.
- Patient’s Choice Award 2012, 2017-2018.
- Listed Top Dentist in Esthetic Dentistry, Orthodontics and TMJ for 2003-2004, 2009, 2012 with Consumer’s Research Council of America, 2017-2018.
- Presidential Who’s Who among Business and Professional Achievers 2010-2011, 2017-2018.
- Dr. Jacobs has been acknowledged in an article, “Crowning Achievement” in The Press-Enterprise, Business Section regarding his sophisticated technology in using a CEREC machine to provide his patients the convenience of a fabricated “same-day” crown, in which the entire procedure is usually completed in less than two hours.