Kathleen E. Rueter, DMD, MS
Periodontist
Dr. Kathleen Rueter attended the University of Oregon where she double majored in Biology and Spanish and received a minor in Chemistry. After living in Chile as a foreign exchange student, she entered the OHSU dental school and earned her D.M.D degree in 2002. Next she traveled back east to Columbia University for her residency in Periodontics due to the outstanding implant training program. Her thesis focused on the relationship between periodontal disease and smoking, which was also her research focus in dental school which she presented for the International Association for Dental Research. She received her M.S. degree in Periodontics in 2005 from Columbia University in New York City. She then practiced in Illinois for several years where she was a platinum level implant provider. During that time, she also completed Part I and Part II of the board examinations and became board certified and a Diplomate in 2006. She moved back to Oregon in 2008 and has practiced in Bend since that time. She is the only board certified periodontist practicing in Bend and is an active member of the American Academy of Periodontics, American Dental Association, and Oregon Dental Association.
Dr. Rueter is passionate about continuing education. As a diplomate, she is required to pass re-certification examinations and has additional continuing education requirements. She has held many leadership roles such as serving as the ASDA representative for the ADA Council on Ethics, Bylaws, and Judicial Affairs. She has also served as a board examiner for the Oregon Board of Dentistry specialty examination. She has directed a 2 year hygiene study club in addition to a 2 year study club for dentists focused on full arch or full mouth restoration with implants. She has given lectures for the Central Oregon Dental Society on the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic disease and for the Advantage Dental Summer Meeting on the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease for the general dentist and hygienist. She has also given company sponsored lectures for dentists including Biolase on the utilization of lasers, Zimmer Biomet on the use of trabecular metal in implants, and for Straumann on regenerative therapies. Dr. Rueter’s focus is helping patients to save their teeth for as long as possible while maintaining good oral health. When it is impossible to save teeth, we are fortunate to have the option of offering implants as the best tooth replacement option. She customizes each treatment plan and has established different protocols for patients with diabetes, heart disease, and aggressive periodontal disease. She has also embraced technology and offers 3-D imaging, virtual planning in preparation for implants, perioscopy, five different types of laser treatments, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. |