Long Island, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/27/2013 -- Newly released statistics from the American Dental Association reveal 90 percent of America's adult population currently suffers from some form of gum disease. In light of this figure, Dr. David Scharf, the first periodontist on Long Island trained and licensed to offer the Laser New Attachment Procedure back in 2008, is proud to announce his recent certification by the Institute for Advanced Laser Studies to teach the Laser New Attachment Procedure. This is the only FDA approved laser procedure used to treat gum disease Long Island and proven to regrow bone lost to periodontal disease without painful cut and stitch gum surgery.

Of the estimated 176,000 professionally active dentists practicing throughout the United States, only 1,800 are currently approved to offer the Laser New Attachment Procedure. Dr. Scharf is one of only 30 dentists certified to teach the procedure. It should be noted this is the highest obtainable level of proficiency; furthermore, Dr. Scharf is the only Long Island Periodontist to reach this level, making him the most experienced and highly trained practitioner in the area offering this procedure.

Dr. Scharf stated, "I have always tried to stay at the forefront of my profession and to offer our patients the highest level of care. This certification to teach the laser new attachment procedure required tremendous time, effort and multiple examinations. Certification to teach this procedure required more than 5 times the hours spent to obtain the basic certification required to perform the procedure. Patients can feel comfortable knowing that, in addition to being a Board Certified periodontist, I have now reached the highest level of certification with respect to this breakthrough laser procedure."

Approved by the FDA in 2004, the Laser New Attachment Procedure offers patients an effective and beneficial alternative to gum surgery in the traditional sense. Surgery requiring cutting of the gum tissue and sutures is generally performed in a series of 4 sessions followed by visits for suture removal and other exams. LANAP can be completed in only 2 sessions of 2 hours each with 2 subsequent check ups. Patients who have undergone traditional gum surgery report only a 5 percent stability rate after the procedure whereas the Laser New Attachment Procedure provides 98 percent stability.

Conventional surgery is followed by a recovery period of 2 to 4 weeks while LANAP requires only 24 hours of recovery time. The Laser New Attachment Procedure is less painful and results in less discomfort after the procedure than its surgical predecessor. Unlike traditional gum surgery, LANAP has been deemed safe for patients with diabetes and hemophilia as well as those taking Cyclosporin, Coumadin and certain other medications.

About Dr. David Scharf D.M.D.
Serving Long Island patients since 1990, Dr. David Scharf is Long Island's first choice for dental implants and healthy gums without surgery. He was voted Best Dentist on Long Island by the Long Island Press 4 years in a row. Dr. Scharf is one of only a handful of Board Certified Periodontists on Long Island and the only dentist certified to teach LANAP.