Meet Robert S. Carlish, DMD
Dr. Robert Carlish was born in New York City and raised in New Jersey. He earned a degree BA in biology from Alfred University and decided on a career in dentistry, combining his interest in science and art. His career in dentistry began in 1979, when he graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. There, he was awarded membership in numerous honorary professional organizations. Dr. Carlish decided to specialize in periodontics, the field of gum health and treatment, and completed his Residency Program in Periodontics at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill. He moved to Danville in 1981, where he established his Practice Limited to Periodontics.
“I was contacted by general dentists in Danville near the end of my residency training because of the need for this type of specialty in the community. I was very impressed by the quality of dental care they provided and I was pleased to become a part of the team.”
Dr. Carlish has been involved in a number of professional research projects and has been published for his work concerning the oral effect of mouthwash. His teaching efforts have included instruction of students at the Danville Community College School of Dental Hygiene in the administration of anesthetic injection.
Providing patients with current advances in periodontics is a top priority for Dr. Carlish. He has undergone specialized training for the use of advanced laser technology to treat periodontal disease and is one of a select handful of practitioners in Virginia certified in laser periodontal therapy. This training and other advanced studies allow him to perform minimally-invasive surgical gum grafting procedures. In the wider community, his work with the State Legislature and Governor’s office has established February as Gum Disease Awareness Month in Virginia.
Dr. Carlish has been an active member of the Virginia Society of Periodontists, North Carolina Society of Periodontists, American Academy of Periodontology, American Dental Association, Virginia Dental Association, and Piedmont Dental Society.
His hobbies include drawing, painting and creative writing. He and wife, Carol, enjoy ballroom dancing and walking on the Riverwalk. They live in Danville and enjoy everything that the area has to offer. Living locally gives him the opportunity to see his patients outside the office and to get to know them better.