POTSDAM – A new oral surgeon has opened a practice in Potsdam and Ogdensburg and is on staff at Canton-Potsdam Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center.

Lee H. Akin, DDS, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, is taking over for retiring Dr. Stephen D. Fisher, DDS, also an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Their practice is at 1 Riverview Drive. He also maintains an office at 3 Lyon Place, Suite 304, Ogdensburg.

Akin received his medical training in California. He has published and given presentations on advanced maxillofacial surgical procedures, such as grafting and the use of tissue alternatives.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons care for patients with problem wisdom teeth, facial pain, maxillofacial infections and misaligned jaws. They treat accident victims suffering facial injuries, place dental implants, care for patients with oral cancer, tumors and cysts of the jaws, and perform facial cosmetic surgery. According to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, they are also trained to perform biopsies, correct congenital deformities such as cleft lip and palate and to diagnose and treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Their advanced training in anesthesia allows them to provide quality care with maximum patient comfort and safety in the office setting.

Akin’s practice interests include dentoalveolar surgery (treatment for diseases of the teeth and soft tissues surrounding the teeth), dental implants, maxillofacial trauma, tempomandibular joint (TMJ or lower jaw area) surgery, and orthognathic surgery (correction of underlying deformities of the jaw).

In addition to his experience and credentials in his field, Akin speaks fluent Spanish. Akin, his wife, and three children have made their home in Potsdam.

For more information or to make an appointment with Dr. Akin, patients should contact their primary care provider or call Akin at 265-2896 or 393-6503.