Sign in
Worthy Convos: Dr. David Kostohryz on What Sets Fort Worth Oral Surgery Apart
We started Worthy Convos to highlight people doing good and interesting things in our community. Fort Worth Oral Surgery has been a trusted name in our community for more than 50 years. We sat down with Dr. David Kostohryz, DDS, MD, to talk about the practice’s history, what sets its patient experience apart, and a myth he’d love to put to rest.
Tanglewood Moms: Fort Worth Oral Surgery has been serving our community for over 50 years. Can you give us a brief overview of your history?
Dr. David Kostohryz: Fort Worth Oral Surgery was originally founded by Dr. Walter Williams in1975, with Dr. Gregory Scheideman joining the practice about a decade later. Dr. William Runyon came on board in 2002, and I joined in 2011. It’s been a natural progression of growth ever since, and today the practice includes three full-time doctors and a team of 30 full-time staff. All three of us have roots in Fort Worth and are TCU graduates, and we’re proud to continue funding a scholarship at TCU for a pre-dental student as a way of giving back to the community that shaped us.
l-r: Dr. Kostohryz, Dr. Scheideman, Dr. Runyon
Courtesy photo
TWM: How has FWOS evolved over the years?
Dr. Kostohryz: We’ve always made it a priority to stay at the forefront of technology. We were among the first oral surgery offices in the area to adopt cone beam and 3D imaging when they became available, and we continue to bring the latest tools and techniques into our office as they emerge. But growth for us has never just been about equipment. As the practice has grown, we’ve stayed just as focused on being a steady, familiar presence for the families and referring dentists we’ve built relationships with over the years, all while keeping our Fort Worth roots front and center in how we treat patients and give back to this community.
TWM: Being told you need an oral surgeon can be daunting. How does FWOS ensure its patients are comfortable while keeping them well informed about their procedure?
Dr. Kostohryz: It really comes down to the heart of our staff and doctors. We approach every consultation and surgery with compassion rather than treating it as just another transaction, and we work hard to create an atmosphere that feels unassuming rather than intimidating.
TWM: What is the most common procedure you perform?
Dr. Kostohryz: Dental extractions and dental implants are the most common procedures we perform. Within the dental extraction category, wisdom teeth extraction makes up a large share of those. Dental Implants are another major focus for us, especially Full Arch Restoration, where we help patients move from dentures to a permanent set of teeth, in most cases completing the process in a single day. It’s one of the most rewarding transformations we get to be part of, giving people a permanent, confident smile without the upkeep of removable dentures.
Courtesy photo
TWM: Are there any new procedures or technologies that you are excited to implement at FWOS?
Dr. Kostohryz: The materials and 3D printing technologies used for full arch cases keep improving, which means we can get patients through surgery and into their final teeth much faster than before. We’re also continuing to refine our sedation techniques so that every patient has the most comfortable and safest anesthesia experience possible.
TWM: How does FWOS ensure that its team remains at the forefront of oral surgery?
Dr. Kostohryz: Continuing education is a big part of it. We send our staff to courses throughout the United States, and our anesthesia assistants undergo DAANCE certification, which stands for the Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Examination. It’s a program offered through the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons that requires around 36 hours of self-study followed by a standardized exam, and it’s designed to confirm that anesthesia assistants have the skills to safely support and monitor sedated patients. It’s completely voluntary, but it’s a level of training we make sure every member of our team achieves.
TWM: Do you have a particularly rewarding memory that you can share?
Dr. Kostohryz: More than anything, it’s the sheer number of patients we’ve had the privilege of treating over the years, combined with the charity work we get to be part of. We regularly see patients through Beautiful Feet, the VA hospital system, Catholic Charities, and Gill Children’s Services, a local pediatric nonprofit. Being able to extend our care to those communities is something we take a lot of pride in.
TWM: And finally, if there was ONE myth about oral surgery that you could bust right now, what would it be?
Dr. Kostohryz: That oral surgery has to be an unpleasant experience. With proper sedation and post-operative pain control, it can actually be a relatively easy procedure to go through.
