Dentist Near Sandy Springs, Across the Chattahoochee in East Cobb

At a Glance

Service: General and family dentistry plus dental implants, implant dentures, and oral appliances for sleep apnea
Location: 2419 Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA 30062, in East Cobb; roughly 20 to 30 minutes from Sandy Springs via the Johnson Ferry Road bridge, serving patients from Riverside, North Springs, and the Abernathy Road corridor
Office hours: Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
New patients: Accepted
Key differentiator: Two dentists on staff are Fellows of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, so implant planning and restoration can happen in one office instead of several

What Happens at Your First Appointment, Step by Step

Sandy Springs has no shortage of dental offices, so the honest pitch for driving across the river is simple: this practice keeps more of your care under one roof. The clearest way to judge that is to see exactly what happens once you arrive.

Health history review. Your hygienist goes over your medications, medical conditions, and any past dental work. Blood thinners, diabetes, and sleep issues all change how a dentist plans treatment, so this step shapes everything after it.
Digital imaging. A set of low-dose digital X-rays shows decay between teeth, bone height around each root, and the state of existing crowns. If you are considering implants, your dentist may recommend 3D cone beam imaging to measure bone width and locate nerves before anyone discusses surgery.
Periodontal charting. The hygienist measures the gum pocket around every tooth. Readings above 3 or 4 millimeters point to inflammation or bone loss that a standard cleaning will not fix.
Scaling removes hardened tartar above and below the gumline, followed by polishing. If charting shows active gum disease, your dentist may recommend a periodontal deep cleaning at a separate visit instead.
Dentist exam. Your dentist checks each tooth, your bite, your jaw joints, and your soft tissues, and completes an oral cancer screening. If you snore or wake up tired, say so here; it starts the sleep apnea conversation.
Findings and options. You see your X-rays and photos, hear what needs attention now versus later, and get costs in writing before you commit to anything.

Nothing in that sequence happens behind a curtain. You can ask the dentist to pause at any step and walk you through what they see.

Care You Would Otherwise Split Across Several Offices

Many general dentists refer implant surgery to one specialist, sleep apnea screening to a sleep physician and a lab, and sedation cases to an oral surgeon. Every referral adds a new intake form, a new copay, and a new drive. At this office, several of those services come from the same team.

Dental implants. An implant is a titanium post that your dentist places in the jawbone where a tooth used to be. Over roughly three to six months, the bone fuses to the post through a process called osseointegration. Once that bond is solid, your dentist attaches an abutment and a custom crown. Dr. Christopher Lee and Dr. Lily Gilchrist both completed residency training in implant placement and hold Fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. The practice also offers implant-supported dentures and full-arch options for patients missing most or all of their teeth.

Oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea. For patients with obstructive sleep apnea, especially mild to moderate cases, a custom-fitted appliance holds the lower jaw slightly forward during sleep so the airway stays open. Dr. Gilchrist has completed extensive continuing education in dental sleep medicine and treated sleep apnea patients during nine years at the Veterans Affairs dental clinic in Atlanta. A diagnosis from a physician or sleep study comes first; the dental team then designs and adjusts the device.

Sedation. Dr. Lee completed advanced training in IV sedation during his General Practice Residency, and the practice offers sedation options for anxious patients and longer procedures.

Is the Drive Worth It for You?

Be realistic about the trip. From most of Sandy Springs, you will spend 20 to 30 minutes each way crossing the Chattahoochee, and more during rush hour on Johnson Ferry Road. For a single cleaning twice a year, a closer office may make more sense for you, and that is a fair choice.

The drive pays off in three situations. First, you need an implant or implant denture and want the same dentist planning, placing, and restoring it. Second, a physician has diagnosed you with sleep apnea, you cannot tolerate a CPAP machine, and you want a dentist with real experience fitting oral appliances. Third, you already work or shop in East Cobb and a 7 a.m. appointment on your way in fits your schedule better than anything near home.

It is not the right choice if you need weekend hours, since the office closes on Saturdays and Sundays. It is also not a fit if you rely on MARTA with no car, because no MARTA line reaches East Cobb.

After Treatment: Recovery and Follow-Up Visits

Most routine visits need no recovery at all. For bigger procedures, here is what the weeks after look like.

After implant placement, expect swelling and soreness for two to four days, managed for most people with over-the-counter pain relievers and ice. You will eat soft foods for about a week, then return for a check once the site has healed. Because the bone needs months to fuse, you will wear a temporary replacement in the meantime if the tooth is visible when you smile. Your dentist times follow-up visits to limit the number of trips across the river.

After receiving a sleep appliance, you wear it nightly and return for small adjustments over the first several weeks. Many patients notice changes in snoring within the first few nights, though your physician should confirm results with a follow-up sleep test. Jaw stiffness in the morning is common at first and usually fades as you adjust.

Once your implant crown is in place, you care for it much like a natural tooth: brush twice a day, clean around the base with floss or a water flosser, and keep your regular cleanings. An implant cannot get a cavity, but the gum and bone around it can still become inflamed, a condition called peri-implantitis, if plaque builds up. Your hygienist checks implant sites at every visit for exactly that reason.

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Meet the Dental Team and Their Clinical Training

Dentist Marietta East Cobb Waldron & Lee

Dr. Christopher Lee, a Johns Creek native, earned a UGA microbiology degree, then completed dental school at the Medical College of Georgia followed by a General Practice Residency with advanced training in IV sedation, surgical extractions, and implant placement. He is a member of the Hinman Dental Society and a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.

Dr. Lily Gilchrist earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, then completed a residency at the Medical College of Georgia focused on oral surgery and implants, where UNC's oral surgery department recognized her implant case with its Dental Implant Award. She spent nine years treating veterans at the VA dental clinic in Atlanta, where she built her focus on sleep apnea therapy. She is also a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.

Five more dentists round out the team, each with training that keeps more of your treatment in one building:

Omar Shariff: Continuing education in implant placement and restoration, endodontics, conscious sedation, orthodontics, veneers, and occlusion. Before moving to Atlanta, he lectured local study clubs on general, cosmetic, and advanced procedures.
Britney Lewis: Earned the Quintessence Restorative Award at the Dental College of Georgia, and her certifications extend to Invisalign clear aligner therapy and facial esthetics treatment with Botox and dermal fillers.
Savannah Short: Trained in Augusta after undergraduate work in biology in Athens, and a member of the American Association for Women Dentists.
J. Blair Waldron: A Medical College of Georgia graduate and member of the Academy of General Dentistry and the Hinman Dental Society who has practiced general and family dentistry in Marietta for well over a decade.
Dr. Jonathan C. Waldron: Trained at the University of Florida School of Dentistry and served as a Navy dental officer in Taipei and at NAS Dobbins before opening a long Marietta career in private practice.

Getting Here: Crossing the River From Sandy Springs

Take Johnson Ferry Road north across the Chattahoochee River into Cobb County and stay on it until you reach Roswell Road at Merchant's Walk. Turn left and head west on Roswell Road for about three and a half miles, past Old Canton Road. The office sits just past the East Piedmont Road light.

If you start on the west side of Sandy Springs near I-285 and the Johnson Ferry bridge is backed up, a second option is I-285 west to I-75 north, then Exit 263 to the Marietta Parkway (Loop 120) and the Roswell Road exit, turning right toward the office. It covers more miles but can move faster during bridge congestion.

Parking sits right at the building, a welcome change if you are used to paying for garage parking around Perimeter Center or City Springs.

Family Dentistry

Cosmetic Dentistry

Implant Dentistry

Sedation Dentistry

Sandy Springs Patients Ask

Can I take MARTA from Sandy Springs to your office?

A: No. MARTA's Red Line stations in Sandy Springs do not continue into Cobb County, and no rail line reaches East Cobb. Most patients drive or use a rideshare, and on-site parking is available once you arrive.

Is the Johnson Ferry Road bridge the fastest way over from Sandy Springs?

A: For most of Sandy Springs, yes. Johnson Ferry Road connects directly to Roswell Road in East Cobb, and from there the office is a straight run west. If you start near the Perimeter or I-285, check traffic first, because rush hour backups on the bridge can add ten minutes or more.

I work near Perimeter Center. Can I book before my workday starts?

A: Yes. The office opens at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, so an early cleaning often lets you reach the office and still head to work afterward. Reverse-commute traffic out of Cobb in the morning is usually lighter than traffic heading in.

My Sandy Springs sleep doctor diagnosed me with sleep apnea. Can you make my oral appliance?

A: Yes. Bring or send your sleep study results and your physician's recommendation, and Dr. Gilchrist will evaluate you for a custom oral appliance. The team coordinates with your sleep physician for follow-up testing after you adjust to the device.

Do I need a referral to see you for an implant consultation?

A: No. You can book an implant consultation directly. If your current Sandy Springs dentist has recent X-rays, ask them to send the images ahead of time so your consultation starts with a full picture.