Meet Dr. John Hopkins

Dr. John Hopkins, a third generation Mississippi Gulf Coast dentist, has been one of the Gulf South’s premier cosmetic and general dentists for over 25 years.

After attending Tulane University and receiving his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Mississippi in 1977, Dr. Hopkins graduated from the prestigious Emory University School of Dentistry in Atlanta, Georgia.

At Emory, Dr. Hopkins studied directly under Dr. Ronald Goldstein, considered the father of modern aesthetic dentistry.

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Following graduation from Emory in 1981, Dr. Hopkins joined an esteemed multi-specialty practice in Palm Beach, Florida, where he honed his skills in numerous dental specialties: endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery and aesthetics. While in Florida, Dr. Hopkins also completed the continuum at the Pankey Institute, the most renowned dental education institute in the world.

While hugely successful in Florida, Dr. Hopkins’ love for his hometown brought him back in 1984 to Gulfport, where his father, Dr. Arvah M. Hopkins, Sr., and his grandfather, Dr. Arvah St. Clair Hopkins, practiced before him.

Since his return to the Mississippi Gulf Coast over two decades ago, thousands of patients have come to call Dr. Hopkins their dentist, entrusting him with their dental health and personal wellbeing.

While greatly respected for his abilities as a general dentist, Dr. Hopkins is also highly regarded as one of the leading cosmetic dentists in the Gulfport, MS area. To that end, Dr. Hopkins has performed hundreds of complete smile transformations, enhancing his patients’ smiles and undeniably brightening their lives.

As a dentist, Dr. Hopkins believes certain values matter the most when it comes to the health and the happiness of his patients. Most importantly, he believes a brighter, healthier smile leads to a brighter, healthier life – physically, mentally and emotionally – for his patients. Dr. Hopkins’ primary goal is to make his patients’ lives a little better and brighter each day.

Many studies have proven that unhealthy teeth and gums lead to a host of negative effects – an increased risk of heart disease, decayed teeth, advanced bone loss and a decreased immune system. With words like disease and decay so often linked with dentistry, it’s easy to forget how positively dentistry can enrich people’s lives, particularly in the area of cosmetic dentistry.

As a long-term student and provider of cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Hopkins believes it’s far more an art than it is a science. While all basics can be taught, there is no textbook formula that applies to everyone. When designing new smiles, Dr. Hopkins considers his patients’ features and personality as much as their teeth and gums so results are beautiful and natural.

While he believes in the best of dentistry, it’s important to note what Dr. Hopkins doesn’t believe in, is using “gimmicks” to attract patients. The most recent example of this is the advertisement of “shot-free” dental lasers, which are far from the state-of-the-art equipment they are promised to be. While some lasers have their place in gum surgery, most can only be used in minor procedures. A skilled, steady-handed dentist can perform these same procedures many times faster and equally pain-free.

The patients of Dr. Hopkins deserve honesty and proficiency from their dentist, so you’ll only find cutting-edge and effective technologies at his office. Also, you’ll always find him wearing enhanced magnification, known as dental loupes, when diagnosing and treating patients. While his eyesight is excellent, this enhanced magnification allows him to find and treat even the smallest problems.

Finally, Dr. Hopkins believes in sparing no expense in continuing education courses. His time learning advanced techniques across the country allows him to offer his patients the very best. At our office, we are continually growing – professionally and personally – to make our patients’ experience with us one they actually enjoy. After all, improving our patients’ smiles and enhancing their lives is what it’s all about.

If you’re an established patient, we thank you for the pleasure of being your dentist. Dr. Hopkins appreciates your continued confidence and referrals. If you’re a new patient, Dr. Hopkins and his staff look forward to brightening your smile and, hopefully, bettering your life.

Dr. Hopkins lives in Gulfport, MS. His son Graham is a senior at Wake Forest Medical School, while his son Worth is beginning William Carey Medical School this 2016. When not working, Dr. Hopkins enjoys boating, scuba diving, golfing, kayaking, photography, and traveling.