Dr. Rafael Urbino is a South Florida native. Upon graduation from high school, he honorably served four years in the United States Marine Corps, stateside and overseas. He then returned home and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Florida International University. Dr. Urbino then went on to earn his Dental Medicine Doctor (DMD) degree from the University of Florida in 2004. He then completed a Post-Doctoral Residency at the VA Medical Center in Gainesville, FL, where he received advanced training in special needs and hospital dentistry. He also completed training in Moderate Sedation Anesthesia (“I.V. Sedation”) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
In addition to private practice, Dr. Urbino has been on the medical staff at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach since 2007, where he performs dental and oral surgery for persons with special needs under anesthesia. He is also involved in the oral-dental care of patients with Head & Neck Cancers.
He is a member of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology, the Florida Dental Society of Anesthesiology, the Special Care Dentistry Association, and the Mt. Sinai Medical Center Foundation. Dr. Urbino is also a Fellow of the American Association of Hospital Dentists (FAAHD), and a Master of the College of Sedation Dentistry (MaCSD)
Dr. Urbino is an Adjunct Professor at Nova Southeastern University-College of Dental Medicine, and at the University of Florida-College of Dentistry. He is a lecturing faculty member, and also teaches dental students on humanitarian trips abroad approximately one week per year. He has participated in humanitarian trips to Haiti, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. In 2009, Dr. Urbino was awarded the prestigious University of Florida – Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.
When Dr. Urbino is not in the office or in the operating room, he enjoys traveling, motorcycling, martial arts, and being in nature. He has also been highly involved in several community, civic, and philanthropic organizations throughout the years.
During dental and oral surgical procedures local anesthesia (Novocain) is administered to block painful sensations. However, the anxiety that many people experience can be eliminated by administering sedative drugs, such as Valium type medications. A sedated patient may remember and be aware of the procedures, but will be more relaxed and comfortable. Additional medications, such as agents similar to pentothal and inhaled gases, are sometimes used to provide general anesthesia, which places the patient more deeply asleep. In this state the patient has no awareness or memory of the procedure.
At Special Care Dentistry of Florida, we believe that everyone deserves access to comprehensive dental care—regardless of age, ability, or background.
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