Dentist - Southlake, TX

Why Did You Decide to Become a Dentist?

Dr. J. Lee Pettigrew is a native Texan, growing up on a ranch outside the rural Denton County town of Ponder. He has a B.S. in Biology from Dallas Baptist College, and he went on to get his D.D.S. degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. After that, he opened this practice in 1989 to care for the citizens of Southlake and the surrounding communities.

Where Did You Study Dentistry?

His dedication to always provide the best for his patients has led to a lifelong pursuit of continuing education. He annually completes over 100 hours of postgraduate courses.

Dr. Pettigrew is a FAGD dentist, which stands for Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. Earning Fellowship takes dedication to dental continuing education (CE) beyond graduation. Only about 4 percent of general dentists in the U.S. and Canada are AGD Fellows. When you see a dentist with FAGD after their name, you can rest assured that they care about knowing the latest techniques and best practices in dentistry. AGD Fellows practice these techniques in a classroom setting multiple times a year -- not every dentist does this. To become an AGD Fellow, a dentist must complete over 500 credit hours of CE, earn 350 of those 500 credits in live courses, and pass an exam equal in difficulty to board certification exams. 

In addition, he is a member of many professional organizations and is a with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. His memberships include:

• American Dental Association
• Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry
• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
• Texas Dental Association
• Fort Worth District Dental Society
• L.D. Pankey Alumni Association

He has also served as president for both the U.T. Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental Alumni Association and the Metroport Rotary Club. In 2004, 2015, 2016 he was even selected as a “Texas Super Dentist” by Texas Monthly Magazine.

Outside of the dental office, what do you like to do?

Dr. Pettigrew and his wife Debby enjoy traveling, snow skiing, and he himself is an avid golfer.