Florida native Michael F. Hughes, DDS was born in Ft Lauderdale. The son of an Air Force fighter pilot, his family moved often around the United States and Europe. While attending Washington State University Michael was on the Dean’s list and HonorRoll and was the first undergraduate ever honored with a teaching position in the Chemistry Department. In 1981 he graduated with a BS in Zoology at WSU, and then attended Emory University School of Dentistry as an Armed Forces Health Professions scholarship recipient. While on active duty in the US Naval Dental Corps he trained extensively in Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Periodontics and Restorative dentistry and moved frequently around the world. Dr. Hughes left the active duty military in 1985 and began searching for the perfect place to call home.
After trying out a few differnt cities Dr. Hughes purchased an existing practice in Venice, Florida in 1988 and began creating his own private practice.
Michael founded ICB Brush Company in 1997. He received multiple dental patents and received the highest awards in dentistry for dental products including the Reality 5 star Award from 1999 through 2006. This lead to lecturing on behalf of Ultradent Dental Products, Inc to Dental Professors from the leading Universities on guidelines and tools for modern bonded dentistry. He also did extensive postgraduate study at Parker Mahan Facial Pain Center and Shands Hospital, Gainesville, Florida, 1989 through 1995 including a mini-residency for Facial Pain diagnosis. He recently completed an extensive curriculum with The Seattle Institute For Advanced Restorative And Implant Dentistry utilizing aesthetic principles.
In 2005 D. Hughes began training with the Dental Microscope under the guidance of Dr. John West, a highly aclaimed Endodontist, Educator and Inventor, in order to match his skill level with the highest standards in Endodontic treatment. At Dr. West’s urging Dr. Hughes attended the annual meeting of the Academy of Microscope Enhanced Dentistry and discovered that there was an elite group of Dentists from around the world who were utilizing the Microscope to perform all dental procedures and setting new standards for care and innovation. In 2006 Dr. Hughes visited the Microscope training center in Newport Beach , CA and began learning the skills to become a complete Microscope Dentist. In November of 2012 Dr. Hughes began using Micro Air Abrasion to improve the current techniqes of Minimally Invasive Dentistry and applied those techniques along with the Microscope in treating children. Through his connections with the Newport Coast Oral Facial Training Center he began working with Dr. Cherilyn Sheets and Dr. James Earthman in their quest to apply Quantitative Percussion Diagnostics to Dental Care. Dr. Hughes and his assistant Shelly were trainded in California to use a protoype of the Periometer and began using it in his private practice in January 2013. The benefits of this new technology are very exciting and should be available to other Dentists in a few years.
Dr. Hughes continues to pursue his other passions as well as his love for Dentistry and remains very active in sports, photography and product development for the Dental Community.
