After 23 years of practicing conventional dentistry in Arkansas, Dr. Rebecca R. Edwards sold her practice and was ready to leave dentistry behind. But her patients had planted seeds of curiosity, challenging her to question why they were becoming sicker and why the more dentistry she performed, the more they seemed to need. Driven by a hunger for truth and a desire to restore her faith in dentistry, she pursued education in functional medicine, regenerative dentistry, and biological dentistry.
What she discovered changed her understanding of health and healing and inspired her to open Mississippi's first and only biological dental practice in a state that consistently ranks among the nation's poorest in overall health. What began as a search for answers became her own healing journey and completely changed the way she thought about health, the body and her responsibility as a dentist.
Today, Dr. Edwards is the founder of Grove Dental in Oxford, Mississippi, where she approaches dentistry with the understanding that the mouth is part of a much larger picture. Her transition into biological dentistry has been supported by countless hours of continuing education and advanced clinical training, including a recently completed postgraduate maxiresidency at Tufts University. She holds BGS certification and maintains memberships in professional organizations including the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT), International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine (IABDM), American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (AACP), and American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM).
Her clinical work includes biological and regenerative dentistry, ceramic implants, advanced laser procedures, and evaluation of airway and bite-related problems. She is especially interested in chronic inflammation and unresolved dental conditions, including infections associated with previously treated teeth, compromised implants, and areas of concern in the jawbone. She believes these deserve careful investigation because oral health should never be considered separately from the health of the person.
She uses the image of a splinter to help patients understand her approach. A tiny splinter in your finger can continue to irritate surrounding tissue until it is found and removed. In her practice, she asks whether there may be similar "splinters" in the mouth: lingering infections, problematic materials, or areas of dysfunction that are easily overlooked. Some may be related to dentistry performed years earlier, often with the best intentions and according to the standards of the time. Her passion is helping patients identify these possible sources of irritation, understand their options, and make informed decisions. For her, the goal isn't simply to do more dentistry, but to recognize when treatment is needed and how to support the person receiving it.
If you ask Dr. Edwards what she considers the most important pillar of health, her answer isn't nutrition, surgery, or even oral health. It is peace. She believes healing begins with our thoughts, the willingness to confront trauma, work through old wounds, and find peace within ourselves. Her Christian faith is central to that belief. She believes God designed the human body with remarkable capacities for repair and regeneration, and that our responsibility is to care for it rather than continually work against it. That means addressing physical burdens and nutritional deficiencies while recognizing the influence of fear, stress, and deeply held beliefs. She doesn't see inner healing and physical care as competing ideas. To her, they belong in the same conversation.
That conviction led her beyond the dental office. As co-founder of Knead Your Cure, a health and wellness conference, Dr. Edwards brings people together to explore connections among faith, nutrition, emotional well-being, and physical health. Its mission is to encourage people to take an active role in their health, recognizing that reducing toxic burdens, correcting nutritional deficiencies, and renewing the mind can create better conditions for healing. She also hosts "The Tea on Teeth", a podcast where she discusses dentistry, the mouth-body connection, and questions she believes patients and professionals should be asking.
Dr. Edwards considers herself a lifelong student. She knows what it means to practice one way for decades and then become willing to reconsider familiar assumptions. Through "Bye Ol' Dentistry", she hopes to encourage others to remain curious, ask better questions, and look at the whole person rather than a single symptom or tooth. Her patients helped her discover that sometimes the first step toward a different outcome is being willing to see the problem differently.
Disclaimer:
The information provided here is for entertainment and educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute medical professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. More details: www.biohackyourself.com/termsanddisclaimers
