Meet Dr. Smith, Oral Surgeon in Gresham OR

Julie Ann Smith, DDS, MD

Thank you for considering our practice. Our aim is to provide top-notch care while putting you at ease. I have fond memories of going to my small Illinois hometown dentist and physician—they excelled at developing that one-on-one doctor-patient relationship that was possible in a rural small town.

It is with that vision in mind that I have opened Blue Lake Oral Surgery—a practice based on that classic, more personal care delivery model. Our goal is to treat you the way we would treat our own family members.

I grew up in La Salle, Illinois, and was raised by 2 very strong women—my mother and my grandmother, who instilled in me the desire to help others, to always do my best, and to plan ahead! 

Believe it or not, I knew when I was 4 years old that I wanted to be a doctor and decided to be an oral surgeon at the age of 15.

I graduated from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA with a degree in Biology. During college, I was fortunate to have had an Army ROTC scholarship. After college, I went on to complete dental school at Columbia University in New York City. 

Again, I was lucky enough to receive an Army Health Professions Program scholarship for dental school. The Army granted me an educational delay so I could complete my residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, I completed medical school and one year of general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh.

Upon completion of this education, I went on Active Duty in the Army and served as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in the Army at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from 2001 to 2008, where I had the privilege of caring for our country’s soldiers, including those injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Upon completion of my military service, I moved to Oregon and was a faculty member in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department at Oregon Health and Science University until 2016. 

Having the opportunity to teach future dentists and oral surgeons was tremendously rewarding. However, I always hoped to have a private practice that resembled the practices of my childhood, so I began my search for the right private practice environment, and have found it here in Gresham.

I have been lucky enough to be involved in organized dentistry on various levels. It was an honor to serve the public as a commissioner on the Oregon Board of Dentistry from 2011 to 2019, during which time I also served as the Chair of the Anesthesia Committee, working to ensure the safe practice of dentistry and dental-related anesthesia for all Oregonians. Another rewarding experience has been to serve as an examiner for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for 8 years.

In my spare time, I love to spend time with my husband and our young daughter. Hobbies include running, cycling, yoga, swimming, and bike racing—especially cyclocross! I look forward to meeting you and providing the kind of care I would want my mom and grandma to receive.

Associations and Memberships

• Diplomate, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Fellow, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Member, American Dental Association
• Member, Oregon Dental Association
• Member, Multnomah Dental Association
• Member, Oregon Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Member, Western Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Member, American Dental Society of Anesthesiology
• Fellow, International College of Dentists
• Fellow, American College of Dentists
• Member, Omicron Kappa Upsilon
• Advisory Board Member, OMS National Insurance Company (OMSNIC)
• Member, Sorella Forte Cycling Club
• Member, Board of Directors, Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA)