Dr. Robert B. Ioppolo is a Texas native and grew up in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. From a young age, Dr. Ioppolo was interested in pursuing a dental degree. While he was attending dental school, he went on a mission trip where he was exposed to the surgical side of dentistry and found it to be very rewarding and fascinating. He felt called to pursue a career in oral surgery, knowing that it would allow him to make a lasting impact on his patient’s lives.
Dr. Ioppolo completed his undergraduate degree here in Lubbock and knew that he wanted to serve this close-knit community when he finished his training. He and his family moved back to Lubbock in 2014, and he began practicing with Dr. Hill. Dr. Ioppolo regularly donates his time to provide care for patients in need at charitable events in the South Plains region.
He firmly believes that serving people through oral and maxillofacial surgery is what he is called to do. Dr. Ioppolo is incredibly passionate and committed to this practice and helping restore patients’ smiles. He is certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and makes sure to stay up to date on the latest techniques so that he can provide the best possible care to his patients — the same care he would want and provide for his own family.
Dr. Ioppolo completed his undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University here in Lubbock and loved living in this community. He then attended dental school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where he earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery in 2005. During this time, he was introduced to the OMS specialty and, after much prayer and reflection, pursued the next step in his training. All oral surgeons must undergo years of hospital-based training, and Dr. Ioppolo did his residency at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. He gained years of experience performing reconstructive surgeries, facial trauma management, extractions, and dental implant procedures. He also studied and contributed research at the US Army Institute for Surgical Research during this time.
Dr. Ioppolo completed his dental and oral surgery training through the Army Health Professions Scholarship Program and served for nine years of active-duty services and four years in the Army reserves. He served as Chief of the Oral Surgery Department and Officer-in-Charge at Reynolds Army Community Hospital in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. As an oral surgeon for active-duty soldiers, Dr. Ioppolo is experienced in providing the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgical care. He also assisted in training residents in the advanced education in general dentistry program for four years. This combination of study and teaching allowed him to perfect the most advanced oral surgical techniques available.
Dr. Ioppolo earned his board certification in 2012 and has maintained his certification status ever since. Earning a certification from the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery requires extensive knowledge of the oral surgery specialty. Oral surgeons who choose to pursue this certification must demonstrate that they maintain the highest standards of care. Each oral surgeon must complete a rigorous written exam and four separate oral exams, all of which are designed to test the surgeon’s knowledge and judgment in a variety of surgical situations. Earning a board certification is completely voluntary, and surgeons who receive it are renowned as experts in the oral and maxillofacial specialty. By maintaining his board-certified status, Dr. Ioppolo is demonstrating his dedication to advancing his training with the latest techniques and providing the highest level of care to each patient.
Dr. Ioppolo currently serves as the chairman of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental section at Covenant Medical Center.
Dr. Ioppolo diagnoses, manages, and treats a variety oral health conditions for children, teens, and adults. He performs both simple and complex procedures in the comfort of our office and offers several anesthesia and sedation options for patients to choose from. He began practicing in Lubbock, TX in 1999 and appreciates every opportunity to serve others through compassionate and beneficial care. Dr. Ioppolo's clinical interests include orthognathic surgery, facial trauma management, tooth extractions, bone grafting, and dental implants.
In his free time, Dr. Ioppolo enjoys skiing, traveling, fly fishing, and spending time with his family — his high school sweetheart, Lory, and their three children, Sebastian, Gianna, and Samuel. He and Lory are leaders of a small group at their local church and love to give back to this community. They regularly serve at Lubbock Impact in food service and give their time and expertise to the dental clinic for the working-poor of Lubbock.
