New surgeon at Idaho Falls clinic does oral, jaw and facial work
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IDAHO FALLS – Snake River Surgical, a clinic in Idaho Falls that provides oral, jaw and facial surgeries, welcomes a new doctor to the team.
Dr. Jordan Clawson joined the clinic in August after six years of medical training. The Firth native is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, meaning he does surgery “from the neck up.” He also does dental implants, wisdom teeth extractions and similar dental procedures.
Clawson tells EastIdahoNews.com he’s thrilled to be back in eastern Idaho for his first job in private practice.
“I’m glad to be back in the community I grew up in. I’m looking forward to treating the friends and family I already have here (and gaining new patients),” Clawson says.
Clawson obtained a bachelors degree in exercise physiology at Brigham Young University-Idaho, and later attended dental school at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He completed his medical training and residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Clawson says he and Dr. Bryan Lee, who initially opened Snake River Surgical at 360 East Main Street in Rexburg in 2010, began discussing the idea of Clawson joining the practice about five years ago.
Lee opened the Idaho Falls location at 780 Bridgeport Road in 2021 to be able to serve more patients. Clawson says Lee’s intention was to hire another doctor, and that’s how he got involved.
Leah Judd, an executive assistant at Snake River Surgical, says Dr. Lee grew up in Rexburg and became intrigued with this field of study in college and wanted to open a clinic that provided specialized oral, jaw and facial care.
“There were none at that time who could provide these services to the area. He came in and built everything from the ground up,” Judd says.
After 15 years of practice, Judd says Lee is glad to have Clawson in the Idaho Falls office.
Clawson says his first experience with this specialty happened when he was 10 years old. He was involved in a motorcycle accident and broke his jaw.
During his third year of dental school, Clawson says he took a class that exposed him to “more in-depth facial trauma” and that’s when he decided to become a maxillofacial surgeon.
“I saw firsthand what oral and maxillofacial surgeons are capable of doing to help patients,” says Clawson. “I started doing internships in the specialty and meeting people and felt like it was a good blend of surgical precision and having a long-lasting impact for patients. That’s what drew me to it.”
Clawson says the problem-solving aspect of helping patients improve functionality and quality of life are what make the job rewarding.
He says he’s had a “fantastic” experience with Snake River Surgical and enjoys his interactions with the staff. He’s looking forward to serving the community.
“Dr. Lee is a fantastic mentor. He’s showing me the ropes, teaching me a lot of different things and everything has been fantastic so far,” Clawson says. “Come and get a consultation and see how we can help you.”
A new Rexburg location is opening this month at 21 Winn Drive, according to the company’s website.
Snake River Surgical is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at both locations.
