Listen to the podcast about Dr. Smith.
Areas of Clinical Expertise
- Addiction Medicine
- Adolescent Substance Use & Co-Occurring Disorders
- Clinical Toxicology
- Psychopharmacology of Drug Dependence
- Medical Oversight & Quality Assurance
- Harm Reduction & Outreach
- Family-Inclusive Treatment
- Neurobiology of Addiction
“Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when clinical care, family support, education, and emotional growth come together. That’s what effective adolescent treatment looks like—and it’s why integrated, whole-child care is essential.” —Dr. David E. Smith
Experience
Dr. David E. Smith, MD, FASAM, FAACT is a nationally recognized leader in addiction medicine and adolescent behavioral healthcare. Since joining Muir Wood Teen Treatment in 2013, he has been instrumental in shaping its clinical philosophy, guiding best practices in treating adolescents with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Dr. Smith began his career in 1967 as the founder of the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic, where he pioneered a model of community-based care rooted in harm reduction, outreach, and nonjudgmental support—principles that remain central to modern addiction treatment.
A longtime advocate for developmentally informed care for youth and young adults, he has authored over 340 articles and 26 books, including Unchain Your Brain with Dr. Daniel Amen. He also founded the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs and has consulted widely in media and public policy.
In addition to his leadership at Muir Wood, Dr. Smith has held medical director roles in both the public and private sectors and serves as an adjunct professor at UCSF. He is a Fellow and past President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, past President of the California Society of Addiction Medicine, and former Medical Director of the California State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs and the California Collaborative Center for Substance Abuse Policy Research.
His contributions to addiction medicine have earned national honors, including being named one of the “Best Doctors in America” and receiving UCSF’s 2019 Alumnus of the Year award.
Education
Dr. Smith earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of California, San Francisco, where he was later recognized as the 2019 Alumnus of the Year. He is a Fellow of both the American Society of Addiction Medicine (FASAM) and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (FAACT), and a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine.
Role at Muir Wood
As Chair of Addiction Medicine and the Medical Quality Assurance Committee at Muir Wood Teen Treatment, Dr. Smith provides strategic leadership and clinical oversight across all programs. He was instrumental in developing Muir Wood’s developmentally informed, medically integrated model of care, shaping treatment protocols, ensuring medical integrity, and building a compassionate, high-performing clinical team grounded in ethics, family engagement, and long-term recovery.
Since joining Muir Wood in 2013, Dr. David E. Smith has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s clinical philosophy and maintaining the highest standards in adolescent substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment. His contributions have helped establish Muir Wood as a trusted leader in evidence-based care for teens and families navigating complex behavioral health challenges.
Personal Interests
Dr. Smith met his partner, Millicent, through the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, where she helped develop long-term recovery support. They have four children and five grandchildren. As a mentor and advocate, Dr. Smith continues to lead projects through the David E. Smith MD Family Foundation, advancing care rooted in dignity, equity, and science.
About Muir Wood
Muir Wood is a leader in adolescent mental and behavioral health that offers both outpatient and residential treatment programs in the state of California. Our programs are guided by clinical teams that specialize in co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. We believe that treating the whole person—both their behavioral health and underlying mental state—leads to better outcomes for life-long healing. Meet our staff of therapists and psychiatrists for teens.
Learn more about what we treat and explore our treatment programs for teen boys and teen girls.