The top vote getters of the 2011 Top Dentists poll are below. For the rest of this year’s nominees, click here.
Prosthodontics
Dr. James Vito
523 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne,
(610) 971-2590, jamesvito.com
Education: DMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (1984)
Years in practice: 27
What he loves most about his job: “Being able to resolve dental issues no one else can.”
Why no one should be afraid to have a seat in his chair: “We include the patient as part of our team, in terms of getting them involved in understanding their problem and the solution to the problem. By eliminating that unknown, it puts them more at ease.”
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Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Jonathan Scharf
Exton Dental Health Group & Pennsylvania Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, 101 John Robert Thomas Drive, Exton; (610) 363-2300, extondental.com
Education: DMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (1972)
Years in practice: 39
What he loves most about his job: “Cosmetic dentistry—or, as I call it, appearance-related dentistry—is an artistic expression of our profession. I believe my skill sets and creative passion make it a natural fit for me—the perfect blend of art and science.”
Why no one should be afraid to have a seat in his chair: “Most dental-phobics have had a bad experience that’s conditioned them to have a fear of going to the dentist. Modern dental offices offer pleasant environments with creature-comfort features like headphones and choice of music, nitrous oxide ‘happy gas,’ and state-of-the-art dental technology that can make appointments stress- and pain-free. A little TLC added in, and you have a winner. It usually takes a few positive dental experiences, but the anxiety does go away.”
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General Dentistry
Dr. Joseph Rava
Exton and Malvern Dental Medicine Associates, 305 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton, (610) 363-6870; 32 W. King St., Malvern, (610) 296-3770; extondentalmedicine.com
Education: DMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (1991)
Years in practice: 20
What he loves most about his job: “I love the variety every day brings. It’s a combination of the patients, staff, technology, problem solving and procedures that ultimately result in helping someone.”
Why no one should be afraid to have a seat in his chair: “I won’t begin an exam until I’ve listened to all of their concerns, answered their questions, and feel that they’re comfortable to proceed. We do a lot of talking and explaining about treatment in terms that are easy to understand.”
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Endodontics
Dr. Kara Fraiman
Ardmore Endodontics, Suburban Square, The Times Building, Suite 702, Ardmore; (610) 649-5235, ardmoreendo.com
Education: DMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (1992); Certificate in Endodontics, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (1994)
Years in practice: 17
What she loves most about her job: “People are really fearful about going to the dentist, but I see it as an opportunity to relate to them one-on-one to get through the procedure.”
Why no one should be afraid to have a seat in her chair: “We really base our practice on knowing that no one’s running through the door dying to have a root canal. Endodontics is a specialty practice, so we’re not seeing people coming in all the time. But we do want to build comfortable relationships with our patients.”
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Pediatric Dentistry
Dr. Jeffrey Melini
Chester County Dentistry for Children, 795 E. Marshall St., Suite 100, West Chester, (610) 918-2400; 105 Dowlin Forge Road, Exton, (610) 363-2100; cckidsdmd.com
Education: DMD, Temple University School of Dentistry (1994)
Years in practice: 17
What he loves most about his job: “Knowing that there will be less adults afraid of going to the dentist because they had a positive experience as children.”
Why no one should be afraid to have a seat in his chair: “It’s normal for kids to be afraid the first time they sit in a dentist’s chair. My goal is that, by the time they leave my chair, their fear is gone.”
Funniest question a patient has ever asked: “What happened to your hair?”
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Orthodontics
Dr. LynAnn Mastaj
Mastaj Orthodontics, 976 Railroad Ave., Suite 100, Bryn Mawr; (610) 525-2277, lynannmastaj.com
Education: DMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (1989); Certificate in Orthodontics, Albert Einstein Medical Center (1992)
Years in practice: 21
What she loves most about her job: “The dramatic changes in people’s smiles. I knew I wanted to be an orthodontist since I was in the sixth grade. I felt I could impact the lives of my patients by changing their smiles.”
Funniest question a patient has ever asked: “We typically treat an overbite with rubber bands in addition to braces, and I had a patient call me from Staples and tell me they couldn’t find rubber bands anywhere.”
If she weren’t a dentist, she’d be: “A Food Network personality. I’m a great cook, and I love to come home and plan out a gourmet meal.”
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Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Dr. Keith Silverstein
Main Line Center for Oral & Facial Surgery, 21 Industrial Blvd., Suite 100, Paoli, (610) 644-6497; 87 Dowlin Forge Road, Exton, (610) 363-0500; mloms.com
Education: DMD, University of Pennsylvania Dental School (1991); MD and Certificate in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Pennsylvania (1991)
Years in practice: 14
What he loves most about his job: “I love helping people, taking care of their problems, easing their concerns, and coming up with safe solutions for their situations.”
Funniest question a patient has ever asked: “Most people don’t have too many funny things to say when they go into an oral surgeon’s office.”
Favorite way to unwind after work: “I do seven to eight triathlons each year across the country.”
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Oral Pathology
Dr. Martin S. Greenberg
Penn Medicine Radnor,
250 King of Prussia Road, Radnor;
(610) 902-2000, pennmedicine.org
Education: DDS, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (1965)
Years in practice: 30
What he loves most about his job: “The opportunity to diagnose complex diseases of the mouth and jaws, and relieve pain.”
Why no one should be afraid to have a seat in his chair: “They should feel better at the end of the visit, knowing more about their disease and how we can treat it.”
If he weren’t a dentist, he’d be: “A journalist. I was considering a career in writing, but I preferred the idea of a healing profession.”
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Periodontics
Dr. Edward L. Woehling
Bryn Mawr Periodontal Associates, 1201 County Line Road, Suite 201, Bryn Mawr; (610) 525-8485, brynmawrperio.com
Education: DDS, Temple University School of Dentistry (1977)
Years in practice: 31
What he loves most about his job: “The feeling of satisfaction my patients feel when they understand that the periodontal and/or implant care they underwent was extremely important for their overall health—and not only for the cosmetic and aesthetic results.”
Why no one should be afraid to have a seat in his chair: “We always try to let patients feel as if they’re in control. The office has a warm feeling, and we integrate humor into our professional atmosphere.”
Funniest question a patient has ever asked: “I’m looking forward to the day when someone asks me about improving their golf game. They all know I’m a golf enthusiast, but they
also know that I’m not very good.”
