In 2001, Dr. Cynthia Haug Brush, opened her first practice at the Willow Walk Business Center in a two-room, 1,400 square-foot office. She sent a flyer in the mail and by the end of her first month had just 30 patient names in the computer. Nearly a decade later, she and the dental professionals at Tioga Dental Associates prepare to celebrate their second anniversary at the 7,000 square foot office, state-of-the-art facility located at Tioga Town Center where their patient charts number over 5,000. The facility celebrates Dr. Brush and her associates’ success in the world of dentistry, but it represents more than just procedures and cleanings. It represents the success of an idea: The patient comes first.
When’s the last time a dentist asked you to open your mouth so they could listen? Lending an ear to and actually listening to patient responses has helped Tioga Dental Associates respond to patient’s needs and form a loyal, family-like atmosphere at the office. “We strive to provide excellent customer service to our patients.” Dr. Brush said.“It sounds simple, but we just try to exceed people’s expectations. Being in someone’s mouth is an intimate thing and we try to respect that in every way.
The Doctors at Tioga Dental Associates makes it a priority to take the extra time during the consultation session to review several treatment options with patients. Their devoted staff assists in tailoring choices to an individual’s specific requirements, with each patient’s concerns in mind. Tioga Dental Associates is committed to the ongoing education of its patients, so that each person can be fully informed and aware of how to best meet their dental needs. “The formation of trusting relationships helps to make good choices and to relieve the anxiety that many feel about seeing a dentist,” says Dr. Brush. “We believe our patients deserve to have all the information they need to make well informed, comfortable choices about their oral health.”
Sometimes it’s technology that can help a patient have a smooth experience. Tioga Dental Associates recently invested in the E4D machine, which makes it possible to treat patients with porcelain crowns in the same day. Joe Knapp of Newberry, a long-time patient of Dr. Brush, was able to have multiple restorations prepped and completed in one-fourth the time of traditional methods, saving him precious time. “I recently underwent treatment for six crowns,” said Mr. Knapp. “Dr. Brush not only did an excellent job, but was able to take care of all six crowns in one visit.”
For the past four years, Dr. Cynthia Brush and Dr. Michelle Orris have practiced as a team, providing the Gainesville community with exceptional general dentistry. As the needs of the patients morph and grow, so does the practice. It became necessary for Tioga Dental Associates to have specialists on hand, to expand the expertise of the practice and offer patients more dental options under one roof. Tioga Dental Associates recently welcomed Dr. Ben Javid and Dr. Adrianna Wells to the team.
Dr. Javid received his BA and DDS from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and three year extensive Prosthodontic Certification at the University of Florida. He is a prosthodontist specializing in the aesthetic restoration and replacement of teeth. With Dr. Javid, patients no longer have to be referred out for complicated bridges, veneers, inlays, crowns,dental implants, dentures, or any form of complex oral rehabilitation.
Dr. Wells is a periodontist whose expertise is derived from her experiences working side by side with international researchers at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and her three-year extensive clinical training in periodontology at Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Wells provides on-site care for those with gum disease and any complications from it. She provides on-site periodontal surgeries, surgical implant placement, and enhances the overall health of her patients with her expertise as a specialist in her field.
Dr. Brush says, “By offering specialist services on site provides Tioga Dental Associates the unique ability to treat almost any dental need in-house, and sometimes in the same visit”.
Dr. Brush’s vision for Tioga Dental Associates is constantly changing and will continue to change as improvements in resources and technology become available, but her philosophy of patient centered care will never change. “The
reward for me is getting to be a part of that life-changing experience for my patients. I feel honored to do what I do,” Dr. Brush said. “When you do something little to help out a patient-that’s the reward. It may not have been a dental procedure; it could have been a hug at the right time on the right day.”
Dr. Brush, Dr. Orris and the entire Tioga Dental Associates team believe a presence in the community will help solidify their relationship with Gainesville and the surrounding areas giving them one more way to show their spirit is sincere. It reaches well beyond the office. Tioga Dental is involved in numerous local events and sponsorships and is actively involved with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, March of Dimes, the annual Give Kids a Smile national awareness campaign, Sebastian Ferrero Foundation, Stop Cancer, Eric Yerman 5k run, Haven Hospice 5k run and many other charitable and community sponsored events that support our needing community.
This year, Dr. Brush and her team have a lot to celebrate; after all, circumstances have improved quite a bit since 2001. She’s got 5,000 happier patients than she had ten years ago. And as the new decade rolls in, all she wants is to keep them smiling. |
