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I walked into the front doors of the very modern office, I noticed numerous
women working behind the front desk who obviously love their jobs. “It’s
so not dental, which is exactly how I want it,” says Dr. Jeanne
Salcetti, DDS, MS. “People are so fearful about being referred
away from their primary dentist to a specialist, so I try to make the
environment very friendly and inviting.” Salcetti & Associates is located at 5725 Erindale Drive, Suite 210 in Colorado Springs. Although they moved to this location three years ago, Dr. Salcetti has worked in this practice since 1995. Back then Dr. Jim Orban, DDS, MS, owned it. Dr. Salcetti took it over 11 years ago, and Dr. Orban is now her senior associate. As the only woman periodontist in Colorado Springs, Dr. Salcetti, a mother of two, is also the first female president of the Colorado Dental Association, she shares. She and Dr. Orban are the only surgeons in her practice, with nine full-time and two part-time employees. The office space is fully operational with four surgical suites and state-of-the-art surgical equipment, offering a full range of services including the treatment of: periodontal disease, failed root canals, dental implant problems, failed bridges, loose dentures, and missing teeth. Dr. Salcetti explains that patients are usually referred to her for the periodontal program, which treats patients who have not been diligent about flossing and brushing and now have a disease of the gums. This results in losing the attachment that holds the teeth in the bone. On the other hand, patients who are seeing an orthodontist may have thinning of the gum tissue or receding gums. This results in a necessary gum grafting procedure to protect the foundation around the teeth undergoing orthodontics. Loose dentures are another reason why patients are referred to this practice. Elderly patients are not able to chew their food with loose dentures so they swallow their food whole, causing major medical problems. “The problem starts with what we call the window of the body, which is the mouth,” Dr. Salcetti says. “There is a cascade of events that can happen when the mouth is not healthy or stable.” Research has found a strong association with infection and disease in the mouth to the enzymes trying to fight bacteria that can enter the bloodstream. This produces other components in the blood that end up being associated with the thickening and clotting of the arteries. “Some cardiologists won’t do an open heart surgery unless the patient has been seen by a periodontist,” she says. Dr. Salcetti’s practice is primarily focused on the reconstruction stage for people who are missing teeth. “When patients lose a tooth, they begin losing bone very quickly. As the bone begins to wither away, we rebuild it and then maintain it by inserting titanium posts,” she explains. “These dental implants stimulate the bone to be present and to stay dense so patients do not lose more bone as they get older.” Dr. Salcetti demonstrates the procedure by holding up a model of the mouth. The implants are used with a clasp-like framework inside the denture to snap onto the implants and keep the denture secure. “No one would ever know patients have these titanium posts holding in their teeth,” she points out. “Implants give natural teeth back to patients, with the ability to chew, smile, and be totally confident.” Dr. Salcetti works very closely with two board certified prosthodontists who share a practice in the same building. Dr. Frank Seaman, DDS, MS, and Dr. Mike Wiley, DDS, MS, of Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry, are specialists in advanced reconstruction. As a team, the two offices handle extensive implant and reconstruction cases. “A lot of my business is because of my love in the reconstruction phase. There is so much value in helping people get their smiles back,” Dr. Salcetti shares. “I can’t even begin to tell you the joy for everybody—certainly for the patient—but for me and my staff as well.” This love began as a little girl watching her father, a general dentist, work in his dental lab in their basement. She received her degree as a dental hygienist from the University of Maryland before teaching at the dental school and later in the department of periodontics. After receiving her master’s degree in education, she returned to dental school as a student and worked with a periodontist. After completing her residency in Pennsylvania and a three-year specialty program at Chapel Hill in North Carolina, she moved to Colorado. Her practice is now known for its excellence, and her teaching techniques continue. “We have exceptional quality and an amazing team,” Dr. Salcetti says. “I think the biggest aspect of what I do is that I teach patients what their disease or situation is about and what their options are. I spend a tremendous amount of time talking to my patients. I know that is appreciated.” With most of her business coming from referrals, she has a very close relationship with many local dentists. “I believe in the team concept of providing care for patients called ‘inter-disciplinary care,’” she explains. This means an orthodontist provides care for braces; a periodontist does the surgery; a root canal specialist administers a complicated root canal, etc. But, she adds, there is a shift in this country to the one-stop-shopping dentistry concept, which is becoming predominate in Colorado Springs. “The person who pays is the patient,” she says. “And as a specialist, I believe in the value of a patient being given the opportunity to be referred and letting them make the decision.” As referrals continue to come into her practice, Dr. Salcetti is also marketing her expertise through the “Wellness Hour,” which is a 30-minute program available on the Colorado Springs cable channel. The show airs Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 9:30 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m.; and Sundays at 4 p.m. It educates the community on dental implants and general diagnostics. For more information about dental implants and periodontics, visit www.myperiocare.comor call the office at 719-594-0091. |
Salcetti & Associates |
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