A family history in the business, specialized treatments for improving oral health, and a focus on community connection

511 W. Talcott in Park Ridge
(847) 318-0066
DiFrancoDentalSpecialists.com

All in the family
The fact that I get to live and work in this amazing community is something I am grateful for every day. Park Ridge is my hometown in every sense of the word. My grandparents on both sides of the family settled here in the 1960s. My father, Dr. Chuck, and uncle, Dr. Paul DiFranco, opened their dental office in Park Ridge in 1988 as specialists in periodontics and orthodontics. They followed the dental tradition of their father, Dr. Paul A. DiFranco Sr.

Not long after, my aunts Dr. Geri Ann DiFranco and Dr. Josie DiFranco-Bordignon joined the periodontal practice. I grew up watching the positive impact my family’s office had on the community, so when the day finally came to start practicing alongside them, I was beyond thrilled. Today we continue the tradition of treating patients like family, which is so much more than a phrase to us. It means we always have our patients’ best interests in mind. Many dental offices in our area have been bought by corporate groups or private equity firms, but we still operate as a small business. Our focus will always be on the health of our patients.

I was fortunate to meet my amazing wife, Marissa, here in Park Ridge too. We found so much comfort and joy moving back here to raise our family and continue the business and its meaningful work for the community.

The importance of empowering our patients through education
One of the things that sets DiFranco Dental Specialists apart is the time we spend with our patients. This allows us to educate on the dental issues they face and how we can best serve them. As specialists, we are in a unique position because many of our patients are referred to us by their general dentists. We communicate effectively with our patients as well as the dentists in the community for a comprehensive treatment plan. We continue to stay up to date with the latest technology to solve complex problems and re-establish our patient’s oral health. When our patients can make educated decisions about their treatment, it means we did our job explaining the best options available to them. This is a win-win.

We continue the tradition of treating patients like family, which is so much more than a phrase to us. It means we always have our patients’ best interests in mind.

Expanded offerings
Our practice was founded on the treatment of gum disease. This includes non-surgical and surgical cleanings to save teeth with bone loss from gum disease. Over time, that has evolved into specialized treatments like the use of lasers and other exciting new technologies. Other surgical treatments we offer include adding gum tissue (gum grafts) to cover unsightly gum recession, dental implants to replace missing teeth, tooth removal in preparation for dental implants, bone grafting and many others.

Some of the most exciting new developments at DiFranco Dental Specialists are the expanded services we offer. My cousin, Dr. Lauren Allegretti (also from Park Ridge), joined our practice this past summer. She is an endodontist, which means she specializes in root canal treatment. This has allowed us to help even more people in the community.

Another addition is Dr. Samer Shaltoni. Along with Dr. Chuck, he brings years of experience placing dental implants for replacing entire sets of upper and lower teeth. That includes many patients who were told they were not candidates for dental implants. We also offer many facial cosmetic procedures with our nurse on staff, Susan DiFranco. These include Botox, natural fillers, microneedling, laser skin resurfacing, and many more.

What’s something that surprises first-time clients when they visit?
Every new patient that walks through our door is met with genuine excitement by our team. We strive to exceed expectations at every step along the patient’s journey, whether that is one procedure or many years of treatment to maintain dental health. Dentistry has changed a lot, and we are helping to reverse the negative stigma of discomfort at the dental office. We use all the tricks and family secrets passed down over generations to keep our patients comfortable.

We continue to stay up to date with the latest technology to solve complex problems and re-establish our patient’s oral health. When our patients can make educated decisions about their treatment, it means we did our job.

Finish this sentence: Creating a beautiful, healthy smile is…
What we live for. We get to do it every day, and as a team we provide this in a calming and comfortable environment. Unfortunately, gum disease is present in 42 percent of adults aged 30 years and older, and 45 percent in adults 45-64 years of age. The mouth is the gateway to the body, so improving oral health is improving total body health, and we are the specialists in the field.