It is the mission of Affinity Dental Management to create growth and learning opportunities throughout our participating dental practices in order to achieve excellence in the delivery of dental services; to enhance the professional and personal lives of our dentists and dental professionals; and to strive to be on the cutting edge of dental medicine by maximizing access to, and use of, organizational, intellectual, and physical resources.
Affinity Dental Management is a dentist-run, dental organization that provides comprehensive practice management and administrative support services for practices across the northeast United States. We began as a single office practice in 1999. Since then, Affinity Dental Management has grown through affiliations and new practice openings, building a strategic network that offers general and specialty dental services. We are committed to and take great pride in offering quality patient care and physician and practice support. Whether you are a new dentist starting your first practice or a seasoned dental expert with years of experience, Affinity Dental Management can assist you in developing a business plan while providing ongoing support to keep you on the cutting edge of the industry.
Affinity Dental Management holds your most valued interests at heart. As such, we strive to stay up-to-date on the latest technologies, training opportunities, quality control standards, and operational efficiencies as they relate to the dental industry. We do so to ensure that you can run your practice confidently with the assurance that you will be able to deliver your patient care with excellence. At Affinity, building strong personal relationships with our participating professionals while respecting the culture of each individual practice lies at the core of the Affinity experience.
In the next coming decades, the number of dentists per capita is set to increase, meaning more competition within the industry is inevitable. Affinity Dental Management sets the bar high so that our practitioners are prepared for whatever changes come their way. Therefore, in order to ensure the continuing growth of your career, it is imperative to be a part of the right DSO to maximize your professional goals. At Affinity Dental Management, we understand the skills and resources required to allow you to build your career with the highest rate of positive paybacks and rewards. We work to help you comprehend every aspect of the industry in order to allow for present and future professional growth.
Your dental practice is your brand. Withinour DSO organization, we have practices that span a wide spectrum of services, organizational cultures, and varying strategies. Through in-team networking, coaching, mentoring, and marketing, we help doctors build their careers to gain optimal market penetration. We work with each practitioner to help shape every phase of your practice and support you as you grow, develop,and gain market share.
New England is a beautiful region, home to people of many different backgrounds. As a regionally based organization, Affinity Dental Management recognizes the importance of respecting and embracing your organizational culture because we understand the diverse cultures in which our dentists practice. This perspective is deeply rooted in our values with a practicing dentist at the helm. With the experience of Dr. Craig Saltzman and other participating dentists, Affinity has a firsthand understanding of the issues faced in running a practice. Our collective knowledge helps to create the most efficient organization that is posed to maximize growth opportunities.
Dr. Craig Saltzman earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from Boston University in 1997 and continued his studies to develop a specialty in endodontics receiving his certificate in endodontics and his Masters in Oral Science from the University of Buffalo in 1999. In July of 1999, he joined Western Mass Endodontics. A consummate professional, he is committed to excellence and works to remain on the cutting edge of dental medicine by participating in ongoing continuing education courses.
Skilled in endodontic retreatment, as well as diagnosing and establishing a treatment plan to address the underlying cause of oral pain, Dr. Saltzman greatest specialties are the performance of surgical and nonsurgical root canal therapy. Deeply committed to the mission of Affinity Dental Management to create growth and learning opportunities throughout the participating dental practices in order to achieve excellence in the delivery of dental services; to enhance the professional and personal lives of our dentists and dental professionals; and to strive to be on the cutting edge of dental medicine by maximizing access to and use of organizational intellectual and physical resources, Dr. Saltzman is passionate about building a network of practices offering general and specialty dental services that are well-known for providing superior patient care and service.
Originally from New York, Dr. Saltzman grew up in the Catskills and now resides in Longmeadow, MA with his wife, Janine, and their two children, Julia and Samantha. When not at the practice, Dr. Saltzman enjoys the great outdoors including his favorite activities, snow skiing and golf.
Our CFO Phil Rydzewski comes to Affinity with a wealth of knowledge and experience as a Healthcare CFO. His experience includes, several multi-site health care practice management firms including primary care, urgent care, pain management and radiology. Further, he has experience in both private equity sponsored organizations and publicly traded companies. It is our hope that Phil finds a home with Affinity.
Ariel Y. Wiener came to Affinity as part of the 2020 acquisition of Concerned Dental Care. For the last 15 years he has established himself as an accomplished business executive with a proven track record of success. An innovative business leader, Ariel has worked with many leading companies such as Western Dental, Smile Brands, and Concerned Dental, and has piloted all of them to their optimal potential in an ever-changing and competitive business environment.
Ariel began his professional career with Dr. Zak Sea Breeze Dental Care in 2006, a privately owned large group practice as the Director of Marketing and Administration. Here, he played an integral role in the company's new marketing programs, which were key in the companys growth.
During his tenure he also served as Acting Regional Vice President for the Central Region, which encompassed more than 100 multi-specialty offices in Texas.?In 2018, Ariel moved to New York to lead Concerned Dental Care, the Largest privately owned Dental Support Organization in New York, as their Chief Operating Officer. There he successfully led the company until its acquisition in early 2020.
In each of his positions, Ariel lived by his why statement: To Inspire others to strive for excellence so that they may reach their greatest potential. With these words as his compass, he has succeeded in helping take all companies to their maximum potential, enacting new, innovative operational programs, ensuring the highest levels of client satisfaction and retention while inspiring great company culture.
Thomas has been charged with streamlining and driving efficiencies in our revenue cycle operations across the entire Affinity platform. Thomas has 20 years of evolutionary experience with Revenue Cycle operations and special projects management.
Thomas healthcare revenue cycle experience is extensive; progressing through the ranks at high volume national laboratory servicing Fresenius dialysis facilities, building a revenue cycle operation from scratch during the acquisition of a regional clinical laboratory, working through a sale transition with Quest Diagnostics and modernizing the revenue cycle operation of a genetics & genomics laboratory during a period of fast-paced growth.
With nearly 20 years of experience in the field, Devon Elliott brings a wealth of experience to the table. Devon joined Affinity Dental Management in 2018 as its Marketing Manager. Through this position, she leads marketing strategy and support for all of the Affinity Dental practices in the Northeast.
She studied Liberal Arts at Clark University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. Devons leadership skills were honed during these years through the roles she played on both the Field Hockey field and Basketball court. She began a career in creative marketing and advertising upon graduating.
Devon possesses a strong work ethic and has the ability to assess and design functional and strategic marketing campaigns. It is these tools that contribute to her continued success. Her creative mind and deep understanding of marketing establishes the foundation for the collaborative relationships needed to work effectively with her colleagues and member practices alike.
Devon takes great pride in her family and enjoys spending time together with them. She loves being a mother to her two teenage sons as well as a partner to her fianc Ben. Outside of marketing, Devon can be found at multiple sporting events throughout the year, at home gardening, or relaxing near the ocean.
Christine Hester joined Affinity Dental Management as Full Charge Bookkeeper in October, 2017. A graduate of Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, her career spans over 30 years with multiple different types of companies from law firms to risk management to publisher content management. It is through this experience that she has refined her skills in the financial department. She enjoys being an integral part of a growing business and has found a home at Affinity Dental Management.
Promoted to Assistant Controller and Corporate Cash Manager, she works closely with the CFO in the financial administration of the company. She supports each of the dental offices with all financial processes and works hand in hand with the other departments in the corporate office.
After growing up in Pittsburgh, she spent 20 years in Texas and then moved to Connecticut to be near family. As a proud single mom, she enjoys spending time with her teenage son and adult daughter. Her son keeps her very busy with his various sports and her daughter is pursuing her dream as a model.
