I feel truly blessed to be an orthodontist. It is the most creative thing I can imagine doing as a profession and it rewards me with a satisfaction and a happiness that can only be fully expressed with a smile. After more than three decades in practice, I still find orthodontic treatment fascinating. Whether treating children or adults, it gives me a lot of personal enjoyment to see both the changes taking place during treatment and the final beautiful result.
I attended Stanford University for my undergraduate education, and then went on to the University of California Los Angeles Dental School for my Doctorate of Dental Surgery. I completed my orthodontic residency at the University of California San Francisco before entering private practice in the Santa Cruz area, where I have happily been ever since.
I attend several courses each year to keep up with new developments in orthodontics. Whether its learning new ways to move teeth with conventional braces, or advancing my training in clear aligner treatment, I want my patients to have the best possible care.
Born in San Francisco and raised on the Peninsula, I now reside in Aptos with my wife, Terry. We have three grown daughters who I enjoy spending time with, as well as restoring and maintaining my antique cars, working at home in the garden, and spending time with Terry. While I am passionate about providing great orthodontic care for my patients, I am also committed to protecting the environment and ensuring my familys happiness in any way I can.
We recognize that all of our patients are unique and deserve to receive orthodontic care that reflects their individual needs. Our experienced and talented team is committed to working with you and your family to create a comfortable, stress-free, and rewarding orthodontic experience every time you visit our practice. We are pleased to welcome you and your family, and we look forward to working with you.
I have four kids Jesse, Kimberly, R.J. and Kenny and also two granddaughters Alaya & Leilani whom I enjoy spending all my time with. I also love to go to church where I am blessed to have so many beautiful people around me.
Rosila works as a chairside orthodontic assistant, takes diagnostic records for our new patients, and translates for our non-English speaking patients. She joined our office in 1998 and loves to see the patients beautiful smiles after their orthodontic treatment.
Ally has worked with Dr. Connolly for 2 years. Her favorite part of the job is learning as much as she can about orthodontics, being able to learn new skills, and seeing the patients happiness when they are done with treatment.
Alicia has more than 21 years of experience in orthodontics, using all that shes learned over the years to perform a variety of procedures to assist Dr. Connolly in creating beautiful smiles. Getting to know our patients and seeing their personalities and smiles change as they progress through treatment is Alicias favorite part of her job. She enjoys being a part of such a courteous, patient-focused team.
Alicia and her husband Ventura have two wonderful sons. She values the time she spends with family and friends. Alicias hobbies include shopping, traveling, collecting antique rosary beads, and attending her community parish.
Don't worry! Braces aren't nearly as scary as you may think. In fact, braces today come in a variety of styles, materials, and colors, making life with braces much easier, more comfortable, and even more stylish than in the past.
Orthodontic braces are a big part of life for many people your age. While braces may have had a bad reputation in the past, today's braces make it easy to look good and feel good! Please contact our practice to schedule your next orthodontic checkup.
Orthodontic treatment is no longer just for teens. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists states that one in five orthodontic patients is over the age of 21. Many adults are choosing to receive treatment because they understand the importance of maintaining their health, and they want to feel better about their appearance. Adults everywhere are taking advantage of the opportunity to receive orthodontic care, and now you can too.
For many adults, the thought of having metal braces is enough to discourage them from receiving treatment. However, today's orthodontic treatment options offer a variety of braces and appliances that are comfortable, aesthetic, and customized to meet your needs. Types of braces include:
The main difference to remember when treating adults or children and teens, is that in younger patients the jawbones are still developing. For adults, these bones have stopped growing, which may mean the possibility of orthognathic surgery to align the jawbones. Other differences include:
Our practice also recognizes that adults and children have different needs, and require a different level of attention and care. We will work with you to ensure that you receive the most appropriate treatments, and that your needs are met with understanding and respect from us.
Reviews
Rating 4.3 out of 5 based on 4 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestNic Camarillo
3 years ago
Gotta say something about a company that sends a driver's license found out front of the office on the ground back to its owner via the address on the card. Not to mention a Washington address. Thanks Donald P Connolly! What comes around, goes around.. and I will pay it forward as well.
Anita Telle
3 years ago
Dr Connolly and his staff has been absolutely wonderful to work with, My son was born with a cleft palate, and needed a lot of dentistry. Between Santa Cruz and Stanford for many many years. Dr. Connolly was such a blessing for us, he was patient, supportive and always there to give my son a "you can do this" attitude. I can not compliment Dr. Connolly enough. The attention to details, the amazing dental work he did, first class!!
Kathy Smyth
3 years ago
They were super slow getting me an estimate so I went to another practice. So glad I did. The other practice is so nice and I can get answers pretty quickly. This office is hard to get a hold of and the staff is not that nice. It just seems like they are pumping as many people as they can through the doors. Customer service is on the back burner. They also sent me a check and I have no idea why but can't get them to call me back to tell me. No surprise given my history with them. The doctor seemed nice enough. The staff needs either more help or a change in leadership. If you can , find a different ortho. **Called the office again. The person who answered the phone today was very nice and finally got me connected with the person that handles the billing. She was also nice and had a good explanation for the check I received even though I didn't personally pay them. I wish it had not taken so long and so many attempts to get an answer but they were nice when they finally did call me. Adding a star for this interaction.
Anita Telle
4 years ago
Dr Connolly and his staff has been absolutely wonderful to work with, My son was born with a cleft palate, and needed a lot of dentistry. Between Santa Cruz and Stanford for many many years. Dr. Connolly was such a blessing for us, he was patient, supportive and always there to give my son a "you can do this" attitude. I can not compliment Dr. Connolly enough. The attention to details, the amazing dental work he did, first class!!
Kathy Smyth
4 years ago
They were super slow getting me an estimate so I went to another practice. So glad I did. The other practice is so nice and I can get answers pretty quickly. This office is hard to get a hold of and the staff is not that nice. It just seems like they are pumping as many people as they can through the doors. Customer service is on the back burner. They also sent me a check and I have no idea why but can't get them to call me back to tell me. No surprise given my history with them. The doctor seemed nice enough. The staff needs either more help or a change in leadership. If you can , find a different ortho. **Called the office again. The person who answered the phone today was very nice and finally got me connected with the person that handles the billing. She was also nice and had a good explanation for the check I received even though I didn't personally pay them. I wish it had not taken so long and so many attempts to get an answer but they were nice when they finally did call me. Adding a star for this interaction.
Nic Camarillo
4 years ago
Gotta say something about a company that sends a driver's license found out front of the office on the ground back to its owner via the address on the card. Not to mention a Washington address. Thanks Donald P Connolly! What comes around, goes around.. and I will pay it forward as well.
John Eisinger
7 years ago
Always committed to the highest level of care with exceptional patient experience.
John Eisinger
8 years ago
Always committed to the highest level of care with exceptional patient experience.