Toni Sartini, DMD, FAGD Has been selected to be a member of the Dental Health Delegation Team to China. The delegation is a team comprised of dentists throughout the United States that have shown their desire and ability to further dental education within their community, as well as proven advancing their own dental education has been significant and consistent throughout their career.

The delegation will attempt to determine the extent of dental disease among the general population, both urban and rural, and compare that to the Chinese population in the U.S. They will additionally seek information on the Chinese dental education system, dental practice environments, and disease prevention policies they currently have in place. She is extremely honored to have been selected to represent knowledgeable and progressive dentists from the United States.

I promise to make your visit as easy as possible and to give you the best dental care I can. If you are one of my many chicken patients, please read below about my horror story with a dentist when I was a little girl. Youll see why I cater to cowards. Ive been a dentist since 1986, and still LOVE my job. I feel very blessed to share my gifts and talents with my patients and my staff.

Dr. Sartini graduated from University of Louisville School of Dentistry, in Louisville, Kentucky in 1986. She then served active duty in the United States Army, and was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky until September, 1989. She has enjoyed private practice in Palmyra, Indiana since then. She has been married since 1991 to Michael Schmidt and has been blessed with 3 great kids.

I am also blessed in the fact that, unlike most of Americans driving into work, I am so happy with my job. Dentistry is MORE exciting to me today than when I started! We have so much to offer the patients now in regards to painless, comfortable treatment, and perfectly gorgeous restorations. We can enhance a persons ENTIRE appearance by simply creating or restoring a beautiful smile. Seeing someones looks and confidence transformed before my very eyes is a WONDERFUL experience!

Dr.S.:When I meet a patient, I feel its my job to educate them on two things: where their dental health stands today, and how to get them into a healthier, youthful, bright and vibrant smile. Its an achievable goal for every patient. This can involve a simple whitening process through the dentist that is safe and very effective, to the instant orthodontics where you totally change someones smile with full-coverage bonding, veneers, metal-free crowns and all-white fillings. Were turning yellowed, dull, chipped, and crooked teeth into brighter, whiter, youthful and vibrant teeth!

Basically, we are redesigning their smile personally for them. It is a wonderful, fun, and exciting time to be a dentist! Oh, dont forget the wonderful, vital role implants have in replacing missing teeth. Ive been doing implants for five years now and they are easier and more affordable today than ever.

Dr.S.:When I meet a patient, I can design a smile for them in 10 minutes or less. I usually have already started the process in my head the instant I first meet them, before they even ask me. I do this everywhere I go. The grocery store, shopping in the mall, meeting new people at church, etc. Of course, in these situations, I dont offer my opinion unless they ask. Well, most of the time I dont, sometimes I just cant help it! You just want to tell the person (usually a stranger!) Do you know how EASY it would be to fix your teeth and give you a great smile?!! Now watch everyone cover their mouth when they see me coming! HA! I cant help it, it just pops into my head!

As to your question about the type of patient, I would say it really varies from the 25-40ish executive career track minded patient, to the baby boomers that never had time for braces and now have the money to spend on enhancing a younger smile, to the more mature patients that dont feel as old as their teeth look!

We never say senior citizen in our office. I have a Dad that technically could fit into that category, but certainly dont look or feel senior. We can make these patients look 10-15 years younger by just transforming their smile to what they used to have, or by giving them the smile they always wished they had. I highly recommend creating a younger smile before they see the plastic surgeon. They may not need to go, although I do enjoy working with plastic surgeons when necessary, and they do beautiful work.

Dr.S.:Oh, thats obvious. Their image portrays success and excellence. There have been several studies showing that a person with a bright, white, attractive smile achieved success over a less-attractive smile. Its unintentional by the potential employer, or buyer, if a sale is at stake, but our eyes are naturally drawn to the brightest area on our face. Even if the teeth are dull, the teeth color, or value, attract the attention of the person looking at you. This can leave a positive or negative impression.

The latest published study Ive read was in Esthetique magazine,(winter 2000 edition). In a wonderful article by Jenna McCarthy, Banking on a Beautiful Smile, she reports that the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry survey reveals that 92% of adult respondents say an attractive smile is an important social asset, while 74% believe an unattractive smile can hurt a persons chances for career success.

To illustrate, remember the movie Dumb & Dumber? Jim Careys teeth were purposely made crooked and ugly. Also, remember Goofy? These are not your suave, intelligent characters, and their creators knew that. Designing their teeth as such, gave them a less-intelligent look. People just assume this. Its not true or fair, but thats how the majority of the public values a nice, attractive smile.

Dr.S.:Oh yes! There are so many payment options available today. The personal finance companies have really jumped on the wave of baby boomers now desiring to enhance their looks through cosmetic dentistry and plastic surgery. There are companies that even offer one year, interest-free financing!

I have so many patients that say I wish I would have done this sooner; I get so many compliments on my teeth now. Having an ear-to-ear, eye-squinting, cheesy grin, and not subconsciously or consciously tipping your chin down or putting a hand over your mouth because youre embarrassed, is well worth the investment.

What we are giving people is so much more than new teeth. Its a confident attitude. Even people that were always confident in their appearance, say that they wish they had lighter teeth. If I asked 25 people, do you think your teeth could be whiter, how many do you think would say no? None. Only those who dont drink coffee, dont smoke cigarettes, and are under 25 years old still have white teeth. Most of my patients dont fall into that category! They seek my services because they want to change their smile. Its my job to design the perfect smile for them.

Dr.S.:Ha-ha! I always tease and say I think Ive got more chickens in my practice than real patients! Actually, I kind of cater to cowards. As a little girl, I had a scary and painful experience at the dentist and I think that helped me be more compassionate toward my high anxiety patients. Want to hear about it?

Dr. S.:Well, I was about 7 or 8, and I was by myself in the dentists chair. He came into the room with this big white coat on and had something hidden behind his back. Well, you cant hide anything from a kid, and I asked him to show me what he had. I guess that irritated him, and he tried to wrestle with me to put a HUGE shot in my mouth. Thank God I was raised with three brothers and had my wrestling techniques more in tune than he did because the first time he relaxed his hold, I spun around and ran for the door, right past the waiting room and into our station wagon parked outside! I locked all the doors, and my mom and one of the assistants kept trying to coax me out of the car. I remember mom said, Youre going to get spanked when we get home if you dont open this door right now!

Well, I did get a spanking, but I also got something that changed my life. A referral to a kind, gentle, compassionate dentist. The experience between the two was unbelievable. One man terrified me, and the other really made me feel like he cared about me, and didnt want to hurt me.

Dr.S.:Great question! First of all, I always ensure the new patients I meet that they are not alone in their anxiety about receiving dental care. I do possess a lot of patience. I think being a woman, and even more so after I became a mother, helped in this area.

Nothing against my male colleagues. I know we may do the exact same procedures, but people just perceive a woman as being softer, and more gentle. In our office, we do all we can to relax the patients and address their specific fears. I encourage the patient to tell me their dental horror story, and then we discuss how we are going to overcome their anxiety.

The majority of patients are afraid of the needle. I use a very gentle technique and most patients are amazed that the shot truly did not hurt. This is an area Im especially sensitive to, since it also happens to be what I was most nervous about as a youngster. Oh, and we never, ever let the patients SEE the needle!

The next most frightening thing for the patients is the drill. We offer all of our patients headphones and recently have added video-glasses, and we encourage all of our patients to use either of these. The noise can be uncomfortable for me, too. After eight hours of working, I wish I had used the headphones!

When I was in the Army, they used to test the dentists hearing regularly. I went to a seminar recently and the speaker definitely advocated earplugs for the dentist, and Im determined to start using them. Finally, there are a few of my patients whose fears are so deep, we give them a sedative. I dont mind doing this at all.

Dr.S.:Yes! Captain Sartini, thank you very much! When I graduated from dental school, I was only 25 years old. After interviewing with other doctors and talking it over with my parents, the Army was an excellent decision for me. I would definitely recommend it to a new young doctor. I dont think I could have had the confidence and speed to go straight into private practice if I had not received that working experience.

Dr.S.:Well, I know its not business smart for me to downplay my talents, but truthfully, I am smart enough to know that Toni Sartini didnt help this person on her own. I believe everyone has gifts they are given from God. You can cultivate them, or ignore them. Dentistry is my gift, my talent, and I am fearful of ever becoming unappreciative of that gift.

I do give thanks to God wherever and whenever I can. People who have been my patients know that about me. I work with excellent staff and high quality dental laboratory that creates the smiles I design. I cant tell you how much I love my job.

After many phone interviews and dinner dates with potential dentists to work with, I made my final decision and this is the lucky lady we are blessed to have! This does not mean I am retiring! It frees me up to concentrate more on full-mouth reconstruction and cosmetic work, including my recent certification for BOTOX and dermal fillers! Now, Dr. Schilling is going to tell you a little bit about herself.

Taylor Office Manager Hi! Im Taylor and I have been a part of Team Sartini since December 2014. From the moment I walked in the office, I knew this was a special place, and that I wanted to be a part of it. Everyone welcomed me with open arms. Dr. Sartini hired me straight out of Dental Assisting school. This was my first job, EVER. I couldnt be more blessed, and I cant imagine being anywhere else.Dr. Sartini is such an amazing Dentist, mentor and teammate to work for! I myself have had work done by her, and it was hands-down, the best experience I have ever had at a dental office. Period. I am so fortunate to work with all these wonderful women. They arent my coworkers, theyre my family! I absolutely love it here, and I am positive that you will too!

Lori Dental Hygienist Hi! My name is Lori and Ive been a hygienist since 1994. I relocated here from Hendricks County. My husband is from Salem, and we were both happy to return to his hometown. I feel very blessed to be a part of Dr. Sartinis team. I know how an unhealthy mouth can cause other problems in the body, and my goal as your hygienist is to teach you how to keep your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime. I promise to be very gentle with you and make your visit comfortable.

Romona Dental Assistant Hi my name is Romona. I have been in dentistry for 12 years. I started working for Dr. Sartini when I was 18. Everything that I have learned about dentistry has been taught to me by Dr. Sartini. She has provided for me a very comfortable, enjoyable, and satisfying job. It is truly something special to come to work and feel as if you are not at work but at home with family. Thats right, outside of being an extremely talented dentist, Dr. Sartini is a friend, mentor, and sister in Christ. I believe that you will love Dr. Sartini and the rest of the team here and we hope to meet you soon.

Kristin Dental Hygienist Hi! I am Kristin and Ive been a dental hygienist for over 12 years. Being a dental hygienist is so rewarding. I love getting to know my patients while taking care of their oral health. Making sure each patient has a positive dental experience is a priority, and I pride myself in being gentle, but thorough. As a Harrison County native, and after practicing dental hygiene for many years in Louisville, Ky, I am so excited to be back in my own community. I feel so blessed to have found such a wonderful team that has welcomed me with open arms!

Lauren Dental Assistant Hi, my name is Lauren. I am a dental assistant. I graduated from Bluegrass in Lexington, Kentucky with an E.D.D.A degree. I worked at a dental office in Lexington for three years before moving to Indiana. I became a part of Dr. Sartinis practice in 2019. I love working in the dental field and enjoy the opportunity to serve all of our patients.