The people at FDAfrom top downare positive, caring, friendly, and helpful. Its a joy to come to work each day! For Lisa, this joy also extends to providing excellent preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental care for FDA patients.

Lisa, a certified dental assistant, has been helping patients achieve better smiles for more than 25 years. For most of her career, she worked closely with Dr. Nelson at A Perfect Smile and joined the FDA family in 2019 to continue providing superb care. One of the most fulfilling parts of her job is helping patients improve their smiles with cosmetic dentistry, and Lisa loves attending continuing education courses for cosmetic dentistry so she can be current with all the latest procedures.

Pat has been a Certified Dental Assistant for over 17 years. She worked with Dr. Nelson at A Perfect Smile for 15 years and recently came back to join the team at FDA. The reception from this team has not only been welcoming but genuinely loving. It is beyond words to come back and see familiar faces. I feel like I never left. Pat handles patient radiology and assists chairside for cosmetic and restorative procedures.

I love seeing a patients mood change from when they sit in the doctors chair to when they leave the officewhether its a restorative case or a cosmetic case, the patient leaves much happier than when they first arrived!

Chelsey joined FDA in 2020. With childhood dreams of entering the dental field and a formative experience traveling to Central America on a mission trip to assist a dentist with restorative work, Chelsey is now starting her new career with hands-on-training and support from the team of knowledgeable and compassionate medical professionals at FDA. Says Chelsey, I have really enjoyed learning from the staff so I have the proper tools and skills to effectively treat patients. I am grateful to be a part of this team!

Sue completed her Associates Degree in Dental Hygiene at the University of Maine at Orono and is a married mother of two adult children. She enjoys cooking, gardening, camping, and spending time with her husband at home on the shores of Sebago Lake.

Marlenehas enjoyed working in dentistry since 1990. Working at FDA is like working with extended family,she explains. Everyone works together as a team and we all care about each other, which makes it such agreat practice to work at and be treated as a patient. There is such a connection between staff and patients itis very special.

Marlene loves spending time with her husband whether it be cooking at home together, year-round charcoal grilling with their neighbors, or watching sports together. They are avid backyard birdwatchers, share a love for animals, and have two cats that they just adore!

Lauren joined the front desk staff at FDA after having worked in social services for a decade as a supervisor at a homeless shelter, and in a psychiatric office as an administrative specialist. Providing patients with support and care fills Lauren with a sense of accomplishment and pride. She is pleased to contribute her experience and commitment to the importance of oral health to the FDA office.

Always interested in the dental field, Amy became a member of the front desk team in 2022. Prior to joining FDA, she worked as a cosmetologist for 17 years, as well as a preschool teacher and Certified nursing assistant. Amy has attended VIP Dental Training in Yarmouth and is currently pursuing a business degree at USM.

It is truly rewarding to see how improving someones oral health, or even the appearance of their smile, can have such a huge impact on their overall well-being. By spending time listening to each patients needs and working collaboratively we are able to tailor care to meet the unique needs of each patient. Our offices technology is crest of the wave, and it really allows us to involve patients during their treatment planning, helping them gain a better understanding of what is going on inside of their mouths.

Ashley earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of New England and holds a license in local anesthesia and nitrous oxide. Additionally, Ashley is certified in Oxygen/Ozone Therapy and is a member of the Sigma Phi Alpha National Dental Hygiene Honors Society. She enjoys attending continuing education courses, and also takes time to develop and instruct continuing education courses centered on wellness.

Diann has been with our office since 1997 and has been practicing dental hygiene for over 30 years. She treasures the team-learning seminars the staff takes part in through continuing education. I love the enthusiasm created by the whole team learning together. We can branch off and learn about other things and then come back and share. Listening to her patients is one of the most important parts of her job, Diann notes, as this helps her to care for each patient in the way they need to be treated. Since we think of things in the longterm, Ive learned that listening today will help tomorrow. But Diann also enjoys the fun side of work. I love laughing with my patients. We all have better days when we laugh a lot.

Diann earned her Dental Hygiene degree from Westbrook College and received her license in local anesthesia at University of New England. She likes to bike, swim, downhill and cross-country ski, as well as spend time with her family.

Kelly earned her dental hygiene degree from the University of New England in 1997 and has been practicing ever since. The key is to work for great doctors, she says. Our doctors are always a step ahead in adopting useful technology which makes for a comfortable dental practice for our patients and an exciting work environment and culture for the staff.

Jean earned her dental hygiene degree from UNE in 1988. From there, she worked in an orthodontist office for two yearsa place she loved going as a child: I had such a nice hygienist there; I always thought her job seemed fun! Jean then worked in a family/cosmetic practice for the next 28 years, joining the FDA team in the fall of 2018. Its a very welcoming place to be and it doesnt feel like work. My coworkers make it fun and my patients could not be nicer! I look forward to many more years to come!

Jean lives in Westbrook with her husband, 3 kids, and their dog. When shes not chasing kids around, she enjoys traveling, visiting with friends, and reading a good book at the beach. Let her know if you have any good reading recommendations!

Dentistry is continuously evolving and we strive to stay on top of the newest information. We pride ourselves on continuing our dental education and sharing our knowledge not only with each other, but with our patients too.

Erin graduated from Westbrook College in 1996 with a B.S. degree in Dental Hygiene, as well as a nitrous oxide certification. She has been in the dental field ever since, joining Falmouth Dental Arts in February 2019. However, her love of oral health apparently goes back even furtherher mom reports that as a little girl, Erin would watch TV and comment on the actors teeth.

At Falmouth Dental Arts, Erin is delighted to be part of an amazing team that puts patient comfort and patient education first. FDA takes the time to get to know patients to create individual treatment plans based on their needs and wants. I love educating my patients about the new developments in dentistry. She enjoys treating patients of all ages, and finds it rewarding to form relationships with them. Its such an honor to take care of generations of the same family.

Growing up in Biddeford, Alex earned her dental hygiene degree from the University of New England in 2018. She joined FDA in 2019 and appreciates the opportunity to work with a team of caring professionals. Being a new grad, I love being able to learn from such experienced coworkers. Alex particularly enjoys FDAs holistic and individualized approach to oral care. Oral hygiene plays such an important role with overall systemic health. Every patient is different and unique in their own way, and I am passionate about finding a routine that works for his or her lifestyle.

From running to taking barre classes to doing spin classes, Alex loves to exercise in her spare time. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, and checking out new restaurants in the Portland area. Let her know if you have a favorite spot she should try!

Everyone at FDA really cares about patients and each other and thats what makes it work. When your co-workers create a comfortable environment for you then you can make it more comfortable for your patients in turn. It makes for a very warm and caring atmosphere.

Mirela has worked in the dental field since 2003, joining the Falmouth Dental Arts team in May 2017. She has worked in pediatric dentistry for most of this time, which lends her a unique perspective on dentistry. Anyone can be afraid of going to the dentist not just children, she shares. Thats why we do everything we can here at FDA to make patients feel comfortable and relaxed while theyre in our chairs.

At Falmouth Dental Arts, you can find Mirela providing chairside assistance, handling anything from whitening procedures to laboratory duties. Working here is definitely different from any other practice, and our doctors who are very supportive of ongoing learning. Ive already learned so much from the team since joining the practice and Ive enjoyed getting to know our patients. Everyone is encouraging and helpful. She also provides language support for the team with her fluency in Albanian and Greek.

Mirela spends much of her free time with her husband, son, and daughter, often cooking and sending food to her daughter, who is attending college. She enjoys snowshoeing with her husband and their black lab/boxer mix named Lola in winter, and relaxing at the lake when it is warm enough.

Mary has worked in the dental field since 1995, many of those years spent at Falmouth Dental Arts. For Mary, the dental care here is excellent in part because of the encouragement and support that staff members receive to take continuing education classes. Were constantly improving our knowledge, she explains. These courses help us to communicate well together, which is very important. She also notes the importance of listening to patients and finding out about their past dental experiences so they will be more comfortable and receive the best treatment. We explain things and show examples to our patients. I think this really helps them understand and feel more at ease. Theyll ask more questions, she says. Its also the transformations she witnesses that keep Mary so interested in dentistry. She enjoys helping people and seeing the results of a successful treatment. I love knowing that our patients feel good about themselves afterward. They see the success, too.

Married with two children and a cat, Mary stays active with her kids. She volunteers, organizes, and fundraises for sports and other school activities. Mary also enjoys snowmobiling and being at the lake with her family. When she has a moment to herself, Mary likes reading nonfiction and detective/murder-mystery novels.

I love getting to know our patients and working together by sharing what I see and can potentially do for them. I really enjoy empowering patients to be more involved in their healthcare decisions so that they can improve their health.

Dr. Brunacini enjoys the variety in dentistry as it allows him to solve problems, propose solutions, and work with patients on prevention. Dr. B feels that the kind of progressive dentistry Falmouth Dental Arts employs is part of a larger paradigm shift in American dental health. By working together as a team, our staff from receptionist to assistant to hygienist to dentist can all help patients better understand procedures and treatments.

Ill narrate as I work, if patients would like to know what is happening, and I use an intraoral camera to provide visuals, Dr. B explains. Our offices laid-back atmosphere contributes to a comfortable, inviting place for patients, he says, and its the integrity of each member of the staff coupled with the use of crest-of-the-wave technology that makes Falmouth Dental Arts an ideal practice in which to build lasting relationships.

After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry at Denison University in Ohio, Dr. B graduated from the dental program at Ohio State University. Since joining Falmouth Dental Arts, he has also completed oral conscious sedation course work and is interested in digital dentistry for its ability to improve the accuracy of diagnoses and the quality of dental care. Dr. Brunacini and his wife welcomed their son Leo in 2015, and their family lives in Falmouth. He likes to enjoy good food, play a variety of musical instruments; including guitar, piano, drums and bass, and hit the slopes in the winter.

Dr. Karagiorgos, DMD, grew up in the greater Boston area, but established a connection with Maine early on: When I was in high school, I remember coming up to visit Maine and the seacoast with my family on the weekends. From high school he went on to graduate from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

While he went on to work as a structural engineer, Dr. K ultimately decided it was not the best field for him. So he took some time to figure out what that field might be. During this time he worked as a project manager for the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece in 2004. When he returned to the US he became more interested in dentistry and enrolled in classes to prepare to apply to dental school. This path led him to become an assistant in the oral surgery department at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where he was later welcomed as a student and earned his doctoral degree in dentistry.

Since graduating as a general dentist, Dr. K has worked as an associate at Caring Hands of Maine in Ellsworth, at CS Maller, DMD, in Bar Harbor, and at Kennebec Valley Family Dentistry. In his dedication to making a visit to the dentist comfortable for even the most apprehensive and anxious patients, Dr. K is trained in providing I.V. sedation dentistry. I want my patients experiences here at FDA to feel more like going to visit friends while having some dentistry done at the same time. Myself and the rest of the team here at FDA want to make going to the dentist fun.

In 2015, Dr. K was awarded the American Association of Oral Biologists Award. He has volunteered for Give Kids a Smile, a nonprofit that provides free oral health services for those in need, and Bridge Over Troubled Waters, an organization that supports homeless and high-risk youth. He is also fluent in Greek and French and can converse in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

When not practicing dentistry you might catch him at the gym or see him with his wife Ella and daughter Rhea at Payson Park playing with Roux, their one year old Aussie-doodle. Dr. K encourages patients to ask him about cycling when they visit. He loves to spend time in the kitchen and often tries out new recipes on the staff here at FDA.