Dr. Meharg began his career by graduating from LeMoyne College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Following this was 4 years of dental school at Georgetown University where he graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He spent 12 years as a general dentist prior to attending specialty training. He completed 2 years of orthodontic residency receiving his Certificate in Orthodontics and Masters Degree in Oral Biology from the University of Louisville. In 1994 he completed the requirements for certification by the American Board of Orthodontics. Board Certification is a unique achievement, attained by approximately one-third of practicing orthodontists.
Dr Meharg has been in the exclusive practice of orthodontics since 1987. In 1997, he retired from the Army and returned to Syracuse to purchase his current practice, which he moved to Franklin Square in 2002. Dr. Meharg regularly attends continuing education courses to keep up with the ever-changing world of orthodontic technology. He is proud to be an Invisalign Platinum Provider and has treated over 840 patients with Invisalign. He was the director of Orthodontics for the General Dentistry Residency Program at St. Josephs Hospital for 15 years. In addition, he is a proud member of the following:
He has been married to Corinne Sullivan since 1971. Their son Jesse and his wife Colleen are in Delmar, NY (with granddaughter Riley). And their daughter Erin and her husband Carlton live in Montpelier, VT. In his spare time Dr. Meharg enjoys visiting with family, travel, golf, and skiing.
Dr. Vitkus was born in Watertown and grew up in Skaneateles, NY. She completed her undergraduate studies at Brown University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. While at Brown she captained the Brown Womens lacrosse team and was awarded All-Ivy League and All-American Honors. After working as an engineer, Dr. Vitkus decided to make a career change to pursue dentistry. She attended dental school at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine where she served as Buffalo Student Dental Association President. She graduated top of her class and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor Society. Following dental school, Dr. Vitkus completed an orthodontic residency at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health in Rochester, NY while concurrently receiving her Masters degree in Dental Science from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
After completing her residency Dr. Vitkus opened her own orthodontic office in Geneva, NY and has spent the past couple of years growing this office to be one of the outstanding offices in the Finger Lakes Region. A career goal of hers has been to serve patients in both the Central New York and Finger Lakes communities, and shes excited to be able to do just that as she joins Dr. Meharg in practice.
Since dental school, Dr. Vitkus has been very involved in organized dentistry and currently serves on the American Association of Orthodontics Council on Communications and the American Dental Association New Dentist Committee.
Dr. Vitkus is married to her husband Dr. Tim Calnon, who is also an orthodontist. They met in dental school! Their son, Patrick Robert, was born this past year. Together they enjoy traveling, skiing, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
No. All orthodontists must be licensed to practice, but at this time only 1 in 3 orthodontists have continued on to complete Board Certification. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) certification process signifies a unique achievementa significant step beyond the two to three years of advanced education required for a dentist to become a specialist in orthodontics. The process requires the orthodontist to demonstrate actual accomplishments in patient care with detailed case reports on the treatment provided for a broad range of patient problems. Board certification is a voluntary achievement that all orthodontists do not choose to pursue. In order to become board certified by the ABO, an individual orthodontist is thoroughly interviewed by a highly respected panel of examiners to demonstrate their orthodontic knowledge, clinical skills and judgment.
One. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) is the only certifying board in the specialty that is recognized by the American Dental Association. The ABO was founded in 1929 and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. The boards purpose is to elevate the quality of orthodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education and professional collaboration.
Successful completion of the examination process demonstrates the orthodontists highest commitment to excellence in orthodontics to both the orthodontic profession and the general public. It represents a commitment by a licensed specialist that he/she has the necessary knowledge base and skills to treat patients to the highest of standards. It exemplifies a practitioners commitment to continue to keep abreast of the latest advances in patient care, and to continue to deliver these latest advances to patients. Many orthodontists see it as a demonstration of their dedication to the specialty and the highest level of personal achievement.
Since the establishment of the ABO in 1929, the certification process requirements have continued to adjust to the demands of the specialty. Today, the process involves a thorough Written Examination (240 questions) covering all areas of information which an orthodontist should be knowledgeable. Successful completion of this board exam allows the orthodontist to proceed to the Clinical Examination where they present detailed case reports from their practice/residency, demonstrating a history of excellence in patient care. These cases are evaluated by a panel of examiners and later discussed during an oral examination where the applicant is tested on a wide variety of academic and clinical topics. After successful completion of these examinations, the orthodontist has officially achieved Board Certification, for a time-limited period. The orthodontist must go through Certification Renewal every 10 years to maintain their certification status by demonstrating this continued level of patient care.
Dr. Vitkus and Dr. Meharg are supported by a team of professionals who are dedicated to providing each patient with enthusiastic and individualized orthodontic care. We work together as a team striving for one common goal to provide our patients with the highest standard of care available that guarantees optimal results.
As our offices Treatment Coordinator, I have the privilege of introducing our new patients to our practice. At the first visit I will spend time getting to know you and your orthodontic needs. After a full evaluation by our Doctors, I will answer any questions you may have regarding the treatment recommendation and will review the financial plans available to best meet your needs. In my spare time my husband and I enjoy spending time with our children and our 2 golden retrievers.
I was born in Syracuse and have lived around the Syracuse area the majority of my life. I have worked in multiple aspects of the medical field for 18 years and enjoy helping people. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my son and dog along with painting.
I have been in dental administration for close to 20 years. I enjoy meeting new patients and their families and assisting them with their insurance and financial arrangements when treatment begins. I enjoy time at the lake in the summer and spending time with my family and dog Henry.
I grew up in northern Minnesota but have been part of the Syracuse community since 1991. I started in dentistry in 1994 and worked at Franklin Square Orthodontics from 2002 2006. After staying home with my kids and volunteering at their schools for 6 years, I returned to FSO in May of 2012. I enjoy the outdoors, kayaking, golfing, playing pickle ball and being with family, friends and my 2 dogs.
I was born and raised in the Canandaigua area. Ive been in the orthodontic field since 2007 and joined this team in 2018. I enjoy working with all of our patients while they go through their treatment and love seeing how happy they are once their treatment has finished. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and spending time outdoors.
I am a Syracuse area native and I began working for Dr. Vitkus and Dr. Meharg in 2020. This is a new and exciting path for me and I have a new found love for all things teeth! I enjoy camping, hiking, birding, and my two cats!
I was born and raised in the Finger Lakes area and joined the dental field to help people. One of my favorite parts of my job is watching our patients smile change through their course of treatment. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my daughter and dog and doing anything that involves being outside!
I am a native of Syracuse and spent four years as a dental technician in the United States Air Force. I gained my experience in orthodontics working two years for an orthodontist. After leaving the Air Force I worked as a motion picture projectionist before returning to the orthodontic field approximately twenty years ago. Ive been with the practice since 2001.