We are proud to provide a state-of-the-art facility for our patients in order to deliver the highest quality dental care available. One of our top priorities is to protect the safety and health of our valued patients. With that being said, our office meets and surpasses all OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and CDC (Center for Disease Control) standards. We are confident that you will feel right at home in our office, as we treat all of our patients as if they are family.
Here at Lasting Smiles of Old Saybrook, we will be more than happy to submit all insurance forms for you to help you recover the most from your benefits. We will do everything we can to help you afford the treatment you need. For patients who require major work, a complete payment plan is designed with an appropriate payment schedule set in advance. Checks, cash and any major credit cards are all accepted forms of payment.
As a caring professional, Dr. Socarras creates an inviting environment that allows everyone to feel at home with his down-to-earth approach and lighthearted humor. He is also a dedicated scholar who continues to learn and offer patients the best treatments and painless solutions to create healthy, beautiful smiles.
Born in Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Socarras began his medical education at age fifteen when he enrolled at the University Catholic, Mother and Master in the Dominican Republic. He graduated in 1984 with a Doctors degree in Stomatology, the science of the mouth and its diseases. At the same time, he served in the United States National Guard of Puerto Rico and earned an honorable discharge.
Driven by a quest for knowledge, he studied in the United States, Spain, Switzerland, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. Dr. Socarras received his D.D.S. at New York University (NYU) College Of Dentistry in 1990 and accepted a Fellowship in the Oral Surgery Residency Program of Bellvue Hospital Medical Center. (1990-1991) Coming full circle, he returned to NYU College of Dentistry as an Assistant Clinical Professor to teach senior dental students.
Dr. Socarras earned certification in Intravenous Sedation at the Albert Einstein Bronx Medical Center where he studied with Norman Trieger, and also received certification in Oral Sedation from Doctors of Oral Conscious Sedation (DOCS).
Most remarkable is his focused study and professional experience in the field of dental implants. He was mentored and trained by pioneers in this field, including Drs. Richard Kraut, Leonard Linkow, and Richard Glickman. Following intense study, coupled with work on thousands of patient dental implants, and an extensive peer panel review, Dr. Socarras earned the extraordinary honor of receiving a Fellowship at the same time as he was made a Diplomat of Implant Dentistry by the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. (April 2001) To date, he has consulted and worked on over 11,000 dental implants.
After opening a private practice in Queens, NY in 1993, he became one of the areas most prominent young Hispanic dentists. Because of his involvement and service to the community, Dr. Socarras was awared the Ramon Emeterio Betances medallion at the Puerto Rican parade in New York City. He expanded his dental practice over the years to serve patients in multiple locations. The practice continued to grow, but the pace was hectic. To provide a more well rounded life for his children, Dr. Socarras closed the New York offices, and the family moved to neighboring Connecticut. He provided consulting services to several dental practices while searching for an ideal location to resume his own private practice. In May 2012, Dr. Socarras opened a new dental practice in Prospect, Connecticut where he now works, contributes to the community, and provides dental service to multiple generations of families in town and from the surrounding areas.
Dr. Socarras has a great appreciation of art and enjoys dancing and deep sea fishing. He is the proud father of three beautiful daughters: Kayla, 22, is an artistic young woman and a medical student pursuing her masters degree; Patricia, 18, is the familys analytical thinker who studies psychology and wants to become an attorney; and Maria, 16, is a down-to-earth high school student and the best cook in the family. Another powerful woman in Dr. Socarras life is his mother, Nieves Stewart. Small in stature, she has a deep faith and huge capacity to love, feel compassion, and be a constant source of support and encouragement to her son, Dr. Efrain A. Socarras.