Our Fox Valley dream team is highly experienced and credentialed in all facets of dental care, from routine oral hygiene and preventative maintenance to tooth restorations and cosmetic dentistry. Our dentists and hygienists can deliver an exceptional level of service while optimizing the comfort and safety of each and every individual. We take great pride in the quality of care we provide on a daily basis, which is evidenced (both literally and figuratively) by the beautiful smiles of our patients. The Smile for Life Dental team is led by cosmetic dentist Dean Lodding, DDS, a nationally recognized dentist who provides world-class care. Dr. Lodding received his education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before beginning his career as the founder of our practice. He is a past President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and was granted the President Award by the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health. His commitment to providing patients with quality dental treatments and techniques helps his practice stand out from others in the Elgin area.

By visiting Smile for Life Dental, you can feel confident knowing our team can provide you with top dental treatments and keep your best interests at heart. We strive to provide unparalleled care in a warm and welcoming office environment. Through friendly service and options like sedation dentistry, we strive to make each patient feel comfortable during their visit.

Enhancing the smiles and the lives of my patients is my passion. I love being able to provide excellent dental care in a nurturing environment surrounded by the greatest team in the world. Dr. Lodding

After graduating magna cum laude from St. Norbert College, Dr. Lodding went on to earn his DDS degree from University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1980. From 1980-81, he provided dental care to the Oglala Sioux tribe in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. In 1981, Dr. Lodding began his private practice, which is now the practice our many generations of patients rely upon today to keep their smiles healthy and beautiful. The exemplary treatment and care that each one of Dr. Loddings patients receives can be attributed to his dedication to pursuing the best training and education. His patients thrive from state-of-the-art technologies and advanced dentistry techniques that provide superlative results, and he strives to provide personalized dental care to optimize the overall wellbeing of each patient he serves. Dr. Loddings passion for performing at his best also carries over into his private life, where he is an avid drummer, dedicated golfer, and, most importantly, a proud father and husband.

The most important step in Dr. Loddings persistent journey to be exceptional was becoming a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in 1986. It is through his involvement in the AACD that Dr. Lodding became friends and colleagues with the best dentists in the world. He is continuously inspired by these relationships on both a personal and professional level. In 1988, Dr. Lodding became one of the first dentists in the world to become accredited in the field of cosmetic dentistry. From 1993-96, he served as Accreditation Chair for the AACD and developed the accreditation process, which has become the leading evaluator of the credentials of cosmetic dentists in the world. From 1990 to 2001, he was on the board of the AACD, culminating in his serving as AACD President between 2000 and 2001. In 2003, he was chosen as the chairperson of the AACD Charitable Foundations Give Back a Smile program, which was developed to help restore the smiles of domestic violence survivors who sustained dental injuries.

In 2006, in response to increasing awareness of the connection between oral health and systemic health, Dr. Lodding became a co-founder of the American Academy of Oral Systemic Health. The organization has since become a leading forum for dental and medical professionals to unite their knowledge in order to improve and save lives.

It was in 2004 that Dr. Lodding began what he considers the most significant and important phase of his professional career: On March 16, 2004 he founded Smile For Life Dental. It was the culmination of Dr. Loddings professional dream to establish a dental practice that would employ an incredible staff to provide the best in dental care to an amazing community of patients. He can proudly say that he and his exceptional team have made that dream a reality. Dr. Lodding has said, I am blessed with the most amazing dental team in the most modern facility with the worlds best patients!

Dr. Lodding is a much sought-after national and international speaker on cosmetic dentistry and practice management. He has published several important articles on cosmetic dentistry techniques and has been interviewed locally and nationally by newspapers, magazines, and TV stations regarding developments and trends in cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Lodding has also contributed his expertise by serving on the Board for the Community Crisis Center.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) is one of the largest and most respected cosmetic dentistry organizations in the world. It places emphasis on the importance of continuing education, quality patient care, and strictly upheld ethical standards. Members are required to demonstrate proficiency across an array of subjects, in addition to continuously expanding their knowledge within the field of cosmetic dentistry. Only those with the requisite skill, experience, passion, and knowledge become Accredited Fellows, the highest level of distinction within the organization. This title is awarded to an extremely selective number of clinicians in recognition of their superior academic and clinical expertise. In addition to being an Accredited Fellow, Dr. Lodding also had the honor of serving as a former President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He believes deeply in the AACDs mission of clinical excellence and ongoing education, and he maintains an active role within the broader cosmetic dentistry community.

You should also ultimately feel comfortable with your chosen dentist, and they should readily and honestly answer any and all questions you may have about their background or the procedure(s) you are interested in.

Advancements in dental technology have made it possible for a wide range of dentists to offer cosmetic treatments, but the overall quality of your results is still dependent on the skill and experience of your dentist. Incorporating these factors into your search can help ensure that you are making an informed decision that you can feel confident about.

Dr. Lodding is professional, kind, honest, personable and above all a great dentist. Ive had many mediocre experiences with dentists in the past until I found Dr. Lodding at Smile for Life Dental. He really cares about his patients. The rest of the staff is great too. You will always be greeted by beautiful, friendly smiles from his front desk team-Ree & Joanna. I look forward to coming here for many more years.

I have a deep love for all of my patients and I strive to ensure that I provide them with the best possible treatment for their needs. I also prefer to approach each case conservatively, taking into account how to give someone their best smile with the least amount of work. Furthermore, my almost 40 years of experience provides me with a level of skill and insight that is unmatched by anyone else operating in the area.

I am most excited about being able to create beautiful smiles for our patients using less invasive methods that require less prep-time. Making cosmetic dentistry procedures easier and more accessible to patients definitely excites me.

Dr. Lodding strongly believes in the importance of giving back. Over the years, he has contributed much of his time serving on the Board of Directors for the Community Crisis Center in Elgin, which provides shelter, care, and support for victims of domestic violence. He also served as the national chairperson for the AACDs Give Back a Smile program, which connects those who have suffered dental injuries as a result of domestic violence with a volunteer cosmetic dentist.

In addition, Dr. Lodding has also been heavily involved with One Collective, an international missionary organization that provides food, faith, and freedom for those less fortunate around the world. He was on the board of directors for One Collective for three years. Faith and service are a very critical part of Dr. Loddings life. He lives to use the gift of his skills in dentistry to provide dental care for those who, in exchange, pay it forward to others using their own abilities.

Dr. Michael Schuiling is an integral part of the Smile for Life Dental family. He is committed to to thoroughly educating his patients on the state of their oral health and looks to incorporate conservative procedures whenever possible. Providing top dental care as comfortably as possible is of the utmost importance to Dr. Schuiling, and it is one of the many reasons his patients are so loyal.

Dr. Schuiling was raised in Aurora, Colorado but currently resides in St. Charles, Illinois with his wife, son, and daughter. He is proud to join Dr. Dean Lodding as a member of the Smile for Life Dental team. As a child, Dr. Schuiling was interested in science and art. These passions later led him to a career in dentistry, which he considers a marriage of the two fields. Today, Dr. Schuiling utilizes his knowledge and experience to enhance oral function and create aesthetically pleasing results from the many treatments he performs.

In 2005, Dr. Schuiling received his undergraduate degree from Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Following his graduation, he went on to study at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. There he earned his DDS degree in 2012 and continued on to complete a General Practice Residency at Loyola University Medical Center. During this time, he underwent advanced training in general dentistry and developed a strong foundational knowledge for cosmetic and restorative techniques.

In addition to the many years Dr. Schuiling has dedicated to his formal education, he belongs to a number of esteemed professional organizations. He strongly believes in the importance of community involvement and knows that by staying abreast of the latest dental techniques, he can better serve his patients. Dr. Schuiling holds membership in organizations such as:

At Smile for Life Dental, Dr. Schuiling relies on his extensive educational background and years of in-field experience to bring the best care to his patients. He specializes in state-of-the-art root canal techniques designed to minimize discomfort and maximize oral health. In addition, he is highly skilled in various other aspects of dentistryincluding porcelain crowns and bridges, implant restorations, implant-supported dentures, and moreand he is certified by the Academy of Laser Dentistry to perform both hard and soft tissue laser procedures.

Dr. Schuiling strives to build relationships with each of his patients and their families. He knows that a compassionate bedside manner can make visits to the office a much more positive experience. By providing high-quality procedures and results, he hopes patients will feel confident in calling Smile for Life their dental office for life.

Before joining the Smile for Life Dental team, Dr. Dryer invested years into his education and gained a significant amount of experience in numerous dental fields. At the University of Minnesota, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a specialty certificate in Prosthodontics and went on to receive a Masters of Science in Dentistry. His extensive education covered training in the fields of esthetic, reconstructive, and implant dentistry.

Dr. Dryer received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Michigan in 2002. He then went on to finish his General Practice Residency at Miami Valley Hospital in 2003. During this time, he learned all facets of general dentistry, with a special focus on oral surgery and intravenous moderate sedation (conscious sedation). He is now licensed by the state of Illinois to administer this sedation technique and offers it to his current patients.

Later, Dr. Dryer worked as a general dentist for a culmination of seven years in Chicago and New Mexico. He was able to practice his general dentistry skills in the Indian Health Service for five of those years. Following this time, he received specialty training in cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry, dental implants, and removable prosthetics. He continued as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota for two years.

Dr. Dryer opened a private practice in Palatine, Illinois and, in his spare time, continues to teach. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, furthering the education of residents in Graduate Prosthodontics with focus on full arch implant surgery, restoration, dental implant placement, and other procedures. Outside of the office and teaching, Dr. Dryer is an active member in both the American College of Prosthodontists and American Dental Society of Anesthesiology.