“Floral Park feels like a Hallmark town,” said Dr. Cristina Georgescu, co-owner of the newly opened pediatric dentistry office, Smile Starters. “Everyone is so helpful and welcoming.”
Georgescu, more affectionately known to her patients as “Dr. Cristina” said local parents have been stopping by to welcome them to the neighborhood and check out the new, bright, modern and cheerful space on Verbana Avenue, just south of Tulip Avenue where the previous Chase Bank previously occupied. The receptionists at Smile Starters are
happy to give a quick tour of the practice, answer questions and enroll new patients for an appointment.
“Floral Park has been very receptive to our opening,” said Dr. Eileen Calamia, also co-owner of the budding Smile Starters. “It is very family-friendly here.”
The board-certified pediatric dentist duo has a reputable presence in their original and still-existing practice in Harrison up in Westchester County and has already garnered glowing reviews for their services in Floral Park.
“We hope that one day when the kids we treat grow up, they actually say, ‘I like going to the dentist,’” Georgescu said.
Both she and Calamia said they did not have such great experiences with dentists while growing up.
As a young child, Georgescu said she did not have access to proper dental care while growing up in Romania which resulted in numerous procedures and visits to the dentist. Experiencing first-hand the stress and anxiety of a dental visit she decided to pursue pediatric dentistry.
Similarly, Calamia, who was born in the Philippines, has experienced first-hand the consequences of a high sugary diet and lack of proper dental care. She has always believed that children deserve to have specialty care when it comes to going to the dentist. It is their mission to change the way their patients relate to dentistry.
“A lot of the times it is the parents who come in with a fear of the dentist and are afraid of dental treatment that their kids might need,” Calamia said. For generations, a fear of the dentist and dental work is all too common.
Both dentists are trained to treat children with special needs.
With five years under their belts in Harrison, the doctors unveiled their newest office in Floral Park less than five months ago.
“We love it because it is a storefront in the heart of the village and it is near the village offices, library, shopping, restaurants, the fire department and it is right off the train [Floral Park station],” Calamia said.
The office has nine exam chairs and state-of-the-art equipment, including X-rays.
“We tried to make it, not only kid-friendly, but somewhat relaxing and not too overwhelming for the parents too,” said Calamia.
There is a massage chair for parents to use while they wait and complimentary coffee and tea.
“Going to the dentist can be very stressful so hopefully parents can be a little bit at ease,” Calamia added.
There is even a prize station for an after-exam reward for their patients.
“I don’t want to take it to the extreme and say it should be fun to go to the dentist,” Georgescu joked. “It should be as comfortable as it can be.”
The dental office has its own parking lot, which makes it easy for appointments instead of having to search for street parking, which is not always easy in the bustling downtown during regular business hours and when special events are happening in the neighborhood.
Smile Starters Pediatric Dentistry is located at 15 Verbena Ave. in Floral Park. The Westchester office is located at 450 Mamaroneck Ave. in Harrison.
Visit www.SmileStarterspd.com to read more about Georgescu and Calamia including information about their practices, services and a helpful dental e-library.
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