Philly Dentistry

We have the world’s best patients. Our office has been open for over 18 years and throughout time, our patients have chosen to come back to us again and again. We take pride in making our patients feel at home in our office. In return, our patients have shared their experiences throughout the years on review sites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Our patient’s feedback is very important to us as we are always trying to better ourselves. We appreciate all of the kind words. So much so, that our team starts every morning by reading a new review. Hearing our patient’s feedback gets our team pumped for the next day! In this blog, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite reviews. These reviews, in particular, brought an ear to ear smile to all of our staff’s faces. 

Brandon S. Review

“Philadelphia Dentistry reconceptualizes and resets the paradigm for the holistic practice of dentistry. First and foremost, they operate with an unprecedented level of professionalism, subject matter expertise, compassion, and dedication to their clients’ needs. They put the client first and consciously try to seek an understanding of any issues, fears, or concerns their clients have so they can make them feel as comfortable as possible throughout the entirety of their visit. Further, their clarity of explanation provides the client with education concerning proper dental hygiene and a vision for maintaining healthy practices. They have not only built an environment that is friendly, energetic, comfortable, positive, and beautiful, but they celebrate diversity – of staff, clients, and perspective — since they place love central to their core values.

What I love most about the office (besides their dental expertise and care they provide-) is how they genuinely attempt to create a lasting relationship with the client – they seek understanding of who you are, what you do, and create bonds of friendship that makes you feel like you are an extension of their dental family. Trust me when I say, not only are you going to receive the highest quality of service at this practice, but you are missing out if you don’t make this the home for all your dental needs!” -Brandon S.

Nikki B. Review

“I chose this office after my husband had a pleasant experience. I also had a great experience. All of the staff were welcoming and helpful. I enjoyed chatting with my hygienist, Alyssa! What stood out to me in terms of care was: they did an oral cancer exam. I have only had one other doctor in my life do this for me! This was also the most educational office I have ever been to where they show you exactly what is happening to your teeth and why. Then they have individualized recommendations for improving your oral health. I was impressed by the knowledge of Alyssa, she went over everything the doctor covered with me, so I got it twice!” -Nikki B.

Billy C. Review

“I’ve been a patient for over 2 years now. Always quick and efficient with their work. I had a filling crack in May and was able to get in the very next business day (a Friday). I had the filling replaced that following Monday by Dr. Ridge and the assistant. After fixing that, I realized I would be away for my cleaning date in August. They bumped me up this week with my go-to hygienist Jen. Jen did my Zoom well over a year ago which whitened my teeth 4 shades and the trays and whitening provided have kept my pearly whites nice and bright with light maintenance. Everyone at the office is friendly, helpful, and informative and they handle COVID-19 procedures with ease and care.” -Billy C.

Do you wake up with migraines in the morning? This could be a sign of clenching or grinding your teeth in your sleep. You might be a good candidate for a nightguard. You may not realize the clenching or grinding, but a lot of people do fall victim to it. Time after time, patients sit in the chair and say, “I don’t clench or grind.” However, they are clenching and grinding as they say that! Over time, the constant wear and tear of clenching or grinding take a toll on your teeth.

The key to overcoming teeth grinding is having awareness. Are your teeth touching? Right now, as you are reading this blog, are your teeth touching? If so, that is a clear sign of dental damage. Your teeth shouldn’t touch throughout the day at all unless you are chewing food. Your jaw should be in a constant relaxed state with a small space between your upper and lower teeth. After reading this article, try to be more mindful and catch yourself when your teeth are clenching or grinding.

When you are asleep, it is impossible to catch yourself clenching or grinding. So, what can you do? Here at Philly Dentistry, we can make you a custom nightguard to wear while sleeping. Wearing a nightguard while you sleep can save you from migraines, pain or discomfort, and future more expensive dental issues. The nightguard works as a barrier between your teeth and provides a cushion preventing dental damage. Wearing a nightguard usually provides pain or discomfort relief between one and six weeks of night-time wear.

Our team has treated thousands of patients by providing nightguards. These patients have suffered from migraines, cracked or worn teeth, and discomfort. Shortly after wearing their nightguard, all of that went away. A slight change in your nightly routine can save your teeth. For a free consultation, call our office today at (215) 568-6222! Dr. Cirka, Dr. Jeon, and Dr. Ridge are Philadelphia’s best and want to get you healthy! We hope to see you soon.

To get connected with us, please follow us on social media. We post cool office content, recent before and after photos, flash sales, and so much more! For a chance to be featured, please tag us in your photos @phillydentistry. We love to show off our patient’s beautiful smiles!

June is Dental Smiles Month, so we thought it would only be appropriate to highlight one of our awesome patients showing off their fabulous smiles! Our patient Blanche first came to us and felt self-conscious with her smile. She told us how she takes pride in her appearance and has always made it a point to take care of herself. For instance, she has always practiced skincare and hair care. So much so, that she is accustomed to receiving compliments about her awesome skin daily. However, she never thought about the importance of dental care.

Blanche S. Smile

From her first visit, Blanche was a ray of sunshine. Her positive energy radiated off of her and by the end of her appointment, everyone in the office felt like a friend of Blanche. After a few visits with our team, Blanche started feeling confident with her smile again. Below are a few words from Blanche about her smile makeover.

Thank you for my smile

“I first came to the Philadelphia Dentistry all screwed up so to speak as far as my teeth are concerned. Prior to my coming to Philadelphia Dentistry, I dared not to show my teeth while smiling because of the bad appearance of my teeth. I mean quite a few of my teeth were brown colored and full of backed-up decay, particularly the bottom front teeth. After saying all that, I hope you can understand the full picture as to why I didn’t show my teeth while smiling. I was absolutely ashamed.

Thanks to Philadelphia Dentistry that has all changed. After about three visits to the Philadelphia Dentistry, I am no longer ashamed to show my teeth while I’m smiling, in fact, I make sure in every one of my smiles that my teeth are showing. Thank you, Philadelphia Dentistry, for putting a big smile on my face and allowing me to show my teeth with pride.” -Blanche S.

Does this sound like you?

If your story relates anyway to Blanche’s, please give us a call. We are here to help people get healthy and feel confident within themselves. It is our mission to make sure every patient walks out of our doors with a smile on their face ready to reach for the stars. Please contact us by calling (215) 568-6222 so we can schedule a FREE new patient consultation. During that first visit, you will meet with one of our awesome doctors and figure out what the best treatment plan is for you. We are all in this together and want only the best for you! We hope to see you soon.

Do you feel nervous before going to a dental appointment? You’re not alone. Maybe your scared of possible pain, drill sounds, or even just the smell of the office. Dental anxiety is real and a lot of people suffer from it. At Philly Dentistry, we ensure that our patient’s dental health and mental health are both taken care of. In this blog, we will be going over some tips to help overcome dental anxiety. Use these strategies at your next dentist visit to help ease your anxiety.

Fear of pain

If you are feeling uncomfortable or anxious, it is important to make that known to the dentist. We all want to be on the same page and make accommodations to ensure the smoothest appointment possible. By voicing how you feel, the doctor will know exactly how to navigate the appointment. Try to be as specific as possible as that will make for the best communication. For example, if you are in fear of any pain, your doctor can be gentler or even sometimes administer medication to help ease potential pain.

Loss of control

If sitting in the chair with the bib wrapped around your neck makes you feel stuck, you’re not alone. This is a common feeling that stems from claustrophobia. If you can relate to this, let your doctor know at the beginning of the appointment. Together, you and the doctor can come up with some sort of break system that allows you to remain comfortable for the entire appointment.

Stressed about cost

Dental work can be costly. However, keeping up with regular visits with your hygienist will reduce the need for more expensive treatments later on. In the event that you do need a costly treatment, talk with the office’s financial coordinator. Together, a payment plan can be arranged that is most financially convenient for you.

All in all, keeping high communication with your dentist and the office staff will be the most effective way to reduce any dental anxiety. Being clear with how you feel will allow the team to help you to make accommodations to make you feel as comfortable as possible. You are the patient and we are here to keep you healthy physically and mentally! Give us a call at (215) 568-6222 to book your next appointment.

April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month and our office wants to help end oral cancer! According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, mouth cancers are newly diagnosed in about 145 new individuals each day in the US alone, and a person dies from oral cancer every hour of every day. These numbers are heartbreaking, especially because the fastest-growing segment of oral cancer patients are young, healthy, nonsmoking individuals. According to the World Health Organization, the worldwide burden of oral cancer is an estimated 657,000 new cases each year, and more than 330,000 deaths. Oral cancer doesn’t stop, but we won’t either. We take oral cancer very seriously. With every cleaning here at Philly Dentistry, our patients are examined for oral cancer. This is something we have always done and will continue to do.

Most people neglect oral cancer and don’t realize how deadly it is. That is why it is important to catch it early. Biyearly visits to the dentist are imperative for maintaining good health. In addition to your bi-yearly visits, you can perform self-examinations at home too! These self-examinations should be done once a month to ensure everything is looking healthy. Check out Oral Cancer Foundation’s website that explains step by step how to examine yourself for oral cancer. They even include a video demonstration and photos of what to look out for.

If you are seeing anything in your mouth that resembles these photos, give us a call immediately. From there, we will have you come in for a professional examination. The doctors are trained to determine what is cancerous or dangerous to your health. Your job is to check in on yourself regularly and refer yourself to our team if anything seems off. We are here to help keep you healthy!

To stay connected, follow us on social media!

Everyone is aware to some extent how certain foods and drinks can affect our teeth. However, the majority of people aren’t oral health care experts.  Have no fear; Philly Dentistry is here with all the facts! We have compiled a list of the top 6 bad foods for your teeth.

1. Alcohol

Alcohol is fun to drink on a special occasion or from time to time. However, alcoholic drinks tend to decrease saliva production in our mouths. This promotes a problem as the saliva plays a key role in protecting your teeth from acidic content. In addition, saliva is used to wash away food particles after eating. With low saliva, you are deprived of these functions and make you vulnerable to infections. Always drink water in between alcoholic drinks!

2. Coffee or Tea

Coffee and tea are two of the biggest threats to your smile as they both are prone to cause discoloration and staining. In addition, if you like your drink extra sweet and add sugar, this also sets you up for enamel damage. Ultimately, if these drinks aren’t consumed in moderation, oral health diseases can arise.

3. Potato Chips

Who doesn’t love a good, salty potato chip? Unfortunately, if you do not floss or rinse your mouth immediately after eating them problems can occur. The starchy and mushy texture of potato chips can get stuck in your teeth very easily. If you enjoy eating chips, be sure to carry floss on you!

4. White Bread

When you eat white bread, the starch is broken down into sugar in your saliva. The bread becomes a sticky substance that clings to your teeth and gums. This could lead to oral infections.

5. Tomatoes

This one might be a surprise, but tomatoes make the list due to being acidic. Tomatoes have the most risks when eaten raw or in the form of a sauce. Don’t be afraid to include tomatoes in your favorite dishes, but avoid large quantities without rinsing your mouth.

6. Dry Fruits

Dry fruit is good for your body as they provide lots of nutrients! However, dry fruits are prone to get stuck in small spaces. When eating dry fruit, be sure to carry a pack of floss!

We love our patients! There are hundreds of dental offices in center city Philadelphia, yet our patients continue to show their loyalty to us year after year. We take pride in creating long-lasting relationships with our patients. To spread the word, our patients have left reviews about their experiences with us on sites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Our patient’s feedback is very important to us as we are always trying to better ourselves. We appreciate all of the feedback, suggestions, and kind words. Seriously, our team starts every morning by reading a new online review. Hearing our patient’s reviews gets our team pumped for the next day! In this blog, we wanted to highlight some of our favorites. These reviews, in particular, brought big smiles to our team’s faces.

5 Stars

“I think I share the same sentiments with most of you…that dental work is one of the highest forms of torture this planet has to offer. The sounds of drilling, hands ceaselessly probing in your mouth, the smell and taste of fluoride, and all the while you’re sitting under the brightest most intrusive fluorescent lights. It’s like the 8th circle of hell.

However, I must tell you I have never felt more comfortable in my life than I have sitting in this Dentist office. A chipped tooth necessitated a crown and lead me to meet Dr. Ridge, Stephen, Jenaya, and the wonderful ladies at the front desk. They were so pleasant, so concerned about my level of comfortability, and as I’m sure you all want to hear most, were very fast and efficient. The two hours I was there flew right by…Jenaya and Dr. Ridge seriously killed it.

I NEVER leave reviews, but they gave me such a good feeling I’m not even dreading having to go back to get the actual crown put onto my tooth. This Office is comprised of nothing but dedicated and amazing professionals, who truly go out of their way to make sure you feel taken care of (even if you’re in your own version of hell).”

-Savannah S. 5 Stars on Google

“Philly Dentistry has been AMAZING! Their staff has made my visits friendly, comfortable, and worry-free. I have been lucky to get to work with Dr. Ridge, Jenaya, Jessica, and Rach while figuring out a plan to get my teeth looking healthy and great again! They have made the anxieties of dentist visits disappear for an enjoyable experience. While completing the work I have the need they have been great in care and education to help give a better understanding of future care.  In addition, Rich has been a great financial/ insurance resource answering all my questions to make sure money stresses are non-existing! Kiya and Jess at the front desk are always warm, welcoming, and helpful with any scheduling needs, and make sure all my check-in information is where it needs to be! Together this Group makes my Dentistry Dream Team! Can’t wait for my next visit!”

-Rocio C. 5 Stars on Google

“Today was my first visit at the office. The ladies at the front desk are very kind and welcoming!  Dr. Ridge was very nice and explained my treatment plan very thoroughly. He also answered all of my questions and made me feel comfortable and excited to move forward with treatment. Stephen Ruiz, the treatment coordinator, is funny and has a great personality! He thoroughly explained my financing options and answered all my questions.

I love the fact that I don’t have to wait long for appointments. I can be seen within a week or two and those multiple appointments can be set on the day of your visit. Other offices make you wait until you come back to set the next appointment, which results in longer treatment times. I also was seen quickly and wasn’t sitting in the waiting room forever. Great music in the office as well. I’m very happy I found this office!”

-Tiffany S. 5 Stars on Google

Dr. Cirka had the pleasure of being a guest speaker at the Private Dental Association conference meeting. During his speech, he broke down the secrets to his success in the dental industry. Philadelphia Dentistry is the largest dental practice in Philadelphia, but Dr. Cirka’s success didn’t come overnight. In this blog post, we will be talking about the key points Dr. Cirka made during his speech.

1. “Figure out what your vision is.”

The first key to success Dr. Cirka spoke about was how important it is to know what your vision looks like. Essentially, this means figuring out what your overall goal is, not only for the practice but as an owner. Ask yourself questions like, “Where do you see yourself long-term?” “Do you want to expand or stay small?” “What kind of specialty are you going to offer?” and many more questions digging into your aspirations. If these questions aren’t addressed, you could find yourself jumping into a life that isn’t exactly what you wanted, which would result in negative energy. Pinpointing your vision is essential to being successful.

2. “Now that you have your vision, share it.”

Once you know what you want your vision to be, you have to share it. People are not mind readers. You must make your vision as specific as possible to your staff to ensure everyone is on the same page. “If part of your vision includes having 500 Google reviews, you need to make that clear to your team,” Dr. Cirka explained. If your vision isn’t explicitly specified you will never be satisfied.

3. “Communication is the #1 key.”

Keeping good communication with your team and patients is the most important factor in success. To keep good communication with your team there’s a ton of different things you can do. Most importantly, creating an open environment for your team will allow the most communication. “Staff meetings are a must,” says Dr. Cirka. The staff meetings allow everyone to get together and talk about different things going on. If there is something we are lacking, we can bring it up. On the flip side, staff meetings are great to commend team members for a job well done. To keep good communication with patients, you have to go the extra mile. “Make personal phone calls to patients after they’ve completed a large case or have had anesthesia,” Dr. Cirka advised. Making these phone calls not only will show patients you care but will give the patient an opportunity to ask any further questions they may have forgotten to bring up. In addition to phone calls, writing personal postcards are great. “Writing a patient just to say hello and have a great time on vacation will do more than you think,” Dr. Cirka shared. When writing these postcards, it is important to never write about a sale or anything involving money. It shows that we care about our patients, we listen to our patients, and we are just reaching out to keep a good relationship.

Millions of people suffer from bad breath. In most cases, this problem stems from the tongue and gums. Bad breath can cause you to feel embarrassed, but it is a more common problem than you think. We are here to give you some tips about how to prevent bad breath. We want you to feel confident!

1. Make sure you are brushing.

It is imperative to make sure you are brushing your teeth at least twice a day! You should brush in the morning when you wake up, and at night time before you go to bed. By doing this, you are ensuring the proper removal of plaque and debris stuck in your teeth. Getting rid of the yucky stuff will make it difficult for bacteria to grow in your mouth, which would eliminate bad breath.

2. Floss daily.

Flossing on a daily basis will remove the debris that your toothbrush can’t reach. Now, the toothbrush does a great job, but sometimes it just needs some extra help with floss. Flossing gets into the deeper parts of your smile, allowing you to remove all leftover debris.

3. Don’t forget the tongue.

Most people brush their teeth and think they are done. However, your teeth are only one part of your mouth. Scraping or brushing your tongue will remove any built-up residue that is hiding in the taste buds. Don’t forget to brush your tongue!

4. Rinse your mouth.

Remember that if a dental issue is a reason for constant bad breath, a mouth wash will just cover the smell and not fix it. However, it does help to use a mouth wash when completing your oral hygiene routine. Mouth wash gives you an instant fresh breath smell!

5. Visit your dentist.

You need to be visiting your dentist twice a year to maintain good oral health. When dealing with chronic bad breath, you should visit your dentist first to rule out any other dental issues. It is better to catch things early! Give us a call at (215) 568-6222 to schedule your FREE new patient consultation.

It’s a brand-new year, which is the perfect time to reinvent yourself. Do you want to quit your bad smoking habit? If this sounds like you, then keep reading. In this article, we will be talking about dental hygiene tips for smokers that can help you turn your smoker’s teeth into healthy teeth!

1. Stop smoking

It might not be exactly what you want to hear, but this is something you need to do in order to get the best results for your teeth. Smoking causes a number of health problems, but a lot of time the effects it can have on your mouth are overlooked. When you are a smoker, you are twice as likely to get mouth infections compared to non-smokers. Additionally, as you know, smoking causes damage to your enamel and staining.

2. See your dentist

It is imperative for you to stay on top of your dental visits. Since being a smoker makes you more susceptible to oral health issues, you need to keep up with your bi-yearly dental visits. These visits are important because it will allow your dentist to scope out any issues earlier rather than later. These visits will also help possible staining and keeping your breath fresh.

3. Brushing and flossing twice a day

Brush and floss your teeth when you wake up in the morning and again before you go to sleep at night. By doing this, you are removing any debris that could wedge itself in your teeth throughout the day. Brushing and flossing at least twice a day is the rule of thumb, but if you can squeeze in brush and floss time after any meal, that would be ideal!

4. Healthy eating

Smoking isn’t the only thing that causes staining. Different foods and drinks cause teeth discoloration as well. To reduce the chance of staining, take up a healthy eating lifestyle. Eat and drink in moderation, but watch out for acidic treats like coffee, soda, and candy, as they can do the most damage.

We want you to make 2021 the year you turn your smoker teeth into a brighter, healthier smile! Here at Philadelphia Dentistry, we will provide you with the best care and education to ensure that you optimize your oral health care. Check us out on social media to see all of our photos! We are on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.