About Us

Why Choose Dr. Scharf?

Let me ask you a simple question.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I can finally smile confidently again! Dr. Scharf--you are wonderful. Thank you for going through all the years of school and studying and continued education to help people have a healthier, more beautiful smile.

I appreciate all you did to make me feel comfortable, safe, heard, and happy. Thanks for using your gifts and talents to help others. You're a good person and I appreciate your expertise and kindness so very much.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and all of your staff for the courteous and personal attention I received during my treatment I was impressed by the way everything was explained to me prior to the initial treatment. Additionally I was impressed with the way you explained each procedure while you were performing it.

I would not hesitate to recommend your office to anyone needing periodontal treatment.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

Thanks so much for helping me to smile again! Your thoughtfulness and kindness made the whole experience a joy —believe it or not.

Thanks again and please let your wonderful staff know how great I think they are!

Dear Dr. Scharf,

I wanted to take a moment and type this note to thank-you for making my experience at your office such a pleasant one. I was very apprehensive about having the graft on my gum worked on, but everyone was so friendly it put me right at ease. The procedure went so well, I can't believe I was so worried over nothing.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

I would like to send my sincere thanks to all of you for taking such good care of me during and after my dental implant surgery.

As you know, I have had so much dental work over the years and I think I became a "dental phobic" from years of substandard treatment.

I just want you all to know that your genuine care and consideration has restored my faith in dentistry.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

This is a letter of great appreciation for exceptional care I was given while under going my periodontal work. You and your staff not only gave me the highest quality and professional care, but at the same time I was treated with compassion and dignity.

Again, I say Thank You!

Dear Dr. Scharf,

Thank you so much for making ALL of my visits so comfortable.

You and your staff are so efficient and pleasant. The surgery I needed to have went so well and you and your staff treated me like I was the only patient you had!

I thank you for such a positive and comforting experience.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

Now that my treatment is complete and I am the proud owner of a healthy mouth and revitalized gums, I thought I would drop you a line and share a few thoughts.

It is not often that a medical professional combines first-rate technical skills with a caring chairside manner. You are very unique in that you possess great technical ability and a caring manner that is second to none.

The treatment that I received by you and your staff was nothing short of the first class and I felt that we were all partners in my periodontal work.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I can finally smile confidently again! Dr. Scharf--you are wonderful. Thank you for going through all the years of school and studying and continued education to help people have a healthier, more beautiful smile.

I appreciate all you did to make me feel comfortable, safe, heard, and happy. Thanks for using your gifts and talents to help others. You're a good person and I appreciate your expertise and kindness so very much.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and all of your staff for the courteous and personal attention I received during my treatment I was impressed by the way everything was explained to me prior to the initial treatment. Additionally I was impressed with the way you explained each procedure while you were performing it.

I would not hesitate to recommend your office to anyone needing periodontal treatment.

Dear Dr. Scharf,

Thanks so much for helping me to smile again! Your thoughtfulness and kindness made the whole experience a joy —believe it or not.

Thanks again and please let your wonderful staff know how great I think they are!

Dear Dr. Scharf,

I wanted to take a moment and type this note to thank-you for making my experience at your office such a pleasant one. I was very apprehensive about having the graft on my gum worked on, but everyone was so friendly it put me right at ease. The procedure went so well, I can't believe I was so worried over nothing.

 

Do you really care about how you are treated?

The sad truth is that for a lot of people the answer is no. They endure rude staff, long waits, minimal explanation, and poor service when going to the doctor. Sounds incredible doesn’t it? I don’t know why people tolerate being treated so poorly but many they do.

What I’m leading up to is this.

You can browse this web site and learn all about my education, my board certification, the countries I have lectured in, the articles I have published, how many years I have been teaching dental implants and periodontics and the technology we use to enhance your treatment. The reality is that while I have doggedly pursued technical excellence my entire career and have received professional recognition from my colleagues, what makes my practice a special and intimate place to is the way we treat our patients.

In December 2009 I was named “Dentist of the Year” by the Long Island Press. While my technical abilities were necessary for this award, I believe the reason I won was because of how we treat our patients and this turns them into fans for our practice.

It all starts with our team. When I hire new team members I really look for the right personality and assume I can teach them the skills they may be lacking. I am a big believer that you can teach someone a skill, you can’t teach someone to be cheerful, helpful and accommodating if that is not their nature. Once the right person is on board I give them a simple instruction that will guide their actions in the office. I tell my staff to “treat our patients as you would treat a guest in your house.” A guest in someone’s house is greeted with a smile and a warm hello, not a clip board with instructions to “sign in and sit down.” A guest is escorted in your home, not left to wander alone. A guest is treated with kindness and an eagerness to accommodate. The list goes on and on. The people that we accept as patients in our practice are treated as we would treat guests in our home.

Our attention to your needs begins with your first call to our office.

When the office is not staffed we forward the office phone to a cell phone which we take home after hours. This allows us to help you by phone when its convenient for your schedule. There are times when we are sleeping or simply can’t answer the phone. For those times we have chosen voice mail as opposed to an answering service so we can hear your concern in your words rather than an interpretation of your needs by a third party. We will call you back and address your needs within a very short time.

When you call the office the phone is answered by a knowledgeable team member. If the person who answers the phone can’t address your specific needs, she will relay the reason for your call and the particulars you gave her to the person who can help you. One of my pet peeves is when I call somewhere and tell them what I need, the person on the phone can’t help me and then transfers me to someone who can help me. I then have to tell my whole story again. That won’t happen to you in my office. Your calls are handled efficiently.

We send our new patients a welcome packet in the mail. This contains your medical history and patient registration form. We will transcribe any information you give us over the phone for you. I think its rude when someone asks for the same information over and over again. We wont do that to you. By completing your health history at home you will be sure to have access to necessary information about your medications and any dental benefit information. You can complete the form at your convenience. By bringing the completed materials with you, you can be seen promptly upon your arrival. If you have any issues, my staff will happily guide you every step of the way.

Visits to our office are long on comfort.

The office is spotless clean. Our reception area is stocked with fresh coffee, teas, bottled water and all sorts of cold beverages. Refresh, relax, unwind. Our patient restroom is stocked with some of life’s little comforts: fancy soaps and lotions, mouthwash and toothbrushes. Treatment rooms are bright, airy and uncluttered with large picture windows and televisions in the ceiling. We use plenty of topical anesthetic make sure you are adequately numb before we start treatment. Nitrous oxide, oral sedation or IV sedation are available. To assure your comfort after a visit we give you Motrin and/or Tylenol to take when we start your treatment. This way when the “novocaine” wears off you are comfortable. We will also readily prescribe medications for your comfort.

Put your mind at ease. As a patient my practice you will enjoy special privileges. You will have my private contact information. You will not have to worry about getting in touch with me if you need me. You will not get an answering service, or have to type your phone number in to have me paged. You will not be directed to another dentist to manage your concern (except if I’m out of the country lecturing.) You will just call me directly and I will answer the phone. Patients in good standing in our office who call with a dental emergency are asked “how soon can you get to our office”. Never again will you have to worry if you will be able to reach the doctor after hours or what if you have an emergency.

As a member of our practice we will shower you with a million little niceties. Vanilla ice cream is very soothing after a procedure. We give it to you to take home and enjoy. We also give you cold packs, hot packs, gauze, easy to understand written instructions and anything else you need for smooth sailing. We’ll call in your prescriptions and even offer to pick them up for you. Some our seasonal niceties include heated massage chair pads, warm neck pillows, and hand warmers

I personally call every patient after surgery to check in.

I also call most new patients before their first appointment and before a procedure just to check in and see if they have any questions. Sometimes my staff will do this for me. My staff will communicate with you in the methods you prefer. Some people wan a phone call, some an email, still others a text message. Tell us you preference and we will accommodate you.

We work very hard to respect your time. Each patient is scheduled for their own appointment and we allocate the appropriate amount of time for the appointment that is planned. Of all the things we do, patients seem to comment the most about the fact that we see them on time. Sometimes things beyond our control screw up the schedule. Sometimes a patient will come late for an appointment. Another potential monkey wrench is when a patient needs extra time because of extra questions, or a new issue they need addressed that was not part of the original appointment. Someone will come in for an appointment, we complete the schedule task and then they say something like “by the way, I have had this pain and swelling in this area for the past few days, can you take a look at it?” We do our best to manage their unexpected emergency and not run late but sometimes it is impossible accomplish both. The bottom line is that people are scheduled according to their needs and this allows us to run on time. When we see that we are behind schedule we will do a couple of things. First, for patients that are in the office we will give you our best estimate of when you will be seen. No more waiting with no end in sight. Second, if you are not in the office yet, we will call you to let you know there may be a wait and give you the option of rescheduling or coming a little later, so as to minimize your wait. This does not happen often, but when it does our patients appreciate that we give them this choice.

We give each patient the time they need and want. Visits are not a rushed whirlwind. We set aside time to explain what is being done and to make sure your questions and concerns are addressed. This creates an experience that is comfortable and “just feels right.” Our patients are discerning people and we care deeply about the experience they have in our office.

My guarantee. You must be 100% satisfied with your experience in my office. If you are not, please tell me how we could have done better and we will address the issue. Don’t just take my word for it. Visit the patient letters section of this web site to see copies of the thank you notes patients have written me over the years. When was the last time you were so inspired by an experience in a doctors office that you sent a thank you note?

The only way to prove the value of my office is to try it yourself. Right now I am inviting you to call my office at 631-661-6633 to schedule an appointment. Enjoy both technical excellence and to have an exceptional experience. Allow yourself to be treated they way to deserve to be treated.

Sincerely,

David Scharf, DMD

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