32     |    DestinMagazine.com

T

hough eyes get all the credit for 

being the windows to the soul, smiles 

are every bit as important to the 

way people look and think about 

themselves. Healthy teeth mean healthy smiles; 

confident and beautiful smiles that transform 

people and make them seem to shine—and 

without those healthy teeth some people never 

feel at ease enough to let their lights shine 

bright.

Knowing first-hand the power of getting 

teeth in tip-top shape, Dr. Dennis Lichorwic 

used his own passion for dentistry to found 

The Center for Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, 

offering patients routine care and some of 

the most technologically advanced dental 

treatments available. Having suffered from a 

genetic smile disorder until his late twenties, 

the good doctor can easily appreciate and 

understand the feeling of having a smile that 

you feel confident in, so when a patient comes 

seeking a solution for their own teeth-related 

trials he provides them with caring advice and 

a plan that gives them every reason to beam.

“Some of the greatest joys in my work is 

having the opportunity of helping people get 

their smile back or watching someone truly 

smile for the first time,” says Dr. Lichorwic. 

“Many people are not confident about their 

smile, either consciously or unconsciously, and 

when they finally have a smile that they know 

is great, it changes their entire attitude, the 

way they interact with people and their whole 

outlook on life,” he continues. “Your smile is 

so important because it’s not just a physical 

trait—it’s the most expressive part of your 

social life. If you don’t feel confidant about it 

in even the smallest way, it makes you hesitant 

to show it and that has the effect of changing 

the way people see you express yourself and 

instantly creates a lasting impression.”

Since beginning his days in dentistry in 1997, 

Dr. Lichorwic has seen remarkable changes 

in techniques and treatments, especially in 

regards to the way that technology has become 

so much a part of the profession. “Technology 

has made dentistry so much better than when I 

started,” he says. “We can now do veneers that 

don’t require prep work and aren’t damaging 

to the teeth. It’s really revolutionized the work 

that I do.” 

As one of the few dentists in the nation 

trained in the no-prep treatment, Dr. 

Lichorwic provides his clients with and option 

that might not otherwise be available to them. 

That’s not the only way he’s bringing his 

practice to the forefront. “We can do crowns 

in one appointment now with the 3-D Cerec 

technology, and that really opens up the patient 

field, because someone can come from out 

of town without having to schedule multiple 

return appointments.” 

Unfortunately, the dentist’s chair can be one 

of the most anxiety-inducing places for anyone, 

and that anxiety is something that plays 

powerfully in a person’s decision to make an 

appointment. Years can go by without a single 

visit and that’s something that puts oral health 

greatly at risk. The dental field has seen great 

progress in addressing this very real issue, 

as well, and Dr. Lichorwic has implemented 

solutions in his own practice, putting patients 

as ease through the use of sedatives and 

computerized numbing techniques that 

eliminate the need for a syringe.

Regardless of what his patients come 

seeking, Dr. Lichorwic offers his own 

confident smile, a real-time reflection of 

the ways that a healthy mouth can speak 

volumes—even without the use of a single 

word.

story by

 

Liesel Schmidt

 | 

photos provided by

 

The Center for Cosmetic & Family Dentistry

Service 

With a Smile

Dennis Lichorwic, DMD

32-33 Thrive.indd   1

11/29/16   9:27 AM