December/January 2017   |   33  

How long have you been a patient?

 

More than five years.

Why did you choose Dr. Lichorwic as your dentist?

 

Dr. Lichorwic was the first dentist who said that he could fix my smile 

by using Invisalign, which would eliminate the need to pull several main 

teeth and have braces put on. For years, I had been told that was going to 

be my only option, but Dr. Lichorwic was confident that the Invisalign 

would be effective and it truly offered me the perfect alternative. 

Initially, I chose Dr. Lichorwic’s office it was one of my insurance 

company’s preferred providers, but once I met him and became 

confident that he was fully capable of transforming my smile, I never 

sought another opinion. Even after my insurance changed, I got another 

policy that would keep me in his office. 

What procedure did you have done?

 

Invisalign and cosmetic veneers. 

How do you feel the change has affected you?

 

When your smile is crooked or “ugly,” basically anything but perfect, 

it changes the way you see yourself in a very negative way. It starts with 

not smiling with your teeth showing, which leads to not laughing too 

loudly and risk drawing attention to your mouth. I even found myself in 

situations where I had to explain that I wasn’t “rude” or “cold” because 

I didn’t smile very much. When you’re that self conscious, you’re overly 

aware of every little thing and it makes you extremely critical of yourself. 

Even if I forced myself to let my guard down enough to smile or laugh 

loudly, I was faced with so much negativity—people would comment on 

my teeth or I would catch them making fun of my teeth behind my back. 

That cut deeply, and had a lasting impact. When you’re forcing yourself 

not to smile, you’re essentially forcing yourself to not be happy. When I 

began Invisalign and my teeth got just a tiny bit straighter, I could feel 

my confidence building. I wore a lip color that was a little bolder and 

I stopped holding my hand near my mouth when I laughed or talked. 

When Dr. Lichorwic had completed my treatment, I really was—and 

still am—a new person. Like anyone I still have self-doubt and moments 

that I criticize myself, but that’s part of being human. The difference 

is that now, even when I’m feeling low, I still smile big and I still laugh 

out loud. Those are both things that instantly make you feel happy 

and feel better about yourself. Changing my smile has changed my life 

completely and I’m forever grateful for Dr. Lichorwic and his amazing 

staff at the Center for Cosmetic and Family Dentistry. 

Samantha Blackman Draves

Hairstylist, 29  • Destin

How long have you been a patient?

 

Nearly five years. 

Why did you choose Dr. Lichorwic as your dentist?

 

While I was getting my teeth cleaned, my mom and I asked about braces 

to correct my teeth. Dr. Lichorwic reviewed my X-rays and explained 

the best options for me was cosmetic veneers. My teeth were straight, 

but I had small gaps between them. Dr. Lichorwic really was great—he 

answered all of my questions and even showed me pictures of his own 

mouth from both before and after he’d has his teeth fixed. I told my mom 

that day I definitely wanted him to do my teeth, and he used a no-prep 

technique that doesn’t require any kind of actual procedure to be done on 

the teeth. It’s amazing, and he’s one of the very few dentists in the nation 

that have training in such an advanced, specialized technique.

What procedure did you have done?

 

No-prep veneers.

How do you feel the change has affected you?

 

I used to feel extremely self-conscious about my teeth and my overall 

appearance, so much so that I never smiled with my teeth and sometimes 

I was made fun of because of the gaps. Now, people are always 

complimenting me on my smile. Dr. Lichorwic and his staff made 

me feel so comfortable throughout the process by answering all of my 

questions about how it all worked, and they did such a great job that 

I’ve started researching colleges to attend for dentistry and orthodontics 

so that I can help the next generation like The Center for Cosmetic & 

Family Dentistry did for me. 

Joshua Bell

Student, 16  • Santa Rosa Beach

Dr. Dennis Lichorwic is a practicing member at The Center for 

Cosmetic & Family Dentistry. Offi ces are located at 4635 Gulfstarr 

Drive, Suite 200, Destin, FL 32541; and at 309 Richard Jackson 

Boulevard, Suite 102, Panama City Beach, FL 32407. To reach the 

Destin offi ce, call (850) 792-8600 or call (850) 307-5757 to schedule 

an appointment in Panama City Beach. For more information, visit 

www.destindentist.com.

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32-33 Thrive.indd   2

11/29/16   10:59 AM