On the Rise
With a new office in Phoenixville and the expansion of its clinical team, Chesterbrook Dental Associates bolsters its ability to deliver a high-quality experience for patients and staff.
Robert J. Dollfus III, D.M.D., looks forward to returning to old haunts at the end of August. That’s when Chesterbrook Dental Associates—the dental practice he co-leads with John B. (“Jack”) Fitzgerald III, D.M.D.—will extend its personalized brand of dental care to a second location in Phoenixville.
“Dr. Fitzgerald and I both wanted to open another office and expand our team, and this was the perfect opportunity to do that,” Dr. Dollfus says. “It’s a little smaller than our other office—five operatories as opposed to the nine we have in Berwyn—but it will have all the latest technology and everything else we need to create a good experience for our patients.”
Chesterbrook Dental Associates is a full-service dental practice that provides the full scope of general and cosmetic dentistry, including specialties such as dental implants, implant-supported dentures, and orthodontic care through Invisalign. Drs. Dollfus and Fitzgerald—two of the Main Line’s “Top Dentists,” as named by the likes of Main Line Today, Philadelphia magazine, and Suburban Life—deliver uncompromising patient care with the support by a dedicated staff, some of whom have been employed by the practice for decades.
As for the new office in Phoenixville, the area has long had a special place in Dr. Dollfus’s heart. He came of age there, and he fondly recalls spending summers in his father’s insurance agency on Charlestown Road, a stone’s throw from the family home. In fact, the new office is located in the very building where his father ran his business for more than 30 years. Slated to open its doors on Aug. 28—Dr. Dollfus’s birthday, coincidentally—the new office is perhaps the most visible sign of the practice’s ongoing evolution.
“It’s a different world now than when I first started practicing,” Dr. Fitzgerald says. “Digital dentistry has transformed what’s possible. I’ve spent years using Photoshop and different software programs to enable virtual smile design. The idea is to start with the patient’s face and then work inward; the structures behind the teeth need to be fully functional, but the smile need to look right, too. Now patients can see exactly what their new smile is going to look like before the process begins.”
Chesterbrook Dental Associates has also grown its clinical team with the recent addition of Brooke Bowen, D.M.D. Dr. Bowen earned her dental degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and completed a general practice residency at the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Bowen will take a lead role in running the Phoenixville office.
“I love having impactful conversations with my patients,” she says. “In addition to my dental skills, I think I’m good at gaining patients’ trust, so I can help them be inspired to care for their oral health. Education is a big part of what I like to do, so I enjoy helping patients understand how their oral health and overall health go hand in hand; it’s all connected.”
Medicine runs in Dr. Bowen’s family; both of her parents are pharmacists, and she followed her older sister into a career in dentistry. An artist all her life, she likes the fact that dentistry enables her to be creative, interact with patients, and make a positive difference in other people’s health. She has a particular interest in prosthodontics and other aspects of dentistry that combine function and aesthetics.
“She’s fantastic,” Dr. Dollfus says of his new colleague. “As we went through the interview process, our vibes just matched. I remember leaving the in-person interview and immediately thinking: We found our associate. Her residency at the VA hospital is significant, because she has had the opportunity to treat a lot of different patients, including those who were medically compromised.
“She’s going to bring a different dynamic to the practice,” he continues. “Chesterbrook Dental Associates has been in business for more than 30 years, and in all that time we have never had a female doctor. That’s a big deal for the practice.”
Since becoming a partner in Chesterbrook Dental Associates in March 2021, Dr. Dollfus has been thrilled with the practice’s growth. He is thankful for the partnership with Dr. Fitzgerald— “the best partner I could ever imagine, and one of the kindest, smartest people I’ve ever met,” he says. They both share the same mindset as it relates to patient care.
“Anyone who has ever been to a medical office knows that their appointment is almost never on time, and it’s not always the warmest environment,” Dr. Dollfus says. “Our goal at Chesterbrook Dental Associates is for your appointment to be punctual, for us to do what we say we’re going to do, and for us to provide a fun environment—for the team and for our patients.”
What does a “fun” dental office look like? Dr. Dollfus answers the question by describing what a “fun” dental office might sound like.
“If you have ever had dental work done by me in the office, the patient is the DJ,” Dr. Dollfus says. “The music is chosen by the patient in the chair, and it’s like a dance party in the office. Giving people that kind of control relaxes them. We’ve listened to everything: Miles Davis, smooth jazz, classic rock, country, heavy metal. … I have some patients who are 85 to 90 years old, and they come in and ask for Frank Sinatra. They’re always amazed that I know every word, because I grew up with my grandparents always listening to Frank.”
Both partners credit their team for the practice’s success. Dr. Fitzgerald sees his role as a guide, of sorts, someone who provides “professional, moral, and ethical leadership” to the staff so they can deliver on the practice’s mission and also enjoy fruitful careers.
“Dr. Dollfus has brought a new and welcome energy to the practice,” he says. “He has motivated people in a new direction; we now have a wonderful mix of new people and people who have been with us for a long time, all working together harmoniously. He’s extremely good at oral surgery, implants, crowns, and bridges, and the practice is better because of those skills.”
“I’ve never worked with such amazing people,” Dr. Dollfus adds. “Our office manager, patient care coordinator, and insurance manager—those are three different people—have each worked here for 30 years. That’s a testament to Dr. Fitzgerald and the culture he has created and sustained. We just had one hygienist retire from here, and she had been here for 20 years. It’s really a unique place.”
As Chesterbrook Dental Associates goes forward, the clinical team sees a bright future in Berwyn and Phoenixville, and perhaps beyond.
“Our goal is to make sure we continue to provide the same high-quality experience for our patients and our team,” Dr. Dollfus says. “If we can do that at our second office, then maybe we look toward a third office. We just want to make sure that every patient has a good experience and a fun experience. We also want to make sure that every team member feels supported properly, because our team is our family.”
Chesterbrook Dental Associates
www.chesterbrookdental.com
www.chesterbrookdental.com
1201 Swedesford Road
Berwyn, PA 19312
(610) 296-9990
Berwyn, PA 19312
(610) 296-9990
1200 Charlestown Road
Phoenixville, PA 19460
(484) 927-4344
Phoenixville, PA 19460
(484) 927-4344
Photo by Jody Robinson
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, July 2023.
