Leading From the Front
Known for going above and beyond for patients dealing with complex dental issues, Dr. James A. Vito strives to make a lasting difference for residents of the Main Line and much farther afield.
An ideal day off for Main Line periodontist and prosthodontist James Vito, D.M.D., allows him to tap into his creative side and do some drawing or writing, two of his favorite hobbies, or perhaps to just read a good book while relaxing in Avalon at the Jersey Shore. Of course, his urge to help people—one of the main reasons he got into dentistry in the first place—is never far from his mind.
Take one recent afternoon in which his Wayne practice was closed, but an emergency call came in from a woman in Harrisburg. Unlike many other offices, which encourage patients to visit the nearest ER in such circumstances, Dr. Vito understands that some problems require the immediate intervention of a specialist in advanced restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentistry.
“The emergency number goes right through to my cell phone, so when people have a problem, we can talk it through and then make a decision whether we have to get together or not,” Dr. Vito says. “In this situation, where the patient was coming from Harrisburg, I said, ‘You have a longer drive than I do. Do you feel that you need to see me today?’ She said yes, so we got together.”
Dr. Vito prides himself on delivering the pinnacle of high-quality care, which he describes as “concierge dentistry” but without the concierge price.
“That goes a long way, and we enjoy doing a little bit extra,” he adds. “Being very service-oriented has served us well. It adds to the reason why people have no qualms recommending us to their friends and family.”
Dr. Vito has been providing this level of care since he started practice in 1987. Growing up as the son of a dentist who was also the associate dean of clinical affairs at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Vito always knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. Once he decided on dentistry as his career path, he strove to become the type of specialist who could handle the most complex cases.
Trained as a periodontist and prosthodontist, Dr. Vito has created an office that offers not only routine cleanings and exams, but also dental implants, porcelain veneers, crowns, full-mouth reconstruction, dental implant surgery, root canals, and treatment of periodontal disease.
“Because of my dad, I was exposed to what I affectionately call ‘the gods of dentistry,’ and I was able to go to their offices and experience what they did even before I went to dental school,” Dr. Vito says. “So I went to dental school knowing exactly what I wanted to do, what kind of practice I wanted to have, and the type of clientele I wanted to develop. I knew I wasn’t going to be content just doing drill-and-fill dentistry. Doing the complicated and complex dentistry in addition to the general dentistry is what appealed to me.”
A product of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Vito went on to a one-year residency at the Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he received the Benjamin Lebby Award as the outstanding resident in his class. He received further training at Penn’s prestigious periodontal prosthesis program and then onto to his implant and surgical training at the Misch International Implant Institute and furthered his training under the tutelage of Dennis P. Tarnow, D.D.S.
“I was trained by leaders in the field who took me under their wing and shaped me into the dentist I am today,” he says. “These are the people who wrote the books and taught the courses all over the world, so to be able to rub shoulders with them and chat with them was invaluable. I even call some of them today when I have a problem; it’s nice to be able to talk to one of the leaders in the world for something like dental implants and say, ‘I’ve got this problem, and here’s how I’m thinking of dealing with it. What do you think?’ These doctors still find the time to guide and shape me.”
Now Dr. Vito finds himself acting as the same kind of mentor for younger dentists.
“I try to pay it forward when I can,” he says. “The key part is never talking down to people, and I am cognizant of that in my practice when I see someone who’s come from another office and things have not gone particularly smoothly. I do not criticize or critique what the patient’s previous dentist did. Instead I tell the patient, ‘Let’s move forward so that everybody ends up in a good place.’”
“I try to pay it forward when I can,” he says. “The key part is never talking down to people, and I am cognizant of that in my practice when I see someone who’s come from another office and things have not gone particularly smoothly. I do not criticize or critique what the patient’s previous dentist did. Instead I tell the patient, ‘Let’s move forward so that everybody ends up in a good place.’”
Dr. Vito’s knack for getting patients with serious issues back on track has earned him a stellar reputation throughout the Main Line and surrounding areas—and even across the country, which is why many people will drive long distances or even fly in to see him.
“When you take good care of somebody and you’re able to resolve their issue—especially with some of the more complicated restorative work that we do—it’s worth the effort for them to either fly in or drive in from wherever they are to see me,” he says. “They have that much faith that we can take them out of the jaws of despair, so to speak, and we’re able to repair, revitalize, and give them back their smile, which then gives them their dignity and self-confidence back. It basically gives them a new lease on life.”
Of course, nothing gives him greater pleasure than helping someone in his own backyard. Dr. Vito always wanted to practice on the Main Line, where he grew up and attended the likes of Malvern Preparatory School, Friends’ Central School, and Villanova University. After starting his career in Princeton, New Jersey, he expanded to his current Wayne location in 2000.
Dr. Vito appreciates the honor of consistently being recognized as one of Top Dentists of the Main Line. “We have worked hard to stay at the top of our game,” he says. “Our patients expect nothing less.”
Dr. Vito provides a wide range of services, from general to advanced procedures, including periodontal, cosmetic, and dental implant therapy. He also provides Botox therapy for TMJ and bruxism issues. He welcome new patients as well as second opinions.
James A. Vito, D.M.D.
523 E. Lancaster Ave.
Wayne, PA 19087
(610) 227-6260
JamesVito.com
523 E. Lancaster Ave.
Wayne, PA 19087
(610) 227-6260
JamesVito.com
Photo by Alison Dunlap
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, February 2025.
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, February 2025.
