Transforming Lives One Smile at a Time
At his two Philadelphia dental offices, Dr. Richard Eidelson uses years of experience, state-of-the-art technology, and an artist’s touch to make a lasting impact on patients’ happiness.
by Leigh Stuart

Richard Eidelson, D.D.S., FAGD, discovered a passion for artistry and an interest in working with his hands at a young age. As he began to make decisions that would determine his career path, he found dentistry to be a natural fit.

 
“I was always building things when I was younger,” says Dr. Eidelson, noting that it was his childhood dentist who first suggested he pursue a career in dentistry. “Early on in my life, I was also very artistic. A lot of training definitely helps, but I think you have to have an innate artistic ability that I don’t know you can learn. Dentistry marries training and that natural artistic ability. To me, that made dentistry the perfect profession for me.”
 
His dedication to the art and science of dentistry carried him through his time as a student at Temple University School of Dentistry, where he would eventually become an instructor, and into a lifelong relationship with academia. In fact, one of his greatest professional joys has come from spending time among dental students on trips abroad to Austria, Japan, and the Dominican Republic.
 
Today Dr. Eidelson leads two Philadelphia dental offices—Main Street Dental Center City at 10th and South streets, and Premier Dentist Philadelphia in the Medical Arts Building on Walnut Street. As a practitioner of general and cosmetic dentistry, he provides the full spectrum of treatments; areas of specialty include dental implants, porcelain veneers, full smile makeovers, sedation dentistry, and treatment for periodontal disease.
 
“I incorporate new techniques and have the luxury of years of practice on thousands of patients,” he says. “In my practice, I pride myself on how many patients over 15, 20 years still come to my office. I also have staff who have been with me a long time. This is a very solid place for dentistry, and I think patients really enjoy the consistency of staff over many years.”
 
Dr. Eidelson strives to stay at the forefront of his field by continually expanding his own knowledge. He recently completed a MaxiCourse in implant dentistry through the American Academy of Implant Dentistry that required more than 300 credit hours over the course of seven months at the University of Utah School of Dentistry. He characterizes the course as “one of the highest-credentialed CE programs for implant dentistry in the country.”
 
He has also studied at the likes of the University of California, Los Angeles, as well as at training centers for specialized technologies such as PerioLase®, LANAP® (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure), and CEREC® (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics). His lifelong quest for excellence has also earned him fellowship status with the Academy of General Dentistry, a rare honor shared by only about 6 percent of dentists in the United States and Canada.
 
The aforementioned technologies represent the cutting edge of medicine, offering patients little to no postoperative pain, less invasive procedures, and reduced healing time.
 
“I trained for almost a year to use PerioLase,” Dr. Eidelson shares. “I had to pass training before I could even purchase it to use on patients. I’m also a CEREC dentist. That technology allows me to digitally scan teeth and actual make crowns and prosthetics in the office. Very few dentists in Philadelphia are trained on PerioLase and CEREC.”
 
PerioLase is the first FDA-approved laser to treat periodontal disease and stimulate healing in areas affected by periodontal disease. The modality has proven highly effective in reversing the damaging effects of periodontal disease without the drawbacks of the more traditional cut-and-stitch approach.
 
“PerioLase is the first laser that actually supports the healing of the periodontal structures and the growth of bone around teeth,” Dr. Eidelson adds. “It’s a very big advancement because it’s biological healing versus mechanical. Without the PerioLase, a mechanical procedure will promote some healing, but won’t really address the destruction done by periodontal disease.
 
“The key is regeneration of the periodontal support system in the mouth,” he continues. “People with more advanced disease now have more options.”
 
CEREC, meanwhile, allows Dr. Eidelson to offer same-day crowns and other restorations without having to rely on a commercial lab. Unlike 3D printing, which builds in layers, CEREC-made restorations are retractive, meaning they are milled from a single block of porcelain. As one might expect, milling such bespoke restorations requires highly advanced imaging. Dr. Eidelson is proud to report that both of his offices utilize digital imaging of the highest quality, providing three-dimensional views of the structures in a patient’s mouth.
 
Using these scans, Dr. Eidelson will then manufacture restorations while the patient is still in the office, saving the individual time and money. He estimates that he’s able to incorporate the patient-selective technology for approximately 20 percent of patients in need of restorations.
 
While technology has the potential to greatly enhance patient convenience and ensure a high degree of accuracy, Dr. Eidelson realizes that no technology can replace the human side of dentistry. Connecting with the patient on a personal level is first and foremost.
 
“I’m their dentist, but also their friend—I’m not sure which is first,” he says. “When you walk into my office, you’ll see a cross-section of patients in the waiting room and get a sense that it’s a very well-established place for dentistry. You can see lot of very happy and satisfied patients going to and coming from our office.”  
 
Just as a childhood dentist ignited his passion for dentistry, Dr. Eidelson has done the same for many others throughout his career. In fact, he passed his love for the craft along to his daughter, Amanda Eidelson, D.D.S.
 
“I think for me, the most rewarding part of dentistry is seeing the effect on a person’s social, mental, and physical wellbeing,” he says. “From what my patients have told me over the years, and seeing how much they’ve enjoyed coming to our office, it really shows the expertise and results of our dental care and how much it has made an impact on their lives.”
 
Main Street Dental Center City
1048 South Street
Philadelphia PA, 19147
openyourmouth.com
 
Premier Dentist Philadelphia
Medical Arts Building
1601 Walnut Street, Suite 1114
Philadelphia PA, 19102
dentistphiladelphia.com
 
Photo by Alison Dunlap
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, April 2024
 

View PDF Version