A Welcome Addition
By adding Dr. Therese DiFlorio Brennan to its already gifted clinical team, The Oral Surgery Group builds on its commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care.
Michael Dachowski, D.M.D., the founder of The Oral Surgery Group, has been a highly successful oral surgeon for more than three decades. Among the many reasons why: He believes in holding himself and his practice to the highest possible standard. Rather than rest on past accomplishments, he continually embraces change to ensure that patients receive the very best treatment in a compassionate manner.
The latest evidence of Dr. Dachowski’s adaptability is a new addition to the clinical team—namely, Therese DiFlorio Brennan, D.M.D., M.D. Dr. Brennan’s extensive experience in oral surgery and her approach to patient-centered care have made her a perfect fit. Dr. Dachowski is confident she will have a similar impact as Renee Updegrave, who joined two years ago when The Oral Surgery Group became one of the first providers in the region to enlist the services of a nurse practitioner in a dentistry setting.
“I’m surrounded by a great staff, in particular with Renee and Dr. Therese, who has been part of the community for many, many years and shares the same vision of quality care for our patients,” Dr. Dachowski says. “These are the mentors that young ladies should be looking up to because they make a difference for patients, because they have a unique ability to take care of people, and because this is what being a powerful woman is all about. There is a uniqueness to the woman’s touch in medicine that cannot be replaced, because of their experiences as mothers, as wives, as daughters. I am very proud and happy to have that influence in my practice in a very real way.”
A native of Syracuse, New York, Dr. Brennan graduated from the University of Notre Dame before coming to Philadelphia to pursue dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. She also completed an internship and six-year residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Brennan has made several stops throughout her career, including 20 years as a practice co-owner in Berks County before returning to the Philadelphia area about seven years ago. Drs. Brennan and Dachowski have known each other professionally for some time, and they share a philosophy based on holistic treatment. When the opportunity arose for them to work together, they both seized it.
“That approach is what really tied us together,” Dr. Brennan says. “It’s important to listen and to gather a good medical history so you can understand the entire patient. There’s a lot of anxiety with what we do in treating complications, and with the initial contact in particular, it’s important for the patient to know that we’ve read everything they’ve sent to the practice, we’re prepared when we go in, and we’re going to make the experience very smooth, thoughtful, and compassionate. There’s a lot of rushing in medicine today, and I think Mike and I are from the generation of wanting to pay close attention [to the needs of the patient] and do really good work.
“Anxiety is very high today, and patients who come to us are often uncomfortable,” she continues. “They’re in pain, they have a concern, and they want that concern addressed. You need to make it patient-focused and patient-centered.”
The Oral Surgery Group’s wide range of services includes dental implants, the removal of wisdom teeth, and the treatment of lesions in the mouth related to cancer, as well as corrective facial surgery, often following a traumatic incident. The practice has locations in Doylestown and Meadowbrook and affiliations with Doylestown Health/Penn Medicine and Holy Redeemer Hospital.
Because many patients come in with existing medical issues that may affect the treatment of their oral health—medications, ongoing cancer care, important medical conditions, etc.—the ability of Updegrave to give thorough assessments has been a game-changer in improving patient understanding and overall communication.
“I hope that I can be a help to the doctors in putting all the puzzle pieces together for patients who are challenging because of multiple comorbidities, and help prepare them for surgery,” Updegrave says. “Whether it’s collaborating with the patient’s physicians, doing medication reviews, or examining the patient, the goal is to get them ready so they can have the best possible outcome, and to take that off Dr. Brennan’s and Dr. Dachowski’s plate so they can do what they do best.”
Although Dr. Brennan has never worked with a nurse practitioner before, she is intrigued by the possibilities relating to patient care.
“I’m really looking forward to the collaboration, because I might know that a certain medicine treats hypertension, but I’m excited to have more information available at my fingertips and the ability to discuss it with Renee,” she says. “There’s always something to learn from a patient or a colleague, and I appreciate that. There’s a lot to be gained from working with other people who want to treat patients well.”
As yet another example of how The Oral Surgery Group stands apart from the crowd, the clinical team strives to get to know patients on a personal level—understanding not only the concern or condition that brought them to the practice, but also the person as an individual.
“That’s where compassion comes in,” Dr. Dachowski says. “We understand that patients have anxiety; it may be spurred by the recent loss of a loved one, [or] it could be challenges with their children or spouse. There is a variety of issues that affect our patients and their story, and we want to know their story because it’s part of how we’re going to help them. That’s the uniqueness of this practice. That’s why we’re proud to be in this community and to take care of these patients the way we have for decades now.”
For more information about Dr. Michael Dachowski or The Oral Surgery Group, visit theoralsurgerygroup.com or call (215) 938-7860.
Photo by Jeff Anderson
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, August 2025.
