Kara Fraiman, D.M.D., knows a thing or two about the importance of attaining equilibrium, of achieving balance in one’s life.
In addition to operating a busy endodontics office in Ardmore, Dr. Fraiman is a devoted family woman, always making time for her children and husband. She also carves time out of her schedule to lead Ashley’s Angels, a nonprofit devoted to providing care and support for terminally ill children and their families. She and her husband, Howard, cofounded the organization as a tribute to their daughter Ashley Faye, who was born with an incurable neurological disease to which she succumbed in November 2000.
Ashley’s passing also spurred Dr. Fraiman to devote her then-fledgling practice to setting a new standard in compassionate care, from the moment a patient steps through the door of her serenely welcoming office.
“I’m grateful to my daughter for what she taught me,” says Dr. Fraiman, whose practice focuses on solely root-canal therapy and related procedures. “She helped me form the kind of care I want to give people, and I apply that to my practice every day. It’s a lesson that Ashley taught me, and I try to share that with whomever I come in contact with professionally and personally.”
Finding a balance between work and family can be a difficult discipline for working mothers to master, yet Dr. Fraiman has had to “know my limits” in order to keep her family a priority. At the same time, her patients are always taken care of, thanks in part to her expert support staff.
“Most women who are successful are going to want to be successful all around, and they have that drive and want to succeed in every way they can,” she says. “From a deeper perspective, with all we’ve been through, I’m realizing that I can’t do it all—and I’m OK with that. For example, we have nice healthy food at home, but I may not be cooking it. Roles change, and that’s part of life.”
Dr. Fraiman received her dentistry doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, where she furthered her expertise by earning a certificate in endodontics. While there, she also received formal training in endodontic microsurgery. Not all endodontists have the training or equipment needed to perform this specialized technique, which Dr. Fraiman learned from the person who invented it—Dr. Syngcuk Kim, chairman of the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Endodontics.
Over the course of her 18 years of practice, she has also continued her education in surgical aspects of endodontics, especially in the area of surgical regeneration healing techniques. These techniques are used to help patients heal sooner with better results for their surgical procedures. Expertise and compassion are the practice’s greatest assets, supported by a highly experienced staff and its ability to offer patients any facet of endodontic treatment they are in need of.
Dr. Fraiman also utilizes revolutionary technology such as the surgical microscope, which Dr. Fraiman calls the current “standard of care for endodontics.” This enables her to see even the most diminutive components of a patient’s tooth with remarkable clarity.
Other technologies utilized in her practice are geared toward efficient, less painful root-canal treatments. These include quicker, machine-driven root-canal files to replace hand-driven ones. In addition, digital radiography has reduced the amount of time a patient spends in the chair, without sacrificing accuracy, and also exposes the patient to significantly less radiation compared with traditional X-rays.
“Every person in our office shows as much kindness and compassion as possible,” she continues. “Nobody is overly excited about having root-canal therapy, but what separates us from other offices is that we put forth the extra effort for the individual in terms of care and comfort, whether it’s making appointments, helping navigate the complexities of insurance or whatever else the patient might need. An endodontist is almost like an emergency room for the mouth, so I’m always available.
“Patients are often surprised at how comfortable the root-canal procedure can be, ” she says. “Whether it’s the way I perform procedures or the way our support staff interacts with patients, we do our best to have a positive effect on the life of every person who walks through the door.
“I’m incredibly proud of having been able to build a practice on my own,” she continues. “Of course I’m most proud of being a mother and my children: Ashley and what she gave to the world and what we have been able to give back because of her, and seeing and helping my other children—Lucas, Cory and Alexa to grow into compassionate, sensitive people. I consider myself blessed on many fronts.”
Ardmore Endodontics
Suburban Square
Times Building, Suite 702
Ardmore, PA 19003
Phone: 610-649-5235
Web: www.ardmoreendo.com | www.ashleysangels.org
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
