When he attended an American Academy of Periodontology annual meeting more than 20 years ago, Francis Matarazzo, D.D.S., was simply hoping to reconnect with former classmates. Instead he met his future partner and wife, Anita M. Milici, D.M.D., and together they have found a better way to connect with their patients and their city.
Their professional connection began immediately; both are graduates of the periodontal prosthesis specialty training program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Matarazzo, who earned his dental degree from Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry and continued training as a captain in the U.S. Air Force Dental Corps, had attained a clinical associate professorship at Penn, where he relished teaching. Dr. Milici was a Branemark implant fellow at Penn. She was, in fact, the first woman admitted to Penn’s Periodontal Prosthesis Program and graduated from the program with a dual specialty in periodontics and prosthodontics.
Drs. Matarazzo and Milici recognized one another’s talents and went on to form the Matarazzo and Milici Group. Three years later they were married and are now parents of two teenagers.
Since 1995 they provided the highest-quality dental care from a brownstone on Broad Street, but as their practice grew, parking became increasingly difficult for the doctors, patients and staff. The doctors realized it was increasing the stress around most patients’ visits. “We wanted to make our offices more accessible,” Dr. Matarazzo says, and so nearly three years ago they decided to move to a new space.
At that time the Philadelphia Navy Yard was in the midst of industrial development and attracting many of the region’s best-known companies; today it is home to 120 companies, including Urban Outfitters, Tasty Baking Co. and GlaxoSmithKline, and 10,000 employees. Acquiring a space in the popular location, though, took several years. In 2012, they secured a space in suite 300 of One Crescent Drive, a location that offers views of the Philadelphia skyline, sports stadiums and World War II Navy vessels. Matarazzo and Milici Group is the community’s sole dental practice. The Navy Yard is also centrally located to their existing patients, who come from Bucks County, Delaware, New Jersey, Center City and the Main Line.
This location is especially meaningful to Dr. Milici, whose father was a naval doctor and officer in World War II. In an incredible coincidence, her mother was actually stationed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard as a naval nurse. “I’ve always been in love with anything Navy,” she says. “And the fact that my mom was stationed here, it just feels so right.” She had a vision for the layout, equipment and interior design of the office, which she pursued with the help of a team, including architect John Malone; contractor Paul Lazar; interior designer Stacey DeStasio; Patterson Dental consultant Philip Ianoale; and equipment specialist Todd Garfinkle. Though the floor-plan design required approximately seven renditions, it was exciting work that helped Dr. Milici see the space in her mind’s eye and ultimately come up with the final design. Construction began in late 2012 and was completed in March 2013.
The 4,800-square-foot office boasts an elegant reception area that overlooks a four-story atrium and features 11 operatories. Because Drs. Matarazzo and Milici enjoy collaboration and wanted their new office to better facilitate conversations about treatment while accessing patient information, the entire office is networked. This creates instant communication among the staff, enabling them to address patients’ needs. Each operatory is also outfitted with two monitors—one for patients, the other for the team—and also features some of the latest technology, including electric hand-pieces, ultrasonic scalers and intraoral cameras.
High-resolution digital radiography and photography is used to capture detailed images of a patient’s mouth, and this enables the doctors to better explain proposed treatment. Other specialized diagnostic techniques include LANAP (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure), a procedure that treats periodontal disease with the use of a highly specialized laser; Soprolife early-decay detection through auto-fluorescence; 3-D imaging via cone beam that allows for CAT-scan-like interpretation of the jaw bones, teeth and facial structures, which is particularly beneficial for the placement of implants; and VELscope for the early detection of oral diseases such as pre-cancer and cancer.
As perio-prosthodontists who see a wide range of cases, Drs. Matarazzo and Milici utilize their postdoctoral knowledge and skills on a daily basis. Matarazzo and Milici Group offers dental implants, gum grafting and bone grafting, as well as cosmetic procedures such as crown lengthening, veneers, crowns and bridges. They also provides at home or in-office teeth whitening, Botox and Juvéderm injections for both dental and aesthetic purposes, and general dentistry. No matter the patients’ needs, Matarazzo and Milici Group is committed to providing them with the highest standard of care.
Dr. Milici knew early on that quality care encompasses much more than advanced equipment; it also requires the patient to be relaxed and comfortable. She wanted a professional yet spa-like environment, and worked with her designer to select color tones and textures to complement the equipment and cabinetry. The result is a truly integrated, efficient and ergonomic office with aesthetic appeal. The warmly lit space features Italian tile lining the entrance, comfortable furniture in the reception area and several strategically placed water features. Whether it is the sweeping city views or the beautifully designed interior, there is always something interesting for one’s eyes to rest on.
Dr. Milici is an avid gardener who enjoys decorating the office with fresh-cut flowers from her garden. She describes the office as, “a comfortable, Zen-like place for patients to receive everything we have to offer.”
“This is probably the most important thing I could have done in order to continue practicing dentistry,” says Dr. Matarazzo. “Our new office has given me a renewed sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. Every day we look forward to seeing our patients and staff enjoying our new home.”
He is not the only one to experience the positive energy coming from the new facility. Both doctors describe the space as improving the day-to-day lives of not only themselves but also their staff members and patients. “The staff is so invigorated,” Dr. Milici says. “I knew it would be great working in a new facility, I just had no idea how it would affect our energy. I hear lots of laughter every day, and I can tell the new space has elevated everyone.”
Matarazzo and Milici Group
One Crescent Drive, Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19112
215-389-3161 | www.navyyardsmiles.com
