Born and raised in Queens, New York, Dr. Michele Collier received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University and her Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from New York University. She went on to complete a general practice residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York.
Dr. Collier enjoys the diversity that comes with being a general dentist, working in a setting where one may start the day placing a tooth-colored restoration on a childs cavity and end the day restoring an implant for an elderly patient. To ensure her patients benefit from the latest in cutting edge dental technology, Dr. Collier frequently attends courses and conferences across the country.
One of the biggest obstacles in seeking dental care is the fear of feeling judged. We understand that there are genuine issues that lead people to avoid the dentist such as a prior negative experience or dental anxiety. Sometimes, the lack of finances can lead to dental neglect which can then lead to poor dental health which can cause shame. These hurdles can cause smaller dental issues to evolve into larger ones that can mentally overwhelm someone and inhibit them from seeking dental care. These patients will often ask Is this the worst mouth you have ever seen? They feel bad about themselves and anticipate judgment over their dental health.
We want you to know that there is no shame in needing dental work. We will never judge. Our goal is to listen, to empathize and to help. We will help you overcome any mental blocks that have prevented you from getting the dental care that you deserve. No matter your starting point, we can help you on your personal pathway to better oral health.
We use a soft tissue dental laser to deliver great dental care to our patients. With the laser, we can perform certain procedures with little to no anesthesia, less bleeding and faster healing. The dental laser can:
We use a camera that resembles a hand-held want to take color images of your teeth, your gums, and any dental condition that we find. You can see exactly what we see in your mouth. Because a picture speaks a thousand words, the camera images help us to explain any concerns that we have about your dental health. We are also able to send the images to a specialist easily and quickly. And we can send the photos to the dental laboratory to help with color matching of a crown.
Our main phone number also serves as our emergency contact number. During evenings and weekends, any voice messages left at our office are forwarded directly to Dr. Collier. So, rest assured that you can still contact us even when we are closed.
Our office is happy to provide a second opinion about any treatment recommendations made to you for which you have hesitations or concerns. We will need a copy of the X Rays taken at the time of your exam. It never hurts to have a second set of eyes to evaluate your dental condition. If you are asking yourself Do I really need all of this treatment? call us today so we can help answer that question and any others that you may have.