Meet James Seligman, DMD of Seligman Dental Designs in South End

Today we’d like to introduce you to James Seligman, DMD.

James, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I received my Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, my BS degree from the University of Massachusetts, and have been practicing dentistry since 1985.

For nearly 19 years, I had a private practice in Brookline, where I remained very active in the community. I was a member of the Rotary Club of Brookline (past president) and the Brookline Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, I served on the board of the Brookline Arts Center, the Friends of Brookline Public Health, and the Metropolitan District Dental Society. Other activities included hosting Boston Access Television’s, “Oral Health Update” on the Answer Channel.

In November 2007, I moved my practice to Boston’s South End in the heart of the SOWA district. This is a vibrant and rapidly gentrifying community of residences, arts, restaurants, and innovative businesses. In addition to being a resident of the South End, I am a member of the South End Business Alliance (SEBA), am on the Board of Overseers and a supporter of the SpeakEasy Stage Company, and am a board member emeritus of the Washington Gateway Main Street program.

Currently, I hold memberships in the American Dental Association, the Greater Boston Dental Society, the American Academy of General Dentistry and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. I have a faculty appointment at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and serve as a mentor in the APEX program for Boston University School of Dental Medicine. I am a perpetual student and regularly take continuing education courses. I have studied at the Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education in Key Biscayne, FL and work closely with the Pride Institute of California.

Has it been a smooth road?
Practicing dentistry and helping patients optimize their oral health is a source of great fulfillment and joy. To provide quality care, it takes a well-trained team and consistent office systems. With this said, one challenge is the actual management of the business aspects of the practice to ensure a quality experience for our patients. In dental school, there is very little training in practice management and preparation for being an employer. Along with being the leader of a team of ten people comes the need to train everyone, and ensure that all matters are being taken care of. There is also the need to market and promote the practice to let people know of the services we provide and why they may want to come to us for their dental care. These are management skills that I have had to learn following dental school, either through courses or working with consultants such as the Pride Institute.

Another challenge is keeping abreast of new techniques and technologies. Dentistry is a rapidly advancing field with many new treatments having arisen since I graduated. Implant dentistry, porcelain veneers, and CAD-CAM crowns are among the many innovations in the profession.

Last, working with insurance carriers can be an obstacle for providing necessary and optimum treatment for a patient. The diagnosis of necessary treatment versus that which insurance covers frequently does not coincide, based on an individual’s plan. Insurance can sometimes get in the way of the Doctor/patient relationship.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Our mission is to achieve an optimum level of oral health through excellence and caring. We accomplish this by scheduling ample time with every patient to provide a thorough evaluation and relationship building with everyone who requires treatment. This allows us to fully diagnose the patient’s needs, educate the patient about her/his oral health condition, set up a treatment plan, and ensure that finances are discussed.

Once a patient’s needs are known, the team at our office can provide comprehensive dental care. We do have an emphasis on and special skills regarding cosmetic dentistry, which many people in our area request. This includes whitening, porcelain veneers, all-ceramic crowns, Invisalign™, and more. We offer patients crowns in a single visit with our Cerec™ system, saving time and a return visit, and with excellent results. In addition, we can help patients who present with jaw-related problems. Our on-staff periodontist, Dr. Valerie Smith, provides all aspects of periodontal treatment, including the placement of dental implants to replace missing teeth.

My associate, Dr. Wysocki, and team allow the practice to provide evening and Saturday appointments. This is much valued by our patients who have busy work schedules or travel to work.

What sets us apart? The amount of time we allot to each of our patients, seeing patients on time, explaining procedures, reviewing financial arrangements prior to any treatment (“inform before we perform”) and addressing all concerns regarding their treatment. Our goal is to assure that all of our patients leave the office feeling that every experience in our office has been positive.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Boston has always treated me well regarding my career. Since moving to the South End, we have seen the neighborhood grow exponentially. This is due to the many new developments including the Ink Block area and Washington/Harrison development, coming on line soon.

The challenges in Boston for new graduates is due to the presence of three dental schools, and the many graduating dental students who want to stay in the area. This can make it a bit more difficult for a young dentist to get established. Also, the fact that the costs of starting a practice and living in Boston can be high, presents further obstacles. However, Bostonians do value oral and overall health, and thus tend to be proactive with their treatment.

A final challenge arises because of deficiencies in mass transit options and parking. Our neighborhood only has bus service, which can be compromised by traffic. There is also limited on and off street parking. With this said, we do attempt to attract new patients who live and work in the neighborhood, allowing for the convenience of walking to our practice location.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1180 Washington Street
  Suite 102 Boston, MA 02118
• Website: www.southenddental.com
• Phone: 617-451-0011
• Email: seligman2@rcn.com
• Facebook: https://www.fhttps://twitter.com/southenddental
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/james-r-seligman-dmd-boston
• Other: https://www.flickr.com/photos/southenddental

Image Credit:
Animal Rescue league of Boston

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