Bethany Dental Associates adds new dentist

By Mike Antzis
Point Intern

	Special to the Coastal Point • GARRETT LAYTON Bethany Dental Associates recently welcomed Dr. Peter Patellis to their office to help accomodate the increasing year-round and summer populations.

Dr. Patellis’ impressive credentials, like those of the Bethany dentists he is joining, provide insight into both his manifold talents and his ability to meet the varying needs of patients in this area. After receiving his Doctorate of Dental Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh in 1989, Patellis practiced general and aesthetic dentistry for 16 years exclusively in Pennsylvania. During this time he attended a number of post- graduate seminars on advanced dental studies at a variety of institutes around the country.

Earlier this month, Patellis added Bethany Beach as a second locale for his work when he joined the four other dentists already a part of Bethany Dental Associates.

Aesthetic dentistry, one of Patellis’s specialties, includes tooth whitening and the application of porcelain veneers to chipped, stained or worn teeth.

Commenting on the popularity of tooth whitening, Patellis remarked, “It is the number one requested service and grows from year to year.”

In addition to practicing dentistry, Dr. Patellis has also taught in the dental field. In fact, he has served as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, and has lectured on CEREC fillings and crowns. CEREC is a hard white ceramic substance that much more closely resembles natural teeth in appearance than the metal (silver or gold) used for years in fillings and for crowns.

Explaining why he chose dentistry, Patellis said, “I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, but I didn’t want to have a pager or be in a hospital setting.”

His choice to join Bethany Dental Associates was in part motivated by his love for the seashore. Patellis practices in both Kennett Square, Penn. and Bethany Beach, and resides in Landenberg, Penn., as well as South Bethany, with his wife and children.

Established in March 2002, Bethany Dental Associates has on staff one hygienist and two assistants, and a total of five dentists, including Patellis — the other four dentists are Dr. Mark Brown, Dr. Paul Brown, Dr. Britta Viereckl and Dr. William Ulmer. Viereckl joined the group in July 2004, but the other three dentists began working with the practice at its inception.

Like Patellis, the other four dentists that form Bethany Dental Associates offer a wide variety of services. Such services include routine dental work (such as cleanings, cavity detection, sealants, and fillings), as well as more specialized services (such as aesthetic dentistry, inlays, root canals, and bite adjustment to treat jaw pain).

Brothers Paul and Mark Brown also practice dentistry in Wilmington, and alternate their coverage of the two offices, so that one is always present in each location. Mark Brown resides in South Bethany, while Paul Brown resides in Greenville.

Besides his Bethany Beach practice, Ulmer maintains a dental practice in Hockessin, where he also has his home. The fifth dentist, Viereckl, works full-time in the Bethany Beach office and resides in Rehoboth Beach.

When patients of Bethany Dental Associates require oral surgery or periodontal work, they may be referred to one of two specialists with whom the group is affiliated: Dr. Peter Subach (oral surgeon) and Dr. Bradford Klassman (periodontist). These two specialists come to the Bethany office a few times per month, when needed. Their primary practices are located in the Wilmington area.

Bethany Dental Associates is located in Taggart Plaza on Route 1 in Bethany Beach, across from Wilgus Realty. They can be reached at 537-1200.