Dr. Liane Racelis is a practitioner at Ann Arbor Smiles, which provides cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics, sedation dentistry, prevention and diagnostics, restorative dentistry, sleep medicine and pediatric dentistry.

      An Ann Arbor native who graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, she says, “My journey into dentistry actually started a long time ago, and it began with the community. Before dental school, I tutored high school and college students and did a lot of portrait photography for local families. It was then that I realized I loved working with people to help accomplish their goals! I see dentistry in much the same way as tutoring and photography. I get to give back to the community I love so much.”

            Racelis likes patients to be comfortable and notes, “It helps that our office’s dental chairs have heat and massage, but besides the physical comfort of the appointment, I always like to make sure that patients feel supported, are informed and know that they are in control of their own decisions.”

            Instead of requiring two or three appointments weeks apart, patients can come in for same-day crowns using 3-D digital technology. “We stay up-to-date on the latest techniques and technology, and most of all, we care so much about our patients,” says Racelis. “Another thing that sets us apart is that we all love to ask the question, ‘Why?’ Rather than just ‘fixing teeth’, we like to help the whole person, which means understanding why certain dental problems arise in the first place. In other words, we address the cause of the issue, rather than just the symptom.”

            Ann Arbor Smiles is run by dentists and owned by dentists. The model is simple—putting patients first. “Because this is the foundation of how we practice, we are always patient-centered,” advises Racelis. “This means that we strive for excellence in ensuring that our patients are getting the absolute best care.” As they expand throughout the area, their long-term goal is to place offices closer to patients for their convenience.