Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD: Congrats on being DE's Rising Star this month! What inspired your approach to building and expanding your dental practice, and how have your values shaped its growth?
Derek M. Cornetta, DDS, FAGD: Thank you, Pam! I really appreciate the recognition.
When I graduated from the University of Maryland in 2014, I knew that my journey in dentistry would be defined not just by the clinical work, but by the relationships I’d build and the impact I could have on my community.
Fast forward to today, our practice has grown from four chairs to 10, and nearly tripled our patient base. This not just a matter of numbers—it’s a reflection of our amazing team and commitment to building meaningful patient relationships.
The expansion of our practice didn’t happen overnight. When I first purchased it almost five years ago, I had a clear vision: to provide an exceptional dental experience rooted in meaningful patient relationships. For us, that meant listening carefully to patients, understanding their fears and concerns, and ensuring they felt empowered in their treatment decisions. Over time, this patient-centric approach became the cornerstone of our growth. We built trust one patient at a time, and those patients became our best advocates, referring friends and family and returning to us for comprehensive care.
As our patient base grew, so did the need to scale our operations. It was a major undertaking, but a necessary step to accommodate growing demand while continuing to offer personalized care. The renovation and expansion of our office, which involved state-of-the-art technology upgrades, was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my career. Juggling the logistics of construction with the demands of running a practice was no small feat, but it allowed us to create a space where our team could thrive, and our patients could experience a more modern, efficient, and comfortable environment.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without our incredible team. The true driver of our success has been our culture—one focused on growth, teamwork, and shared purpose. From the front desk to the op, every team member plays a vital role in ensuring that each patient feels cared for and valued. We’ve made it a priority to invest in our team’s development, encouraging continuing education and fostering an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute to the practice. Our team isn’t just great at what they do—they genuinely care about our patients, and that’s something you can’t teach.
I firmly believe that our growth has been the result of a relentless focus on individual patients. It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers, but for us, each patient is more than just a name on a chart—they’re a person with unique needs, fears, and goals. By building meaningful relationships, we’ve been able to create a practice that feels more like a family, both for our patients and our team.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to see how we can continue to grow while staying true to the values that got us here. I want our practice to remain a place where patients feel heard and where my team feels inspired to do their best work. We’ve come a long way, but I know there’s so much more we can achieve together.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the November/December 2024 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
