A year ago, I visited Dr. Ripa for a cleaning, X-rays, and a consultation. He identified all my problem areas. I left with that information, and nothing bothered me for a full year--until I recently had a dental emergency and had to seek urgent care to find out the cause. Dr. Ripa had actually told me a year earlier that I had a cyst above one of my teeth, but since it wasn't causing me any trouble, I decided to leave it alone. Before starting treatment, I consulted four different dentists; only one said the tooth had to be extracted, while the other three--including Dr. Ripa--stated unequivocally that the tooth could be saved. That really won me over. He said something that really resonated with me: "If this were my son, I would save the tooth." Extracting a tooth from a 30-year-old guy and replacing it with an implant--with no guarantee of how long it will last--is just crazy. So, a year after my initial visit, I went back to him and started treatment. I have to say, he has amazing, skillful hands! He works so gently; he performed a root canal and placed an implant where a tooth had been extracted years ago--all with virtually no pain. By the second day, I didn't feel any discomfort at all. He laid out a clear treatment plan and explains exactly what procedures he's performing each time, without ever pushing unnecessary services. All in all, the experience was fantastic. From now on, I'll always heed the doctor's advice, and if a procedure is required, I'll go ahead and get it done. read more