Dr. David Rice, DDS

“Going the extra smile is treating people the way they want to be treated and figuring out how we can make them comfortable. I think of our office as a safe haven. Life is very busy and hectic, people have kids and jobs, and money pressures are huge. So whether you are in our office for a half an hour, or an hour, or all day, it should be a peaceful, serene time where you get to escape the rest of the world.

So whatever it takes to make any patient feel that way, that’s what we do. We ask ‘What’s going to make your experience the best experience we can give you?’ And then we do it for them. Part of Going the Extra Smile is having a relationship with our patients where we have permission to really lay it all out for you and share every concern that we might have about your dental health. And you certainly have our permission to ask any question, to get yourself comfortable, to explore all the options, and to really feel like we are in this together, and that you as a patient are in full control of where we are going.

The core of Going the Extra Smile is taking our clinical knowledge as well as our knowledge of helping people to move in a positive direction and really focusing all of our energy on helping people explore their options, make good decisions, and know that we are not just their dental office; we are more than that to them.

I’d love to see more people take on the Go the Extra Smile mentality, giving back to our community, being the best at what they do, constantly striving to give everything they have.” ~Dr. David Rice

Dr. Rice was born and raised in Western New York and graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine with honors. He completed his postgraduate training in 1995 at the Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Because continuing education is of the utmost importance to Dr. Rice, he has furthered his studies over the past years with an emphasis on restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentistry at the world-renowned Pankey Institute and Dawson Center. He is one of only two Western New York graduates of the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum who have a special interest in cosmetic dentistry.

In addition to maintaining his private practice, Dr. Rice holds a position in the Restorative Department of the State University of New York Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. He also lectures nationally to his peers on cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Dr. Rice is an active member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Dental Association Eighth District Dental Society, and Erie County Dental Society.

Dr. Rice consults other practices across the nation and is the founder of Dental Success Center of America.

Dr. Mark S. Wendling, DDS

“Going the Extra Smile is a blend of us behind the scenes making sure that we are the most up-to-date facility we can be with technology. It means we’ve educated ourselves to the best of our ability to provide our patients with the best care. It means spending time getting to know you and building our relationship so we can best deliver all that great dentistry to you the way you would like it.

Going the Extra Smile to me means doing all of those things that nobody wants to do. You do the right thing even though it may take you a little bit longer. Traveling across the country to listen to somebody lecture that you know would be beneficial and being away from your family, that’s Going the Extra Smile. Coming in early, staying late, maybe dropping a denture partial off at a nursing home, because it’s just easier on the family. There are a lot of things that we do on a daily basis that are Going the Extra Smile, but we hold each other accountable. It’s always putting the patients' needs before your needs. We always have their best interest at heart.” ~Dr. Mark S. Wendling

Dr. Wendling was born and raised in Buffalo and graduated from the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in 1998. After performing his postgraduate residency at Buffalo General Hospital, he was offered an attending position to educate and train dental residents and to perform procedures in the operating room on special needs general sedation patients. During this period he also started his private practice.

Because it is important to Dr. Wendling to keep up with the latest advances in dentistry and give back to the profession, he belongs to several dental organizations, including the American Dental Association, the Eighth District Dental Society, Erie County Dental Society, and Tri-beta Biological Honor Society.

He has trained at world-renowned institutes such as the Pankey Institute and the Dawson Center, and worked closely with leaders in the dental field, such as Dr. Ron Jackson. His training has allowed him to become certified in several fields of dentistry, including anterior esthetics, posterior esthetics, CAD-CAM dentistry, implants, splint therapy, occlusal equilibration, and TMJ disorders.

Stephanie Krupa
Dental Assistant

“You want to do whatever it takes to make the difference for somebody. If somebody needs something special or if you know they need a blanket, or someone to hold their hand for a procedure, or to tell them it’s okay. Give them that extra phone call at the end of the day to make sure they are all right. I think that’s Going the Extra Smile, to follow up with them to see that they are alright.” ~Stephanie Krupa

Stephanie has been a team member at East Amherst Dental Center since 2005.  Stephanie loves being a dental assistant and has over 15 years of experience in the field.  Stephanie is a lifelong WNY native, making her home in North Tonawanda with her husband John and their three children, Sean, Cooper, and Bianca.  She enjoys spending her spare time with her family and friends.

Lori Jureller
Receptionist

“It means taking care of everything that you possibly can for the patient, whether helping them with insurance questions, or helping them with financial decisions, or helping them with decisions about choices that they have to make. Just always being there for them and make sure that they’re making the right decision for them and what works best for them.” ~Lori Jureller

Lori has been with East Amherst Dental Center since 2000. In addition to having a degree in business management, she has brought many years of experience in customer service and office management. She enjoys working in the field of dentistry because she can assist in running a great business and help people at the same time. Lori lives in Williamsville with her husband Rich and their daughter Samantha.

Lynn Clark
Hygenist

 "When I go home at night I can lay my head down and know that I have given the highest quality care to every patient who has come to OUR practice." ~Lynn Clark

Originally from Erie, PA, Lynn started her career as a dental assistant in 1980. Lynn came to Buffalo to get her Dental Hygiene license and has been with East Amherst Dental Center since 1991. Married in 2009, Lynn and her husband have been enjoying themselves, especially in the great outdoors.

Sue Reeb
Receptionist

“To me, Go the Extra Smile means making sure that every patient is comfortable and feels warm when they come in and that we care about them from the second they walk into the door until the minute they leave.” ~Sue Reeb

Sue brings with her ten years of customer service and experience. She is excited to be working in the field of dentistry and loves seeing smile transformations. A native to the area, she currently lives in Snyder with her husband Kyle and her son Cole.

Linda DelGobbo
Dental Assistant

“Follow through. We want to know how the patient is doing after the visit. We love to call them and just see how they are doing after the procedure, which is amazing to them usually, that we care and are still thinking about them.” ~Linda DelGobbo

Linda arrived here with ten years of pediatric and orthodontic experience. A former Californian, Linda now lives in North Tonawanda. Her husband Rick is retired from Delta Airline and now works with Time Warner Cable. Her daughter Charlotte graduated from NCC with her radiology degree and her son Nicholas will be a senior at Buffalo State where he studies computer aided design.

Shannon Zelazny
Hygienist

“We don’t just treat our patients; we take time to get to know and understand where our patients are coming from. That really allows us to build trust. Our patients know that we are looking out for their best interests. We are here to provide them with the care they need and want, to educate, and to guide them through the process." ~Shannon Zelazny

Shannon has been a member of our team since 2001. She is a Registered Dental Hygienist and holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. She currently lives in Williamsville with her husband Darren, son Caden, daughter Celia, and dog Bo.

Martie Rice
Receptionist

Martie, our receptionist, has been here since 2000. A resident of Buffalo all her life, Martie presently lives in Clarence with her husband, Bob. She is blessed with three grandchildren, Alyssa, Leah, and Joshua. She is also the proud mother of Dr. David Rice and his sister Jennifer. Martie's greatest pleasures in life revolve around her family and friends.

Emily McLaughlin
Hygienist

"To me, Go the Extra Smile means getting to know each person as an individual, not just a patient; understanding their wants, not just their needs." ~Emily McLaughlin

Emily has been a dental hygienist since 1998. She lives with her husband Scott and their two daughters, Madelynne and Anna, in the southtowns. In her spare time Emily enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Christy Kempski
Dental Assistant

"Going the Extra Smile means exceeding any expectation a patient has from the time they walk in our doors until, and beyond, the time they leave. Anticipating any fears they may have and doing everything possible to reverse them." ~Christy Kempski

Christy Kempski resides in Clarence with her husband Gabe and their two sons, Braxton and Noah.  Christy attended Monroe Community College for dental assisting and has been in the dental field for 5 years. In her spare time she enjoys watching her boys' sporting events and partaking in various events and ministries at the Chapel.