Dr. Sweeney joins Riverdale Dental team
Bringing more than 40 years of experience, Dennis Sweeney, D.D.S. is now seeing patients at Riverdale Dental on Pine Island. With the recent departure of Dr. Nirva Patel, Sweeney was urged by Dr. Markus Sherry to leave retirement to join the staff at the island center.
“I have known Dr. Sherry for many years and when this opportunity arose, I was attracted to the idea of working in a quiet practice much like the one I had a few years ago in Fort Myers,” said Sweeney. “Pine Island is what Florida should be and as I was looking for a light schedule, the timing and environment was right for me to come to work here.”
Patel left Riverdale Dental earlier this year to open his own practice in LaBelle.
Sweeney began his long, successful career in dentistry in 1968 when serving as a captain in the U.S. Army Dental Corp after graduating from the University of Illinois with his D.D.S. degree. In addition to his own private practice, Sweeney also worked for three years as the director of Dental Hygiene Clinic at Hillsborough Community College and was a clinical instructor, teacher of pharmacology, dental materials and dental assisting instructor at Edison Community College from August 1998 to August 2002. While at Edison, Sweeney was named instructor of the year for three consecutive years.
Before moving to Southwest Florida, Sweeney had a private practice in Kankakee, Illinois from 1970 to 1983. While in Kankakee, he was the secretary/treasurer, vice president and then president of the Kankakee Dental Society. He also served as a public spokesman for the A.D.A. as chairman of the Kankakee fluoride program. During that time he served as a consultant for Illinois State to check on dental claims to prevent Medicaid fraud and was also a consultant for Connecticut General Dental Insurance Company. For 13 years, Sweeney was on the staff of the Riverside and St. Mary’s Hospitals in Kankakee and has taken hundreds of continuing education hours over the years which has enabled him to become proficient in nearly all phases of dentistry.
When not working at Riverdale Dental, Sweeney also assists with the Smile Friday Program which offers free dental care to low income individuals in Tampa.
Having settled into his new work environment, Sweeney is pleased with his new surroundings.
“The people here on the island are my kind of people and I plan to stay as long as they will have me,” said Sweeney. “I have a great staff to assist me and I enjoy the fact that I can take my time with my patients, to talk to them and explain what I am doing and answer any questions they may have.”
Dr. Dennis Sweeney see patients at the Pine Island office on Tuesday and Thursday and in Lehigh Acres each Thursday.
The Pine Island Riverdale Dental office is at 10484 Stringfellow Road, just south of the center and now through May 31 is offering patients a full exam including X-rays at a discounted price of $89. For more information, call 283-1041.