When a general dentist refers you to a specialist, the question becomes where to go — and how far you’ll need to travel to find someone with the right depth of training. For residents of West Haverstraw and the surrounding Hudson Valley communities, the answer doesn’t have to mean crossing county lines or navigating multiple practices. Specialist-level care for gum disease, dental implants, root canals, and tooth loss is available close to home, from a team built specifically around advanced dental treatment.
Rockland Dental Specialists offers periodontal care, implant dentistry, and endodontic services to patients throughout West Haverstraw and Rockland County from a practice with over 24 years of combined experience. Dr. Shalom Mintz, board-certified in periodontics and implantology, leads our team of periodontists and implant specialists alongside periodontist Dr. David Peto. Our endodontic care is led by Dr. Lisa Nava Cohen, board-certified in endodontics, and Dr. George Ilenikhena. Our office in New City is easily accessible from West Haverstraw, and our team is organized around one goal: helping patients keep their teeth and their health for life.
What Dental Specialists Do
Dental specialists complete three or more additional years of residency training after dental school, developing deep clinical expertise in a focused area of care. Periodontists concentrate on the gums, supporting bone, and the structures that anchor teeth — diagnosing and treating conditions that general dentists typically refer out, including moderate to advanced gum disease, bone loss, and complex implant cases. Endodontists focus on the interior of the tooth: the pulp, root canals, and surrounding tissue. Their training equips them to perform root canal therapy, manage dental infections, and treat conditions that affect the long-term survival of natural teeth.
Referrals to a specialist most often arise when gum disease has advanced past early-stage gingivitis, when a patient needs a root canal or retreatment on a previously treated tooth, or when implant placement requires careful management of bone and tissue health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults 30 years or older have some level of periodontitis — a condition that is manageable with the right care but cannot be reversed once it takes hold.
Periodontal Services for West Haverstraw Patients
At Rockland Dental Specialists, gum disease treatment is tailored to how far the condition has progressed. Patients in the early to moderate stages are often good candidates for non-surgical intervention, while advanced cases may require a more targeted approach. Dr. Mintz and Dr. Peto manage the full continuum of periodontal care from one location.
Non-Surgical Periodontal Care
Scaling and root planing is the foundation of non-surgical periodontal treatment. This deep cleaning procedure removes bacterial buildup from below the gumline and smooths root surfaces, creating an environment where tissue can reattach and heal. Many patients experience meaningful improvement through scaling and root planing alone, particularly when disease is identified before significant bone loss has occurred.
Surgical Periodontal Treatment
When disease has advanced further, surgical options may be necessary to fully address the damage. Pocket reduction surgery reduces the depth of the spaces between the teeth and gums where bacteria accumulate, making the area easier to keep clean. Our practice also performs regenerative procedures designed to restore bone and tissue lost to disease, as well as LANAP — Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure — which offers a minimally invasive alternative to conventional surgical approaches for treating advanced periodontal disease.
Endodontic Services for West Haverstraw Patients
Root canal therapy is one of the most common procedures performed by an endodontist, and one of the most misunderstood. The procedure is designed to relieve pain, not cause it — removing infected or inflamed pulp tissue from inside the tooth, then cleaning, shaping, and sealing the canal to prevent further infection. With modern techniques and anesthesia, most patients find the experience comparable to a routine filling.
Dr. Cohen and Dr. Ilenikhena provide root canal therapy and full endodontic care for West Haverstraw patients, including treatment for previously treated teeth that require retreatment. Saving a natural tooth is almost always preferable to extraction when the clinical conditions allow — and that is the goal that guides our endodontic approach.
Dental Implants and Periodontal Health
Periodontal health and dental implants are closely connected. Patients who have experienced bone or tissue loss due to gum disease often require periodontal treatment before implant placement can proceed successfully. Because our team manages both areas of care, West Haverstraw patients do not need to coordinate between multiple practices — everything from disease treatment to implant placement is handled in one location.
This integrated approach also benefits long-term implant outcomes. Gum disease can threaten implants just as it threatens natural teeth, so maintaining periodontal health after placement is part of the ongoing care we provide. Patients who have had periodontal surgery can expect a first follow-up appointment within two weeks, a second visit around eight to ten weeks post-surgery, and then quarterly visits for the remainder of the first year — after which care is typically alternated every three months between our practice and a general dentist. A full overview of implant services available to our community is covered on our West Haverstraw dental implants page.
Rockland Dental Specialists: Your Dental Specialists Near West Haverstraw
Board certification in periodontics and implantology, a team of endodontists and periodontists, and a practice environment built around patient comfort set Rockland Dental Specialists apart from general dental offices. Dr. Mintz’s credentials, clinical philosophy, and background are detailed on his provider profile, and our West Haverstraw patients are welcome to review that before scheduling. Our office offers complimentary insurance verifications and creates custom payment plans to accommodate each patient’s individual needs. The practice is designed as a high-end, calming environment — with large chairs, in-room entertainment, and a team that prioritizes genuine attentiveness over a rushed experience.
When gum disease, a failing tooth, bone loss, or any other specialty dental concern is left unaddressed, the consequences reach beyond the mouth — affecting overall health, confidence, and quality of life. Rockland Dental Specialists brings the full scope of specialist dental care to patients in West Haverstraw, with board-certified providers, advanced technology, and a patient-first approach at every stage of treatment. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Mintz, Dr. Peto, Dr. Cohen, or Dr. Ilenikhena, call (845) 400-9205 or contact our office online — and take the first step toward healthier teeth and a stronger foundation for your smile.