Celebrating 25 years of smiles with West Hartford Orthodontist Dr. Dana Cirtu.

By Melissa Cole

Meet Dr. Dana Cirtu, the orthodontist behind Dana Orthodontics in Bishops Corner, which is celebrating 25 years in West Hartford. From growing up in Romania to graduating at the top of her class from the University of Pennsylvania and later Columbia University, Cirtu has built her career around a passion for medicine, science and helping people feel confident in their smiles.

We sat down with Dr. Cirtu to learn more about her journey, her practice, and why Dana Orthodontics is known as “The Smile Artisans of West Hartford.”

Did you always know you wanted to be an orthodontist?

“When I was six, I knew that I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to do good. I wanted to heal. I was taking dolls and trying to mend scratches, it was in me all the time.

I also had a natural curiosity about the human body. I was always fascinated by how the brain works. How do we move? How does the heart pump blood? So that was number one.

Also, when I was six, I had a long treatment at that time with removable appliances, and my parents brought me to the orthodontist. I was fascinated by the environment, by the appliances, by the interaction, by the results. So maybe that doctor at that time planted something somewhere in my subconscious.”

Did you move to the U.S. from Romania after high school?

“I went to elementary school, high school ,and dental school in Romania. I graduated and was a licensed dentist. Then I came here, and I came with nothing. I came with one suitcase.

I started from scratch. Two weeks after I came, I found a job as a dental assistant. I was able to establish myself and also get a loan, and then I went to the University of Pennsylvania.

I’m a very ambitious person by nature. I always wanted to achieve in a profession. I was number two at UPenn and number one at Columbia. So I’ve always been ambitious.”

What makes your practice, Dana Orthodontics, stand out?

“This is a boutique practice. You’re not going to see a factory here. This is a practice where my work is 100%, no compromise. I don’t take shortcuts.

I spend a lot of time with patients educating them. It’s attention to detail, making sure that the end result is almost like board quality. That’s my standard.

That comes with a downfall, right? Because it takes longer, and it hurts the bottom line. But I don’t care.

So, this attention to detail and unwillingness to compromise, I think, is number one. And then the fact that patients have direct access to me. I do most of the work. I don’t delegate to staff. I like to do it myself, and they appreciate that. Patients have direct access to my cell phone if they have emergencies.” 

Do you treat kids and adults?

“We see kids, we see teenagers, we see adults. I love working with adults. 

Parents should bring their children for the first time to the orthodontist at age 7, when permanent teeth start erupting and we can detect and prevent problems from evolving.

They are welcome to visit me for a complimentary consultation. And adults should be encouraged to seek treatment as well, since teeth can be moved at any age.

And we’re also trying to use new technology, like scanning. It was a big revolution when scanning came on the market, and then the aligners – the clear aligners, the Invisalign type.

We try to listen to the patient and find out what’s important to them. For some, it’s the duration, the speed of the treatment. For some, it’s the detailing. For others, it’s not about detailing; they just want to fix that little front tooth. So, we try to listen to them and then offer them options.”

It’s exciting that you’re celebrating 25 years in business. What does that milestone mean to you?

“After this many years, I have new generations coming in. I have older patients who are parents now, and they bring me their kids, which is really nice. It is special, and it’s nice that they remember you after all this time. I remember my orthodontist. I think you make a lasting impact.

The other satisfaction I have is when I have patients who want to go into this field, especially women, who see you as a role model. You don’t realize it because you’re so busy, but then you have somebody who wants to follow the same path, and it’s a woman, and they think, ‘I can do this.’ So, yes, I encourage them.”

What is the most rewarding part of seeing a patient’s transformation?

“I’m a big believer in visual arts. I like seeing. Seeing is believing. So that moment when I see that it’s time to take the braces off, and I see the result and look at the before pictures, I say, ‘Wow! Did I do this?’ It’s so amazing.

And they literally cover their mouths in surprise. And I say, ‘No, you don’t have to cover your mouth anymore.’ That moment keeps me going.

We’re also psychologists in a way, because we’re doing treatment that impacts self-esteem. I cannot tell you how scarred some people are, especially young girls, who come in and they cannot smile. They have very low confidence. And then after they’re so grateful. They say, ‘You changed my life.’

That’s very powerful. You don’t realize the power that you have until you go through lots of cases and you see the results.”

For more information about Dr. Dana Cirtu, visit her website. She is accepting new patients, and her office is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 

According to the Dana Orthodontics website:

“If you’re new to the area and are looking for a trustworthy, highly skilled West Hartford, CT, orthodontist, you’ll find what you need at Dana Orthodontics. Our office is characterized by a remarkably high level of professionalism and great attention to detail that may lead to outstanding results. We have more than 25 years of experience, and we serve a diverse group of patients in varying states of oral health. Whether you’ve been embarrassed about having crooked teeth your entire life or you feel your teeth are only slightly misaligned, we’ll work diligently to give you the beautiful smile you desire. Rather than just dream of straight teeth, take the first step and call Dana Orthodontics to schedule an appointment with our West Hartford, CT, orthodontist during our flexible office hours. The road to straighter teeth may be just one phone call away.”

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