Elmhurst Dental celebrates 40 years

ELMHURST – When Colleen Yaccino, managing partner of Elmhurst Dental, began thinking about how to celebrate the practice's 40th anniversary, she wanted to do something different.

“I said I don’t think we should have a party for the staff,” said Yaccino, who said the practice hosted a party for staff to celebrate 25 years in business.

Instead of a company party, she assembled a community party in the Elmhurst Dental parking lot at 333 W. First St., complete with bouncy houses, music, refreshments and even a petting zoo.

“I wanted to have a party for patients,” Yaccino said.

She said more than 200 people enjoyed the four-hour party last weekend, which Yaccino threw in appreciation Elmhurst Dental’s generations of patients.

“I really believe that we should be giving back to the community because they’ve supported us,” Yaccino said.

The Elmhurst native first started at the practice in 1975, the year after it was founded. As a dental assistant student at Triton College, Yaccino did her training at Elmhurst Dental. After graduation she was hired there.

Several years later, she started managing the practice.

“I didn’t have a business background,” said Yaccino, adding that even without formal training, she does seem to have a knack for it.

About 27 years ago, she launched Partners in Care, a management company through which she became a partner in the business.

“That’s when I started a lot of consulting in the Midwest,” Yaccino said.

In an attempt to grow the business, Yaccino and her fellow partners – Larry Groh, Dan Cozzo and Peter Smith – soon began acquiring satellite offices they thought would be a good fit with Elmhurst Dental. Partners in Care now has seven locations, but it is not run like a clinic. All of the doctors have their own practices, many of which are family practices.

“I loved what I was doing and saw an opportunity,” Yaccino said of the business’ expansion.

While each office has it’s own doctors and patients, Elmhurst Dental remains the corporate office with a full administrative staff and 10 doctors.

“A lot of my staff has been with me for 15, 20 years,” Yaccino said, adding some have even been with her for more than 30 years.

She said the longevity of the staff at Elmhurst Dental has been a large asset to the business. Yaccino believes the success of Elmhurst Dental and Partners in Care is centered around an outstanding staff.

“It’s very unusual to [be] in business for 40 years, especially a dental office,” Yaccino said.

In addition to the business’ skilled management, Yaccino said the level of care each office provides its patients sets Elmhurst Dental apart from other dentist practices.

“At the end of the day, it’s really about building relationships with the patients and providing exceptional care,” Yaccino said.

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Elmhurst Dental Care

LOCATION: 333 W. First St.

HOURS: 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday; noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday

INFO: elmhurstdental.com; 630-833-5110