Yes, of course Dr. Timothy Garofolo has a great smile! He’s a dentist. More definitively, he’s the founder and CEO of The Dentistry Collective in Rancho Bernardo. It’s a thriving practice and patient referrals are numerous. Business is going well, and he is looking to eventually expand to all four corners of San Diego County. Dr. Garofolo says there have been some difficult days along the way, but there’s plenty for this 43-year-old to smile about. Today, Dr. Garofolo’s place of work looks less like a dentist’s office and more like a 5-star resort. In fact, he calls it “a high-end model where you don’t have to pay high-end prices.” Dr. Garofolo is a native Nebraskan all the way. He received his degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry.
Following graduation, he was accepted into a residency program at the San Francisco Veterans’ Hospital. It was in his work with the veterans that he developed an affinity for our nation’s service members, a sizable demographic in San Diego. It inspired Dr. Garofolo to create “Smiles for Veteran’s Day,” a program in which he and his team volunteer for a full day to work on the dental needs of men and women who have served our country, at no cost to them. “Some of the people we’ve seen through ‘Smiles for Veterans Day’ don’t have any other option for treatment, and it feels great to be part of such a good cause,” says Dr. Garofolo. The program came to fruition three years ago. Patients are brought in from various organizations such as the San Diego VA Hospital and the Wounded Warriors Project. This day of giving back now occurs annually on the first Saturday after Veterans Day.