Day: July 16, 2019

Book It! Elaine Feaster To Receive Student Of The Year Award

It started out as a little box, meant to hold 175 books, to be distributed to those who needed them

In just two years, however, it has turned into something so much more.

While initially launched as a relatively simple Girl Scout Silver Award project, incoming Freedom High freshman Elaine Feaster now has distributed more than 7,000 books to four elementary schools in Tampa, the Salvation Army, Metropolitan Ministries and the PCAT (Parents & Children Advance Together) family literacy program.

Her impact led her to be recognized by the Hillsborough County Council Parent Teacher Association/Parent Teacher Student Association (PTA/PTSA) as their “Middle School Student of the Year.”

And, the awards keep getting bigger.

Just a few weeks before she is to begin high school, Elaine will be honored with a state-wide designation when she receives the Florida PTA Student Advocate Award, which is given to one middle school student in Florida who through his or her creativity, leadership and dedication, has positively affected policy or change in their school or community in a way that aligns with PTA’s mission and goals.

Feaster will receive her award at the Florida PTA Award Celebration Luncheon on Saturday, July 20, in Edinburgh Hall at the Innisbrook Golf and Spa Resort in Tarpon Springs.

“When I found out, I was just like, wow,” Elaine said. “I was surprised. But I am honored. It makes me feel good that even though I never thought of getting awards for this — it’s not why I did it — it’s nice to be recognized. No matter how young you are, you can make an impact in your community.”

Elaine just completed eighth grade at Liberty Middle School.

As Liberty PTSA president Shari Burress explains, Elaine’s project was one of the main reasons why she was chosen for the award.

“It just keeps blossoming and growing, and she just keeps taking it on,” says Burress. “She doesn’t think twice, and she never complains about the work. She’s always looking for the next opportunity to help.”

Ellen Lyons, the 2018-19 vice president of council operations for the Hillsborough County Council of PTAs/PTSAs, was responsible for overseeing the awards process.

She says she didn’t personally judge the category that Elaine won, but she speaks on behalf of all of the judges who did review the Middle School Student of the Year nominees.

“There were many outstanding applications,” Ellen says. “It was an embarrassment of riches to see how many quality students there are doing great things in the schools.”

She says Elaine’s project stood out because of her collection site at the New Tampa Family YMCA, which the judges thought was a smart strategy, and her strategy to get the books into the hands of students who need them the most.

“It was well executed,” Ellen says.

Elaine, a volleyball player for years at the YMCA, was volunteering as an assistant coach and set up a site for book donations, which she figured she could empty each week when she went there for games.

She was stunned, though, that the large box was overflowing every time she showed up. “I would collect all the books (after each game) and put them in the car, and the next week, there’d be more books,” Elaine says. “It was an exciting feeling that the community was helping.”

Elaine’s mom, Jane, says one reason Elaine was so passionate about her project is that she had a lot to overcome to be a successful student.

“I’m very proud of Elaine and all that she has accomplished,” says Jane. “Back in elementary school, she was diagnosed with a reading disability. I was very concerned for her going into middle school being a number and another face in the crowd. I couldn’t be any happier with what the school and the administration and teachers and what they’ve done for her. She’s a different kid from when she entered to when she’s leaving. It’s remarkable.”

Elaine has become well known for her project. In fact, even when the initial project was completed for her Girls Scout silver award (she is in Troop 1247), people kept asking if she was still accepting donations.

“Our garage was filled with books,” says her mother Jane, laughing. “We still have probably 300 books in there right now.”

No matter who asked, Elaine simply couldn’t say no.

“Elaine has a really kind heart and is always thinking of others,” Burress says. “She’s very involved at the school and is one of those kids who other kids look up to, as far as what’s the right thing to do.”

Liberty principal James Ammirati agrees.

“Elaine’s a phenomenal student,” he says. “She’s respected on campus by her peers and by the faculty and staff. She has a heart for service, and that’s her passion.”

He also describes Elaine as humble and says she doesn’t seek attention for the good things or works she does.

In addition to winning Hillsborough’s Middle School Student of the Year Award, Elaine was recognized with a “Certificate of Excellence” from the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards because her volunteer activities were judged to be among the top 10 percent of all those considered in the State of Florida.

Also, based on the number of volunteer hours she performed, Elaine received the “Presidential Volunteer Service Award” and a letter from the White House.

She says she’s simply trying her best each day to be a good student and a good friend to all those around her.

Elaine isn’t done with her book project. She intends to continue in Girl Scout Troop 1247, which meets at St. James United Methodist Church on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in Tampa Palms. As a high school student, she can begin work on her Gold Award.

Her summer project included creating a website — ScoutingForBooks.com — and she now puts a stamp on the inside of each cover that says “Read. Share. Repeat.” with the website’s URL.

She wants her project to have a lasting impact, and hopes that those who read the books she has collected will notice the stamp and pass them on to others.

Elaine is happy that her project touched so many lives, but she encourages those around her to realize they don’t need a big project to have a positive impact.

“There are different ways that you can make a difference,” Elaine says. “It doesn’t matter how big or small, as long as you made an impact on one person’s life. For me it’s thousands of books I donated to children, but also the ways I’ve helped people at my school by being a good friend to everyone.”

books Girl Scouts

Wharton High’s ‘Wee Wildcats’ Program Benefits Pre- & High Schoolers

While the halls at Wharton High are mostly filled with teenagers, there’s a brightly colored preschool-sized playground adjacent to the front parking lot that may seem a bit out of place on a high school campus.

It’s actually a symbol of a unique learning opportunity that benefits both high school and preschool students.

A handful of preschoolers arrive on campus four mornings a week for a program called “Wee Wildcats,” named after Wharton’s mascot.

The program has been a part of the school for two decades, bringing together high school students who want to learn about early childhood education with preschoolers whose parents appreciate the low cost of the program and the attention their children receive.

“It’s been phenomenal,” says Marissa Harris, whose four-year-old son, Cohen, was in the program last year. This fall, Cohen will return to Wee Wildcats, and he’ll be joined by his younger sister, Charleigh, who is three.

Wee Wildcats is offered Tuesday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m.-11:55 a.m., for children who turn three by September 1 of the year they enroll, until they go to kindergarten. Parents pay just $40 per month per child.

Marissa says she was nervous at first to leave Cohen in the care of high school students, but she decided to give it a try because it’s so affordable.

And, she says, Wee Wildcats quickly exceeded her expectations.

“Cohen is so comfortable and he’s learned so much,” she says, which is why she’s opting to bring him back for another year. In addition to his ABCs and 123s, Marissa says Cohen has learned how to spell his name and put letters together to form words in an environment he loves.

The Right Teacher

Wee Wildcats is led by Wharton’s early childhood education teacher, Erin Heilman, who doubles as the preschool director and has credentials to teach students in both age groups. The preschool only accepts 15 students at any one time to meet proper ratios for the one adult in the room — although they are considering hiring a second adult to make room for more students — but several high school students are the ones who actually lead the preschoolers through their day, which closely follows Florida’s VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten) curriculum.

Wharton students in the first year of the program, typically freshmen, do bookwork in the classroom during times when there are no preschoolers in attendance. As they progress through their sophomore, junior and senior years, they begin to alternate bookwork with planning lessons and teaching the preschoolers in their care. The students design the lessons for the preschoolers, then lead them throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the bookwork they complete prepares them to earn a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential from the State of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) once they turn 18. Some students may immediately begin using this license to teach in a preschool. For others, it’s a stepping stone to future goals.

Alexis Fernandez is a senior at Wharton who says she wants to teach elementary school after college. She is entering her fourth year of the Early Childhood Education program at Wharton.

She says her freshman year, before she was allowed to work with the kids, was “amazing,” as she learned how to “deal with kids.”

“It’s very difficult teaching small kids,” Alexis says. “They get distracted easily, and get upset a lot, too. I understand that, but without the program, I don’t think I could handle it. Really, it’s all about patience and learning how to be strict, but also calm and understanding.”

Alexis says the kids prefer the arts & crafts and hands-on activities. Heilman says she will continue to add science-based activities. For example, the preschoolers observed the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly last spring, and they will plant a garden this fall.

Heilman has been leading the program less than a year. She took it over late last fall, while it was undergoing a transition. She had been hired at Wharton as a technology teacher in the business department, thanks in part to the MBA (Master of Business Administration) degree that she holds from the University of Phoenix, Tampa campus.

She had previously taught middle school history and then third grade at the Turner Bartels K-8 school and was excited to move to Wharton, where her son is a junior.

One day, when a newly-hired teacher didn’t show up for work, administrators called on Heilman.

“I didn’t even know we had a preschool at Wharton, but I was the only one on campus with an early childhood certification,” Erin explains. “So, I ran down there and greeted the parents.”

She says several days later, she was offered the position.

Heilman says it feels like her dream job, and brings together many of her skills and passions. She asks rhetorically, “How lucky am I that I get (to teach) these incredible high schools students, as well as preschool?”

For example, Heilman’s business background helps her coach high school students who might want to open their own preschool one day. Not only do they need to know how to teach preschool-aged children, Heilman also can help them create a business plan.

She’s also elevating the program to be much more selective, where it was previously open to any interested student.

For the 2019-20 school year, only 45 Wharton students were chosen for the program, out of 130 who applied.

“I want only the best of the best working with these preschoolers,” Heilman says. “They have to be highly qualified with a high GPA, no tardies, no suspensions, and two teacher recommendations. Ultimately, I always think, ‘Would I, as a parent, leave my child with that student?’”

For the students who were chosen to be in the program this upcoming year, the answer is a resounding “yes!”

“I think it’s a great program for the community,” Heilman says. “I’m so proud of these high school kids. If I had known about Wee Wildcats when my son was that age, I would have put him in it.”

For more information about the Wee Wildcats preschool program at Wharton High, visit http://wharton.mysdhc.org/Programs/Wee%20Wildcats/ or contact Erin Heilman at Erin.Heilman@sdhc.k12.fl.us.

preschool Wharton

Kinnan /Mansfield May Be Connected, But Only For Emergencies

The decades-old debate over connecting Kinnan St. in New Tampa to Mansfield Blvd. in Wesley Chapel appears to have, pardon the pun, reached the end of the road.

After years of meetings and studies and community activism, the Pasco Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) sided with the Meadow Pointe residents who claim that connecting the roads would put their children’s safety at risk.

On June 11, the Pasco MPO voted unanimously to forward their recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners that Wesley Chapel be connected to New Tampa’s growing K-Bar Ranch community via two roads further to the east of Kinnan-Mansfield (neither has been completed) — Meadow Pointe Blvd. and Wyndfields Blvd., both of which would eventually connect to K-Bar Ranch Blvd. (at different locations).

But, Mansfield Blvd. and Kinnan St. will not be connected for area commuters.

“Everybody that came today spoke against opening up Kinnan and Mansfield,” said Pasco District 2 Commissioner Mike Moore, who represents the Meadow Pointe area, at the June 11 Pasco MPO meeting. “There was one person who was in favor of it, and he lives in New Tampa.”

Hunter’s Green resident Dr. Jim Davison was the person who spoke in favor of connecting Kinnan-Mansfield.

The final vote to settle the roadways question was expected to be held In August, in Dade City.

Considering that all five members on the Pasco BOC also are on the MPO Board that voted unanimously in favor of making only two of the three connections that were considered, it is almost certain to pass.

Hillsborough County District 2 commissioner Ken Hagan and District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, both of whom have fought for the connection for years, expressed disappointment and frustration over the Pasco MPO’s decision.

Hagan called it “extremely parochial and irrational.”

However, both New Tampa representatives took some solace in the fact that the famed 40-foot patch of dirt, weeds and trees (and often, garbage and abandoned furniture) separating the roads may be paved over, connecting the roads for use by emergency service vehicles — with a mechanical traffic arm keeping local traffic out — as well as providing a path for bikers and pedestrians.

Public safety was one of the primary reasons both Hagan and Viera had fought for the connection.

“I’m pleased that Pasco County is finally recognizing the significant public safety concerns with Kinnan-Mansfield remaining closed,” Hagan said. “I think this is a necessary first step, and we will live to fight another day.”

Davison was less pleased with the concession for emergency vehicle access. A longtime traffic activist and emergency room physician, Davison said that most people come to the hospital emergency room by private vehicle, not an ambulance, and those people will still face a longer trip to get care.

“Connecting Kinnan and Mansfield is in the public good,” Dr. Davison said.

After years of political arguments and one costly study, Pasco’s MPO turned to its residents to help render a decision.

The MPO was presented with the results from its recent online Pasco Resident Survey, which asked which of four options for connecting Meadow Pointe to New Tampa were preferred.

Meghan McKinney of the consulting firm AECOM, which conducted the initial Wesley Chapel Roadway Connections study which produced the choices for the online survey, said the total number of eligible respondents was 1,180.

The option most favored by those polled online was Option 2, which asked if respondents favored connecting only Meadow Pointe Blvd. to K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.

Nearly 68 percent responded yes, with 32 percent saying no.

The MPO, however, voted unanimously to forward the second-most popular option, Option 3 — connecting both the Meadow Pointe Blvd. Extension and Wyndfields Blvd. to K-Bar Ranch Pkwy. — which 66 percent favored.

Connecting only Kinnan-Mansfield was never an option — nor was it an option that was studied in the year-long Roadways Connections Study commissioned by the county — but the controversial connection was included with the other roads in both Option 1 and Option 4. Option 1, which asked if residents would be in favor of connecting Kinnan to Mansfield as well as the Meadow Pointe Blvd. Extension to K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., received a “yes” vote by 54 percent of respondents.

The least popular option from the survey results was No. 4, which would have connected Mansfield Blvd., the Meadow Pointe Blvd. Extension and Wyndfields Blvd. — in other words, all three potential connections to the New Tampa area. Even so, a majority of those responding, 52 percent, still voted in favor of that option as well.

Dr. Valerie Mainguy, a Meadow Pointe resident who works at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church on Cross Creek Blvd., suggested that those numbers were tainted. She told the board she was privy to a “huge initiative” by New Tampa residents to use Pasco addresses and names to skew the results to get Kinnan-Mansfield connected

She said the “fraud” that happened is well known and public knowledge, although she offered no proof of it.

A majority of those saying no to any connections involving Mansfield Blvd. came from those who live along the road. They were signified by red dots on a map showing where the respondents resided.

“The ones that would utilize that connection don’t want that connection,” Moore said.

Those who showed up to the MPO meeting spoke against adding any more traffic to Mansfield Blvd.

“I’m a red dot because I’m the father of two boys that ride their bikes up and down (Mansfield) every day to go to school,” said Meadow Pointe II resident Brad Jorgensen.

Like many of those opposed to connecting Kinnan St. to Mansfield Blvd., Jorgensen cited the safety of children in the neighborhoods along the road.

“This is about not turning our neighborhood into alternate Bruce B. Downs,” Jorgensen said.

Kinnan-Mansfield

Fresh Kitchen Coming To Hunter’s Lake!

While it may be a lot to ask for the new Village at Hunter’s Lake project to single-handedly save the sleepy restaurant scene in New Tampa, it sure seems like the developers are trying.

Fresh Kitchen, a south Tampa favorite with locations on S. Howard Ave. and W. Kennedy Blvd., is the latest restaurant to be announced as coming to the new development on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., right across New Tampa’s main thoroughfare from the entrance to Hunter’s Green.

Regency Centers senior leasing agent Marc Elias broke the news to a collection of local business leaders last month at the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce (NTBC)’s Economic Development Briefing at Hunter’s Green Country Club on June.

Fresh Kitchen is owned by the Ciccio Restaurant Group, which also owns such notable restaurants as Taco Dirty, Green Lemon, betterBYRD and Ciccio Cali, which has a popular location in Tampa Palms.

Like Ciccio Cali, Fresh Kitchen focuses on healthy bowls, where patrons choose their base, protein, vegetable and any extras. Elias’ announcement drew a round of positive chatter during the NTBC briefing.

Elias also said that Regency Centers has a BBQ concept coming, as well as a sub-and-wrap concept, although he didn’t name those restaurants.

Regency Centers senior leasing agent Marc Elias.

Along with the previously announced Via Italia Wood Fired Pizza, Poke Island Plus and Grain & Berry, that would mean six new restaurants (plus Starbucks) could be open by April of 2020 in New Tampa.

The Village at Hunter’s Lake also is likely to provide a boost to the social scene in New Tampa.

“We certainly hope so,” said Elias. “We feel like we are responding to the needs of the area, which is really convenience. Hopefully, we’re able to attract the foot traffic over there, and they can hang out with their dogs at the dog parks, go to Starbucks, take a yoga class. That’s the goal, getting them to hang out at the center.”

While Sprouts, the first green grocer to enter the New Tampa market, is the anchor of the retail strip, other occupants previously reported by the Neighborhood News are Banfield Pet Hospital, The Coder School, Hair Cuttery, Heartland Dental, Nationwide Vision Center, Pink & White Nails, Pure Beauty Salon and T-Mobile.

Elias added that a running store and a “yoga concept” also have signed leases.

Elias says the shell buildings should be completed by November, barring a persistent rainy season. Tenants can open whenever they are ready, though Elias suspects that most will open sometime around April 2020, when Sprouts is expected to be completed.

The Village at Hunter’s Lake will have a total of 71,397 sq. ft. of commercial space. The project also will include a 30,000-sq.-ft. New Tampa Cultural Center — which is expected to break ground next year and open sometime in 2021 — two dog parks and a four-story, 241-unit multi-family complex to be called The Haven at Hunter’s Lake

ciccio cali Fresh kitchen hunter's lake llc

Farina Orthodontic Specialists — Combining Technology & Caring

If you were to wear a GoPro camera during your dental appointment at any of the three offices of Farina Orthodontic Specialists, take the footage home and show your friends and family, they might think you’d had an appointment years in the future.

The whole experience at the newest office of Farina Orthodontic Specialists (on Bruce B. Downs {BBD} Blvd. in Wesley Chapel) begins from the time you pull into the parking lot of the new, modern cube-shaped building.

As you walk into the atrium, through the waiting area, 3D imaging center, consultation rooms and treatment rooms, the entire building has the feel of a futuristic utopia.

Popular music is triggered by the front door opening, scented air is pushed through the air-conditioning system and you’ll be greeted by what Mark Farina, D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental Medicine) calls his, “Directors of First Impressions” — his amazing staff.

“It’s a fun, family atmosphere here,” Dr. Farina says. “We’ve got staff that’s been with us for 20 years. This is the place to come if you’re looking for a family-centric practice with state-of-the-art technology and award-winning results.”

Dr. Farina earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from Boston College in Boston, MA. He earned his D.M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia and did his post-graduate orthodontic training at New York University in New York City, NY.

He also has received advanced training in the integrated diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular joint pain, or TMJ, and has served on research teams at both New York University and the University of Pennsylvania to help find new and better ways to solve orthodontic problems.

But, Farina Orthodontic Specialists is indeed a family affair. Dr. Mark Farina and his nephew, Dr. Rudy Wagner, bring nearly a quarter-century of combined 24 experience to the practice, with three locations in the Tampa Bay area — one in South Tampa, one in Tampa Palms (off Amberly Dr. and BBD) and the shiny, new eye-catching facility in Wesley Chapel, between the Shops at Wiregrass and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

Dr. Wagner, who was born in the U.S. but raised in Puerto Rico joined his uncle in 2015, after graduating with his D.M.D. degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine in San Juan, where he also earned both his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology and his Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Dental Sciences.

Dr. Rudy also did post-graduate work at Lehigh Valley Hospital, in Allentown, PA, where he had a general practice residency, and his post-graduate orthodontic training at the University of Puerto Rico.

Radical Transparency?

The office in Wesley Chapel that Farina Orthodontic Specialists built and moved into in March of 2018 puts Dr. Farina’s mantra of “Radical Transparency” to the ultimate and literal test. Just about every door in the office is glass. Most treatment rooms aren’t even enclosed. Dr. Farina’s idea of transparency allows for an openness that applies to every aspect of the experience, even down to the fee schedules.

“From treatments to fees to procedures, we are transparent in everything we do,” he says.

The transparency overlaps with the theme of treating patients like family.

Melissa’s daughter had her braces done at Farina Orthodontic Specialists and she has been able to be involved every step of the way.

“From the moment we entered the office, everyone was friendly and helpful,” writes parent Melissa C. on FarinaSmiles.com. “Each visit after, we have been greeted with warm smiling faces and our kids are excited to go to the lobby waiting area and dive into the fun things waiting for them.”

“As a parent, I am happy to have a seat near my daughter when her braces and teeth are worked on,” she wrote. “I can ask questions of the technician and orthodontist during the appointment.”

If a patient or patient’s family member has to wait, they can use one of the four iPads available in the tech center. The lounge is complete with a beverage bar, offering an assortment of drinks, both hot and cold. Of course, parents who want to be right next to their child during a procedure can utilize that option as well. It’s all part of that radical transparency. and it’s also why Farina Orthodontic Specialists often treats families across two or even three generations.

Dr. Wagner remembers shadowing Dr. Farina in the summer of 2000 when he was fresh out of high school in Puerto Rico.

“I loved his ability to connect with people,” Dr. Wagner says. “I enjoyed sitting, watching him talk with patients and developing relationships. It gave me the confidence to pursue this field.”

Dr. Wagner splits time between the three offices, while Dr. Farina is the mainstay at the Wesley Chapel location.

Let’s Get Technical

The Farina Orthodontic Specialists experience in Wesley Chapel is unique, as it combines cutting-edge technology and advanced treatment options.

Once a new patient signs in (there are no papers to fill out — everything is digital), the next stop is the 3D Imaging Room, where an i-CAT 3D Machine takes a three-dimensional image of not just the patient’s teeth, but also their bones and airways. The process takes 4.8 seconds.

There’s no probing, no prying, no irritation. The 3D Imaging can help bring clarity to a number of problems. With orthodontics, it’s not always just teeth being out of alignment. The patient could have a temporomandibular disorder (TMD), which is an irregularity with the temporomandibular joint, also known as TMJ. This can cause clicking, popping or just pain and discomfort in the jaw area. The 3D imaging helps the orthodontist diagnose the issue better than a traditional X-ray. The issue might not even be TMD; it could be the patient’s airway.

Farina Orthodontic Specialists also treats sleep apnea and snoring, both of which can be the result of an obstructed airway. The imaging also can detect airway development problems in children.

Sitting in the consultation room, a patient can look over their three-dimensional image of not just bone but of tissue. The process combines digital impressions created with the 3D imaging machine and intra- and extra-oral photographs, offering a more complete picture of the patient’s oral health.

“Going over the results in our casual conference rooms, three questions emerge,” Dr. Farina says. “How do we solve the problem, how long is it going to take and how much is it going to cost?”

And, Coming Soon…

Starting this fall, the Farina Orthodontic Specialists website (FarinaSmiles.com) will offer a Virtual Smile option, where patients will be able to upload a photo of themselves and get a virtual consultation from the comfort of their own home.

To get a real feel for the new and innovative treatment options, however, office visits are tough to beat.

“Parents probably remember the days when we used stainless steel in braces and everything hurt,” Dr. Wagner says. “The new wires are a nickel-titanium alloy, they’re more flexible, the brackets are smaller now and the wires are more flexible and comfortable.”

Farina Orthodontic Specialists uses the Invisalign® brand of clear aligners. Dr. Farina calls Invisalign a “pioneer” in the technology and Invisalign has designated Farina Orthodontic Specialists a “Diamond Plus,” or in the top one percent of North America orthodontic practices with Invisalign patients.

Clear aligners can be 3D-printed right there in the office or can be sent off to Invisalign. Dr. Wagner says he remembers using Invisalign to correct a gap in his own front teeth while he was in college.

“I was very self-conscious about it,” he says. “But, the experience turned out to be fine. It was easy, comfortable and I was still able to enjoy my life and lifestyle and not have any issues.”

Utilizing another piece of cutting-edge technology, Farina Orthodontic Specialists uses an iTero Element that allows a doctor or technician to visualize the treatment’s outcome. Adjustments can be made on the touch screen and sent to the 3D printing lab. From there, a model is rendered, and not just for an aligner — it also can be used to make retainers, sports mouth guards, breathing/sleep apnea appliances and TMJ appliances. Dr. Farina call it his “in-house laboratory.”

Combining a fun atmosphere with advanced technologies and treatment options is what Farina Orthodontics is all about and all three locations continue to reach new levels of both innovation and transparency.

For appointments and more information about the Wesley Chapel office ((2370 BBD Blvd., Suite A), or any of the three locations of Farina Orthodontic Specialists, call (813) 972-2929, visit FarinaSmiles.com or see or see the ad on pg. 11. The office accepts most dental insurance plans.

orthondontics