Dr. Jasthi’s Family & Cosmetic Dentistry — Quality Dental Care For Ages 4+ 

The friendly, professional staff of Family & Cosmetic Dentistry (on BBD Blvd., in front of Live Oak Preserve in New Tampa), is led by Dr. Neeraja Jasthi (far left) & Dr. Linda Park (far right). (Photo provided by Dr. Jasthi ) 

At Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., in the small plaza next to MidFlorida Credit Union in front of the Live Oak Preserve community in New Tampa, Neeraja Jasthi, DMD, says her practice offers family-oriented, comprehensive care for patients ages four and older. 

“We are a place that takes care of all of your dental needs,” explains Dr. Jasthi. “We are friendly, safe and give quality treatment.” 

Dr. Jasthi moved her practice to its current location in 2005 after opening in a smaller office in the Highwoods Preserve area of New Tampa in 2002. She has been practicing in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area since 1998, after earning her DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) degree from the Tufts Dental School in Boston, MA, in 1996. 

Linda Park, DDS, joined the practice in 2018. Dr. Park earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2005 from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in Loma Linda, CA. 

With two doctors and five hygienists in the practice, Dr. Jasthi says appointments are almost always available quickly. If someone is in pain, they usually can be seen right away. And, new patients can often be scheduled within a couple of weeks, and Dr. Jasthi’s attentive administrative staff can often get patients in sooner, especially if another patient cancels an appointment and opens a spot for those who want to be seen quickly to be accommodated. 

New patients also are happy to learn that, unlike some dental practices that require an exam first, before scheduling a cleaning, Family & Cosmetic Dentistry always provides an exam and cleaning at the first appointment. If treatment is required, however, the patient may need to come back for another appointment to complete that treatment. 

Dr. Jasthi says Family & Cosmetic Dentistry feels like a family, and she always wants her patients to be able to bring the whole family to them. While she and Dr. Park typically see all family members ages four and up, they do sometimes see younger children, as well. 

“For established patients of record who have children younger than four,” Dr. Jasthi says, “we will see them if they are cooperative.” 

Beyond cleanings and exams of the teeth, Family & Cosmetic Dentistry offers fillings, bridges, crowns and many other necessary dental treatments. 

As the practice’s name states, the team also offers cosmetic dentistry to help everyone achieve their best possible smile. This includes services such as teeth whitening, veneers and Invisalign® aligners to straighten the teeth. 

“We are doing more Invisalign these days,” says Dr. Jasthi, “helping people with the aesthetics and functionality of their teeth.” 

She adds that she also provides dental implants in-house, as well as restorative treatments, and that she is often able to use a veneer instead of porcelain for some cosmetic procedures, which allows her to not cut into the tooth structure. 

“For example,” she says, “if someone has a peg-shaped tooth and wants to make it more of an ideal form, we do chair-side composites with injection molding. It’s good for the health of the tooth and it’s very economical, compared to the cost of porcelain.” 

Dr. Jasthi says her practice continues to grow “by leaps and bounds,” thanks to many people in the community who support her. 

Like Dr. Jasthi, Dr. Park (above) provides personalized service to her patients. 
(Photo by Charmaine George) 

That includes patients such as Wesley Chapel resident Karina Fernandez, who says she has been a patient of Dr. Jasthi’s since she moved to Florida in 2015. 

“They always have appointments available and are very flexible with their schedule,” Karina says. 

She also appreciates that she never feels like she’s being sold something she doesn’t need. “They’re not trying to take your money,” Karina says, adding that she is absolutely thrilled with the Invisalign treatment she recently completed. 

“I had no idea it would be so effective,” she says. “I thought I would need braces because my bottom teeth were so crooked. I didn’t think it could be fixed with a plastic aligner, but after a year and half, my teeth are straight.” 

In fact, she adds, “what I like the best is that I can feel the difference in my bite. I used to have trouble chewing, but now I don’t. I’m really amazed by the difference.” 

Karina says every member of her family is now a Family & Cosmetic Dentistry patient and she highly recommends the practice. 

Another happy patient is Veronica Givens, a New Tampa resident who says she drove by the office many times on her travels up BBD and one day decided to make an appointment. 

As a busy mom, she says she had put off going to the dentist herself, even though she had some concerns about her teeth. 

“When I took the time to go in and see Dr. Jasthi and her team, they were open and friendly, and they listened to me,” Veronica says. 

One of her concerns was that her teeth were crooked, so Dr. Jasthi suggested Invisalign. “She really transformed my teeth to completely straight,” she says. 

“It’s really helped boost my confidence,” she adds. “I talk with a lot of people all day, whether it’s in person or on video, and Invisalign has made me feel more comfortable. I’m no longer wondering if someone is noticing my crooked teeth now. I’m just smiling, laughing and talking.” 

Veronica says that, throughout the process, she was impressed with the professionalism of the staff, and how caring everyone in the office seemed to be. 

“I always recommend Dr. Jasthi because she’s definitely the best doctor I’ve ever seen in my whole life,” Veronica says. “My teeth are straight and white, and I have healthy gums and no cavities. I’m really grateful for her and her team.” 

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, the office of Dr. Neeraja Jasthi, is located at 20441 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa. Office hours are available Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; and 8 a.m.–4 p.m. on Friday. For more information about the practice, visit DrJasthi.com or call (813) 866- 9913.

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Gives You The Power Of A Winning Smile

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry on BBD is about more than just the talents of family dentists (both in white) Dr. Neeraja Jasthi (left) and Dr. Sandra Pojtek. The office’s friendly, professional staff speaks seven languages.

The logo for Family & Cosmetic Dentistry has these words: “A smile is the same in any language.” It is a statement that expresses a basic truth of daily living and guides the work of the professionals who work at this family-friendly dental office.

Before she chose dentistry as her career, Dr. Neeraja Jasthi, DMD, says she considered becoming a physician. But, learning first-hand how the power of a smile can change one’s life set her on the road to Tufts School of Dental Medicine in Boston, where she earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree in 1996. The road after dental school ultimately brought her to open Family & Cosmetic Dentistry on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., located just south of County Line Rd. (in the same plaza as Amscot) in New Tampa, where she has been practicing dentistry for the past 10 years.

Dr. Jasthi says it was her own experience with orthodontics, while wearing dental braces that helped move her teeth into proper and visually appealing alignment, that enlightened her to the importance of helping people with one of their most basic physical attributes — their smile.

“I had an orthodontist who inspired me,” Dr. Jasthi says. “I saw how it changed my teeth and how a smile is so important. It shows your character and you can boost others and show compassion with a smile.”

Relieving people’s pain and improving patient health are other reasons Dr. Jasthi cites for pursuing her career as a dentist. She is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA), Florida Dental Association (FDA), the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).

By investing in training and technology, Dr. Jasthi and her team are able to provide numerous services, ranging from procedures that maintain oral health or repair dental damage to cosmetic treatments that can brighten and enhance a smile. Some of the available services include basic dental cleanings and exams, fillings, crowns, root canals, bridges, veneers, whitening, Invisalign braces, dentures and extractions.

Working with Dr. Jasthi to deliver high-quality care is her team of about a dozen dental technicians, assistants and hygienists, as well as Dr. Sandra Pojtek, DMD, who recently joined the practice.

“My team has to reflect my values in providing the best care possible and being sensitive to patient needs,” Dr. Jasthi says.

The growth of Family & Cosmetic Dentistry’s patient population created a need for an additional dentist and resulted in the hiring of Dr. Pojtek, who is a 2014 graduate of the University of Montreal’s Faculty of Dental Medicine in Montreal, Canada. She also completed a one-year residency at East Carolina University’s School of Dental Medicine in Greenville, NC. Just as Dr. Jasthi found a sense of direction from an established dental practitioner, so has Dr. Pojtek.

“I would consider her (Dr. Jasthi) a mentor figure,” says Dr. Pojtek. “We have similar values. The philosophy here is about putting the patient’s needs first and the quality of work, offering the best dentistry.”

The hiring of Dr. Pojtek means patients can now schedule treatment or a consultation at Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Some of the advanced technology used at Family & Cosmetic Dentistry are the i-CAT Cone Beam 3D Dental Imaging machine which, according to its manufacturer, provides more detailed images than analog X-rays, improving diagnoses and treatment. The office also offers crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers, often in one visit.

But, even with advanced technology to improve treatment options and outcomes, Dr. Jasthi is a firm believer that each of her patients actually provides the first-line of their own dental (and overall health) defenses when they develop good habits like proper brushing and flossing, as well as becoming informed about how proper dental hygiene contributes to their overall well being.

“I’m also concerned about (my patients’) physical health,” she says. “We educate our patients about oral and gum health and how it will impact their general health.”

Multiple Payment Options

Paying for dental work is always a consideration in choosing where to get treatment. Family & Cosmetic Dentistry accepts most dental insurance plans, major credit cards and Care Credit Financing. Another option is an in-office dental savings plan for patients can enroll in. These plans carry enrollment fees of $99 for adults and $69 for children 13 years and younger, but enrollees receive one cleaning and exam at no charge each year and a 15-percent discount on many procedures, such as fillings, perio scaling, crowns and veneers. Check with Family and Cosmetic Dentistry for complete details, including restrictions. Patients also accrue financial credits to their accounts through a new patient referral program. And of course, first-time patients can schedule a free consultation appointment.

Sharing the talents and skills that she and members of her team possess with people whose needs exceed their ability to access dental care is one of the values Dr. Jasthi upholds. Her practice participates in scheduled dental camps at the St. Petersburg Free Clinic, providing basic dental care to patients without charge. “I try to help people as much as I can,” she says.

Building successful dental practice one smile at a time has paid off in terms of positive online reviews at sites like Zocdoc.com and Healthgrades.com as well as patients like Rana Hayes of Wesley Chapel, who are happy to share their experiences at Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.

“Dr. Jasthi is a perfectionist,” says Hayes, who lives in Bridgewater. “She pays strict attention to detail.”

Hayes has been a patient of Dr. Jasthi’s for more than 10 years and also commended the staff at Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.

“They’re extremely courteous and professional,” Hayes says. “You’re treated like you want to be treated.” She adds that she found the staff to be helpful and accommodating, even when her appointments sometimes needed to be changed.

Another patient, Denis Cole, an Englishman who lives outside of London, includes stops at Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in his travel plans. Cole resides in the Wesley Chapel area from October to April each year and now starts and ends his annual visits with dental cleanings and checkups at the office after undergoing extensive treatment from Dr. Jasthi four years ago.

“She’s very good and has a good staff there,” the self-described “rainbird” says. “They did the work very efficiently and at a good price. You won’t get that kind of work with National Health in England.”

Treating international visitors and residents of the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas is facilitated by the ability of the staff at Family & Cosmetic Dentistry to communicate in several languages besides English. Other languages spoken at the practice are: Telugu (a native language in India), Spanish, French, Russian, Slovak and Lithuanian.

Family & Cosmetic Dentistry (20441 BBD) treats patients age 4 and older. For more info, visit DrJasthi.com or call 866-9913. There is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week answering service available if the office is closed when you call. Or, use the office’s online contact page at DrJasthi.com/contact-us to ask questions or to request an appointment.