Dr. Joseph DeSantis, DDS
By Dom Provenzano, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
Raised by Dr. Louis DeSantis, a well-established Staten Island dentist, Dr. Joseph DeSantis, DDS, was born with dentistry in his blood.
“Growing up, I was lucky to shadow my father,” said DeSantis, 29. “It’s easy to fall in love with something when you see someone else love what they do as much as he does.”
DeSantis went to college in Boston and dental school at Stony Brook in Long Island. For DeSantis, dentistry came naturally. “There was never a mandate from my dad to get into dentistry, he very much wanted me to find what I liked. Most children think what their parents do is lame, it’s a normal thing. But, watching him work, I watched how he treated people and the relationships he built, and I was drawn to it.”
In 2022, Dr. Joseph DeSantis joined his father at his New Dorp practice as an in-house orthodontist, offering both Invisalign and conventional Orthodontic treatment for children and adults. “I always knew proactively treating my community was going to be the thing that got me up in the morning. That’s where me and my dad differed – he was more on the prosthetic, restorative stuff, whereas I was driven more to orthodontics.”
Although access to the dental industry has been within reach his entire life, there are no shortcuts as DeSantis builds. His new practice, while located within his father’s office, operates similarly to a startup within an existing business. His half of the practice is almost entirely operated by himself. “I’m in his physical space, but I’ve had to do everything from scratch. I wear a lot of hats, I write my own documentation, and I treat my own clients. A-Z, anything that needs to be done, I do.”
While orthodontics specifically addresses the diagnoses, prevention, management, and correction of mal-aligned or positioned teeth, jaws, and bite, DeSantis sees the bigger picture. “To me, orthodontics is more than the Hollywood smile. It’s about setting people up with the healthiest occlusion, and the healthiest mouth they can have so that they can minimize the time spent in dental offices for the rest of their lives.”
DeSantis looks toward his parents in more ways than just dentistry and education. Both of his parents are active in the Staten Island community, and he seeks to model them as he grows his cache. “My parents have done a great job of giving back to the community in so many ways, so I have a great blueprint of what to do, and how I can continue to make Staten Island a great place to raise a family.”
One of DeSantis’ particular interests is treating the youth population. In fact, serving children is another thing present within his blood. His mother, Gina DeSantis, is a longtime educator and current President of Moore Catholic High School.
Several days per week, DeSantis also works at a New Jersey practice that treats underserved communities. “When you’re treating a human, no matter who they are, it involves their body, their being. You have no choice but to give it 110%. Their health doesn’t care if you are having an off day or had a bad night’s sleep. There are no excuses.”
DeSantis is also a recent member of the Italian Club of Staten Island, a group that works to encourage civic, cultural, and educational participation within the community.
Looking forward, the young dentist believes that he can make a difference – not just in the lives of his patients, but within the Staten Island community at large. “I grew up here, and plan to spend my life here. Even though I’m at the point of my journey where I’m just getting my feet under me, there is no point doing what I’m doing if I don’t make Staten Island better.”
