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Since I was a kid, I wanted to be a doctor of some sort. I liked the clinical aspect of it. I liked being able to mend something in somebody's body. That's as far as I could probably explain it. It was more of a feeling, and my plans were always to go that route. In my first year of college, that's what I intended. But my mom worked for an oral surgeon, or a group of oral surgeons, in Mesa, Arizona. She worked there for about 19 years, and periodically, because of my curiosities, they'd let me come in and watch. I was sold. It was surgical, but it was also the relationships that were created through those procedures and the immediacy of the results. You can look them in the face and say, "I can help." The mouth is such a huge, huge part of everybody's self-esteem and character. How big somebody smiles often depends on how they feel about their smile.
It just all clicked. It's something that gave me what would make me feel good. It's something that I can control with my education level. I really like people. I'm always curious about where they come from. Especially in this area, it's a high-retirement community, and they've got stories, and histories, and dental experiences that the explain the fears that they've carried for so long. I think that's probably my favorite part, is building the relationships with people. I like being trusted to deliver, and it tells their level of comfort and confidence. When they smile and their eyes glow, you know they're happy, and that really shows when you do a good job. I like that.
From a young age, Dr. Eric Wendelschafer learned the value and pleasure of hard work and a job well done. He comes from a family deeply rooted in the commercial construction business and spent much of his life working alongside them, experiencing firsthand the satisfaction that comes from rolling up your sleeves and building something special.
Dr. Wendelschafer brings that same work ethic to our dental practice in Surprise. As the owner and sole dentist at Great Smiles Dental Care since 2013, he’s honored to serve the oral health needs of our amazing patients. Motivated by his passion for bringing people to a better state of health and improving their quality of life through exceptional dentistry, he prides himself on providing high-quality care at a fair price.
Dr. Wendelschafer’s interest in dentistry was sparked by oral surgeons his mother worked for when he was in high school. He’d spend as much time as he could shadowing them and felt called to follow a similar path.
Dr. Wendelschafer has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Earning a track scholarship and installing metal roof panels in the hot Arizona sun inspired him even more to set his sights higher toward college and dental school. As a hardworking student athlete in college, he juggled studying, running, and building apartments in the evenings and on weekends. He graduated from the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health and joined a Mesa corporate office to gain practical experience as a dentist.
Eventually, Dr. Wendelschafer found his way across town, where he took over at Great Smiles Dental Care when the previous doctor retired. He’s been building healthy, beautiful smiles for the good people of Surprise, Sun City, and the surrounding communities ever since. He’s excited to welcome you to our practice and to work with you to achieve your goals for a happy, healthy, more fulfilling life through excellent dental care.
