Dr Maria A. Smith

Dr. Maria Smith trained as a general dentist and practices in Shelton, CT. She was born and raised in Huntington/Shelton and attended local schools. She attended Wheaton College in Norton, MA and graduated cum laude with a BA in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She then attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in Philadelphia, receiving her dental degree in 1985. She joined her father, Dr. Charles E. Smith, in private practice at his Shelton location in 1985. Dr. Smith is a huge proponent of continuing education to keep current in her profession and has attended many hours both in lecture and hands on participation learning. She completed the 6-year postgraduate continuum at The Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Learning in Key Biscayne, FL. “The Pankey Institute provides unique education inspiring dental professionals to develop and implement the technical, philosophical, behavioral, and financial habits, while emphasizing work/life balance.” It is the one place for relationship-based advanced dental education. Here she honed her knowledge and skills for diagnosis and treatment planning of complex cases and their restoration of a patient’s mouth back to normal function and esthetics. Her philosophy is, and always will be, patient centered care. “The desire to become involved in my profession was instilled in me many years ago by my father who I joined in practice when I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Being that role model and mentor for me early in my career influenced me to volunteer and become involved to help shape not only my future but that of dentistry as well’’. Dr. Smith has served in many volunteer leadership roles at the local and state levels of the Connecticut State Dental Association and also at the national level of the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. She served as the third female national President of the Academy of General Dentistry from 2016 to 2017, a 35,000-member organization founded in 1952 and dedicated to continuing education and advocacy for the general dentist. Currently, she serves as New England Section Chair of the American College of Dentists, a national organization whose mission is to advance excellence, ethics, professionalism and leadership in dentistry. Dr. Smith has served on many local community boards including the Birmingham Group Healthways Board, the Boy Scouts of America, Housatonic Council and the Valley United Way. She was also a dental consultant for Hewitt Memorial Hospital and Shelton Lakes Residence and Health Care Center as well as a staff member at Griffin Hospital, Liebel Dental Clinic for many years.