Smile Sarasota has been owned and operated by Dr. Adam Still for the past 13 years as of July 2026. The office is independently owned meaning non corporate/private equity. You not only get to continually see the same hygienist and dentist, but you also get one on one time with Dr. Still. Smile Sarasota thrives on making sure our patients are comfortable and seen on time. Dr. Adam Still office is an all-around 5-star office. Don’t take it from us with over 290 reviews, the reviews speak for themselves.

Smile Sarasota is one of the few independently owned and operated dental offices in Sarasota. Dr. Still will not sell unnecessary treatment or products, and Dr. Still takes his time explaining treatment. He not only explains treatment, but he will also show you what he sees by taking pictures and showing you on the TV screen. Treatment options are always discussed clearly; patients receive a detailed treatment plan with the cost before proceeding. There is no pressure to start treatment immediately. Additionally, you can have your teeth cleaned on the very first appointment after your X-rays and first appointment with Dr. Still. No heavy sales-focused treatment rooms, and no having to schedule your cleaning appointment two months after your first visit! Here at Smile Sarasota, we understand that life can happen and although we would like you to be as proactive as possible, we will never pressure you into something you are not ready for. The great thing about Dr. Still owning and operating his own practice is that he does not have anyone above him pressuring him to sell patients unnecessary treatment or appliances.

Here at Smile Sarasota, we understand that the dental office is not everyone’s favorite place. That’s why we try our hardest to make you feel like part of our dental family. There isn’t a different dentist or hygienist every few months, meaning no wondering who you will see at your next appointment. Your relationship is with Dr. Still and the hygienist. Occasionally if treatment is necessary, you will even get to meet our dental assistants. We give our patients the option to choose the hygienist they would like to see. (Majority of our patients don’t mind seeing both of our hygienists since they are great at what they do!) Dr. Still focuses not only on your dental interest but also on what’s going on in your day-to-day life. He takes time to get to know you on a personal level. Here at Smile Sarasota, we want to know your history, your family, we want to make it a comfortable environment for you. We care and will be here years later.

We know your time is very valuable and appreciate all our patients for making time for us. Which is why we thrive on being punctual. We do not double book and aim to make sure every patient is seen at their scheduled time. In non-private practices it is very common to see tightly packed schedules, delays, and even rushed appointments. Unfortunately, they don’t even try to hide it, which can make the patient feel very uncomfortable.  Dr. Still makes sure you know your appointment is yours. There are no crowded waiting rooms, you get Dr. Stills full attention, detailed explanations of what’s happening, and an emphasis on comfort with no rush.

At Smile Sarasota, we know dentistry is about more than just the teeth. We build long lasting relationships and earn your trust. Dr. Still has been providing honest, comfortable, and personalized dental care to the community for over 13 years. We take pride in being the dental home to all our patients and look forward to continuing to being your dental home for many years to come.

We are proud to announce that our office manager, Jaime Still, was named to the Downtown Master Plan Update Committee earlier this week. The Downtown Master Plan was adopted in January of 2001. The committee has been recognized as being successful in guiding the fast economic growth and both the design and landscaping of the city of Sarasota.

Jaime serves on several boards in Sarasota, but this one is close to heart. As both a resident and business owner of downtown Sarasota, Jaime has a lot to bring to this committee. Jaime’s enthusiasm to better our city, experience with the other boards she runs, and ability to listen to others opinions and values, make her an ideal candidate for this committee.

The Downtown Master Plan Update Committee will meet, as needed, with a consultant selected by the city to discuss updates to the Downtown Master Plan. These updates to the city includes designing, landscaping, architecture, preserving historic sights, economic development, and the downtown arts culture. The committee is made up of a variety of citizens that have impacts on the city, such as downtown residents and merchants, owners of commercial properties, downtown employees, and representatives of services and activities for people 40 years and younger.

The meetings will be held at City Hall and open to the public.

For more information, you can contact [email protected].

Here is a little Q&A with our newest dental hygienist, Sharon.

How long have you been a hygienist?

Sharon: 38 years!

What made you choose the hygienist career path?

Sharon: I had orthodontics when I was young and loved going to the orthodontist and dentist. It was always a positive experience and I learned the value of a nice smile at a young age. This sparked an interest in me to become a dental hygienist.

What do you like most about working with your patients?

Sharon: I enjoy helping people improve their oral health and seeing them feel confident in their smile. I also like getting to know my patients and their interests.

What do you like most about working here at Smile Sarasota?

Sharon: I like working with a team of professionals who all do their jobs well and work together for the good of our patients and each other. I am thankful to be working for a doctor that is trustworthy, honest and skilled in the treatment he delivers.

How do you teach patients about proper oral care habits?

Sharon: I teach my patients about proper home care through communication and visual demonstrations.

How many kids do you have?

Sharon: I have 3 children – Twins boys and a daughter. I have 6 beautiful grandchildren.

What kind of hobbies do you enjoy?

Sharon: I enjoy being outdoors, walking, biking, going to the beach and local parks.

We hope this message finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are followed so that when you receive care, it is both safe and comfortable.

You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You will be asked those questions again when you are in the office.

We have hand sanitizer in the reception area and other places in the office for you to use as needed.

You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines and the Keurig machine has been removed as these items are difficult to clean and disinfect.

Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients.

We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, our team and every patient safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at 941-957-3311 or complete this online form.

Thank you for your continued trust and loyalty and we look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.

Sincerely,
Dr. Adam Still and Team

Dear Patients,

The health and well being of our patients, staff and community is of the highest importance to us.  

Smile Sarasota is following the guidelines set forth by the American Dental Association (ADA) to postpone elective dental procedures in order for dentistry to do its part to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.  We will be focusing on emergency and urgent dental care only.

As the ADA has determined routine dental cleanings and preventive therapies to be non-emergency and non-urgent dental procedures, we will not be scheduling these procedures for at least 3 weeks.  If your scheduled dental cleaning is within the next 3 weeks, you will be contacted to reschedule your appointment.

If you are experiencing a dental emergency or have an urgent dental situation, please call us at 941-957-3311.  We appreciate your understanding and support during these difficult times.  Stay safe and be well!

The team at Smile Sarasota

Paying for Dental Treatment at Smile Sarasota

Occasionally we have a new patient at Smile Sarasota with questions, especially if they have dental insurance. They are sometimes surprised to hear in the initial conversation when appointing that we request payment for our dental services at the time they are performed. Actually, this is very common with dental practices in Sarasota, Florida, whether or not the patient has dental insurance. Many patients are used to going to medical practices and just walking out and waiting for a bill from their MD, minus whatever Medicare or their medical insurance pays, and then they pay the difference to the doctor.

Dental insurance is very different for many reasons – read our Blog “It’s Not Really Insurance” for more info on that. Most patients have only partial reimbursement for the services covered by their dental insurance plan. Most dental insurance policies have a maximum benefit, usually less than $2000 per year, which cannot be exceeded regardless of the needs or wants of the patient. That being said, Smile Sarasota is what is called a ‘Fee for Service’ practice, which simply means you pay for your treatment when it is rendered. In other words, if you consent to any dental procedures, it is your responsibility to pay on the day of service. It is the responsibility of the dental insurance carrier (a third party) to reimburse you directly for the portion of the procedure that is covered. The actual contract is between you, as the employee or retired employee (and the employer) and the insurance company. Many patients make the mistake of believing that the contract is between the dentist and the insurance company, and this is where misunderstanding begins. What you must understand is that a dental plan offered by your employer is merely meant to assist you in paying for the dental treatment that you require. The actual level of coverage that you have will depend on what is decided by you and/or your employer or union.

Please know that we are are a non-restricted practice and we work with all insurance companies who allow you to choose any dentist. (This is called PPO insurance). We are happy to file insurance claims for you – we file electronically, immediately, in most cases, and you can expect your reimbursement usually within a couple of weeks. As a matter of fact, it is now recommended that dentists do not accept direct payment (assignment) from insurance companies for many reasons. In addition to this, many companies and plans are now sending reimbursement to the patients anyway, regardless of whether or not the claim was assigned to the dentist or not. Sometimes we receive a check from an insurance company in error even though the patient has already paid in full and we have indicated on the claim form that this is the case. When this happens, we promptly return the check to the insurance company and ask that they send the check directly to YOU!

If you are unsure of your dental insurance coverage, we will be more than happy to contact your insurer and gain information as to exactly what is or is not a benefit. We can even submit pre-determinations or estimates of required future treatment and get a response of insurance responsibility for reimbursement to the patient, prior to treatment. Keep in mind that this is usually subject to a yearly maximum benefit amount and the year does not always begin on January 1. Also, Medicare does not pay for dental treatment unless you have a supplemental plan.

Ultimately it is your responsibility to understand your coverage and to pay for your dental work at the time it is rendered. If cost is a major concern, talk to us about it! We offer CareCredit and can assist you with the application process. They offer a no-interest plan if paid in full within six or twelve months. We will always give you a written estimate of your needed treatment before we proceed; and we always offer a 5% discount for any treatment over $1000 if paid by check or cash, which avoids credit card banking fees for us. So if you have any questions about paying for your dental care at Smile Sarasota, or about reimbursement from your dental insurance and how it works, don’t hesitate to call and one of our friendly patient coordinators will be glad to help you.

Sources and Credits: The American Dental Association, The Windsor Star, Dental Economics, Consumer Guide to Dentistry, Theresa Duncan/Odyssey Management

Every day Smile Sarasota hears stories from friends and patients about the different economic dilemmas people are faced with. Dentistry is not immune to them and all too often gets neglected or just placed a little further down on people’s priority lists. We thought it would be helpful to clarify for patients (new and established) that we realize personal circumstances dictate what our patients HAVE to do and not necessarily what they WANT to do when it comes to their dental needs.

Smile Sarasota wants you to have the best dentistry available in as caring a way as possible. We realize that not everyone thinks the same way about the need for dental care. There are those people in crisis or with an emergency problem such as a broken tooth, pain, swelling, or bleeding, who need our immediate help, are at this level. We see emergencies immediately, whenever possible.

Then there are those who choose a level of care only when something breaks or becomes uncomfortable. Generally people at this level expect a limited type of examination, focusing on obvious problems. They usually want to correct immediate problems with as little effort as possible. While Dr. Still will always recommend the best overall treatment for you, he understands that sometimes patients can only focus on one thing at a time.

Some patients want a thorough examination and take an active part in the treatment and prevention of present and future disease problems. However, they usually choose repair solutions that are short range in nature.

Most of our patients choose to have a thorough examination. However, they decide on a plan to formulate a long-term treatment plan for health and repair. These patients are very concerned about treating the causes of dental disease, not simply the effects. These patients want all dental treatment provided to be completed in the most long lasting fashion as possible. They visit us for teeth cleanings and exams at least three times per year and are quick to accept what is recommended to keep them healthy.

Then there are the ‘look your best patients’. People in this category are long-term with regard to dental health but also want to look their best at all times. They know that their smile is the first thing others notice about them and want to put their best foot forward. Smile Sarasota provides full mouth reconstruction and cosmetic dentistry of all types.

We hope these levels of care make sense to you. It is not uncommon for people to begin at one level and progress to another over time, through patient education and as finances permit, and realize that they want healthy teeth and gums for life. We offer CareCredit to assist with financing as well as discounts for paying by check or cash.

We are here to help you discover and decide at what level you are most comfortable. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and provide you with the best dentistry in Sarasota that is appropriate for you! Call today and set up a consultation with Dr. Still!

Gillespie Park in Sarasota, Florida is an up-and-coming place! A recent Smile Sarasota Blog focused on The Rosemary District and the old Ringling Shopping Center in downtown Sarasota, but we would be remiss if we didn’t discuss Gillespie Park!

Gillespie Park has become one of Sarasota’s great places to live for young professionals and retirees and empty-nesters. With its great neighborhood feel, large trees, charming architecture and downtown location convenient to all the of Sarasota’s amenities, Gillespie Park’s popularity is exploding. Nestled between Fruitville Road, 10th Street, U.S. 301 and Orange Avenue, the subdivision consists of old bungalows, cottages and Spanish-style townhouses, many of them dating to the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s. A good number have been refurbished and renovated, or are in the process. With its lush vegetation and stately pines and oak trees providing a shady canopy, Gillespie Park has a distinctly Old Florida feeling.

So here’s a bit of history! Gillespie Park honors John Hamilton Gillespie, first mayor of Sarasota. This land was part of the town’s experimental farm and when that failed due to poor soil, Gillespie laid out a golf course in 1886. After the turn of the century, the subdivision was platted for residential use. The real estate boom of the 1920s brought a wave of new inhabitants, and the neighborhood was named after Gillespie, who had arrived in town as one of the Scottish immigrants, built a hotel on Main Street and served as the city’s first mayor.

A focal point of the Gillespie Park neighborhood is the historic park named after Gillespie. The city created the park on 10 acres of undeveloped land purchased for that purpose in 1924. Gillespie Park was developed with special emphasis on recreation for children and, in 1926, won an award in the National Playground Beautification Contest. An oasis of trees and green open space, Gillespie Park now provides tennis courts, picnic pavilion, playground recreational facilities, and features a lovely meandering pond.

Smile Sarasota is right around the corner, serving the dental needs of Downtown Sarasota, The Rosemary District AND Gillespie Park. So if you are new to Sarasota need a great dentist in Sarasota convenient to the downtown area, we are here for you!

Sources and Credits: SRQecoseeker.com, Activerain.com, Sarasota Herald Tribune, Sarasotagov.com

Everyone wants to be seen on time; it is simply human nature to not want to be kept waiting.  At Smile Sarasota it is always our goal to be prompt so that any waiting is minimized. Sometimes, however, our best intentions don’t go as planned  It is not unusual to have multiple patients call every day with severe toothaches, broken teeth, or swollen tissue, as well as assorted other dental problems. But even so, we rarely keep you waiting here at Smile Sarasota. We strive to adhere as much as possible being a “Wait-Free Practice”.

Waiting too long in is often perceived as a violation of our right to manage and control our time. We live in one of the most individualistic cultures in the world, which means we want what we want — and we want it now. And it is getting much worse as our expectations of immediate gratification are growing. The fact is, people hate waiting. Whether at the post office or in a dentist’s office, the longer the wait, the lower the chance that a customer—or in this case, our patient—will leave satisfied.

Every one of us feels a high level of anxiety when we are made to wait.  In grocery stores, we jockey back and forth to the line we think is moving the fastest and easily get frustrated when we choose the “slow” line.  When driving, we will swerve across multiple lanes of traffic to avoid a line at a toll booth or to position ourselves in the lane that we think will get us to our destination the fastest.  Even in elevators, we hate waiting so much that we push the “door close” button so often that those buttons typically have a different shine than all other buttons on the elevator panel because of the disparate use of that one button. Smile Sarasota understands.

We value you and we respect your time. The single most stressful event we encounter daily is keeping a patient waiting.  Smile Sarasota really strives to keep waiting to a minimum, so if you have been kept waiting more than ten minutes in the past, please accept our sincerest apologies.  It will always be our goal to treat all of our patients as we would want to be treated.

As most of you know, many of the staff at Smile Sarasota has lived in Sarasota for many years, and our dental office has been at its downtown Sarasota location at Ringling Boulevard for almost 25 years. This area has seen many changes over the decades. For a very long time, we used to shop at the Publix and eat lunch at the restaurants across the street at the Ringling Shopping Center. For now, at least we can still park under a tree and ‘brown bag it’ in the parking lot. It’s a little sad for those of us who remember the good ‘ol days.

In 1955, the excitement around town was the opening of Sarasota’s first shopping center on Ringling Boulevard.  The Ringling Shopping Center with Publix Supermarket as its anchor, opened for business on what had been a golf driving range. The first stores in the center were Beauteria Beauty Shop, Belk-Lindsey, Coach Butterfield Toys, Center Shoe Repair, Jimmy Crews Barber Shop, Crowders Bros. Hardware, Darby Cleaners, Diana Shops, Grants Sweet Shop, the S&H Stamp Reception Center, Touchton Rexall Drug Store and F.W. Woolworth.

By the end of the 1950’s, Sarasota shoppers had two major shopping centers to take their business to. The second shopping center, South Gate, opened in 1957, commerce shifted away from downtown and the once lively downtown area went into a downward spiral.  Except for some cosmetic upgrades and changes in the stores though, the Ringling Shopping Center remained as is had always been until 2010. Publix moved to it’s Tamiami Trail location in the former Sarasota Herald Tribune Building and tentative plans were made to open a neighborhood Walmart at the old Ringling Shopping Center location. Those plans were rejected in 2013 and our little shopping center is now mostly vacant. But the good news is that the Sarasota Downtown has revived into a very vibrant destination to live, work and play. As for the Ringling Shopping Center, we still enjoy our bag lunches and our happy memories of times gone by. Maybe someday that little former gem of a shopping center will be revived. In the meantime, Smile Sarasota is going strong serving downtown Sarasota and will celebrate 25 years this year.

 

Credits: Jeff LaHurd, Sarasota Patch, The Observer

From time to time we ask our patients to review our practice or fill out a survey about their experience in our office. Most surveys have check boxes and most businesses are happy when the customer checks the ‘Satisfied’ checkbox. At Smile Sarasota, we believe in reaching higher and making you feel not only satisfied – we want to exceed your expectations and make you feel special.

It’s sad to say but most people actually come into a dental office expecting the doctor to be running late in getting to them. They expect problems with their bill. They expect difficulty in getting appointments convenient to their schedule or a host of expectations. Smile Sarasota goes to great lengths to assure that these things don’t happen in our office.

Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos described exceptional customer service this way: “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.”  “WOW” customer service is about exceeding patient expectations, going the extra mile, and doing all the little things that add up to an overwhelming positive experience.

It’s not just about teeth. Dentistry is a relationship business. Demonstrating a strong commitment to customer service, education and home care, results in patient appreciation of the interest the dental team has in their well-being rather than simply treating problems. When patients recognize that Smile Sarasota is not only focused on prevention and at-home oral health care, but on you as a person, they will more likely partner with our practice for a lifetime of excellent oral health care. We want to give you WOW service!

So if you feel we have reached higher and have exceeded your expectations, please refer your friends to us! And it would mean so much to us if you posted a Review on Google or FaceBook, or even just a quick email and let us know that we ‘WOW’D’ you!

Post a Google Review

Like us / Review us on Facebook

Email Smile Sarasota

 

At Smile Sarasota, the reason we continuously put effort into our work and strive to provide the best service is because of YOU. Our patients are the reason that we get up every morning and the reason that we are always smiling. It’s hard not to love your job when you have patients as amazing as ours. We want you to know how much we appreciate you, so here are a few of the reasons why we think you’re the best!

You are always there to make us laugh!
Through all of the daily struggles, our patients are always there with a smile on their face. Somehow, in the midst of everything, you are able to not only provide happiness for yourself, but even our staff and we thank you for that.

We have built a relationship on trust.

Our patients have decided to place their trust in Dr. Still and the staff at Smile Sarasota and we do not take that lightly. We aim to provide you with dental care and results that ensure you that you are in the right hands. We can’t thank you enough for trusting us to take care of your dental needs.

You remain loyal to us.

From Dr. Still and our staff to you, you have remained loyal and come back several times a year for your checkups and it is wonderful to have patients that remain loyal…and with time, turn into friends!

You spread the word about Smile Sarasota!

Our patients are not afraid to share information and have continuously spread the word about our office. We have been able to grow and meet new patients with your help. Thank you to all of our Smile Sarasota patients! We are so happy to have the opportunity to serve you.

Studies have repeatedly shown that doing good deeds for others is good for the soul. In fact, everyone can benefit from doing something to improve another person’s way of life. Donating to worthy causes can benefit the givers as much as the receivers! Smile Sarasota does this in two ways – we support a number of local charities, and we award monthly gift certificates to small, local businesses.

Our Charities:

• Humane Society of Sarasota County
• Vintage Paws
• Southeastern Guide Dogs
• Senior Friendship Center
• Save our Seabirds
• Day of Hope (Free dental exams for under-privileged children)
• Project Christmas Smile (Free dental treatment for needy adults and children)

We have found that the greatest benefit of our business supporting the local charities is the feeling we get from giving back to others. You have the power as a community to make a difference. We’re nothing without our community, therefore, we believe that it is extremely important for us to do everything we can to support those in need, both human and four-legged fur babies!

Our Support of Local, Small Businesses

• Café in the Park
• Social Eatery
• Uniquity Jewelry

Smile Sarasota believes that the local businesses where we live, work and play, should be supported. At this time, our patients can enter into a monthly drawing in our office and win a $50 Gift Certificate to our ‘Local Business of the Month’. Local businesses give a community its flavor, and are so very worthy and appreciative of our support.

The best part about the supporting local businesses and charities – it feels good! We should all leave this world a better place.

We all know that a dentist must first and foremost, be a doctor of medical dentistry, combined with artistic and engineering abilities…but who knew Dr. Still can also juggle! He was called upon to demonstrate his amazing skills at Circus Sarasota recently. Great job, Doc!

See more photos of Dr. Still’s performance on our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/SmileSarasota

Learn more about Circus Sarasota here: https://www.facebook.com/circussarasota

FOCUS ON OUR  SMILE SARASOTA TEAM – PART 3

In the dental office, the dentist and the dental hygienist work together to meet the oral health needs of our patients. Dental hygienists are licensed by the Department of Health / Florida Board of Dentistry and are required to complete Continuing Education courses on a regular basis.  One of the most enjoyable aspects of their job is working with people. Their personal fulfillment comes from providing a valuable health care service while establishing trusting relationships with our patients. As a result of their education and clinical training in a highly skilled discipline, they are respected as valued members of our team. Both Claire and Ann love dental hygiene and making a difference in patients’ oral health for overall health. They love the relationships they have established with our patients They are dedicated to helping patients maintain good oral health and preventing dental disease. The primary functions are:

• remove calculus and plaque (hard and soft deposits) above and below the gum line
• Periodontal Therapy (deep scaling)
• Assess and chart the teeth and oral structures
• Taking dental radiographs
• provide oral hygiene instructions
• provide dietary analysis and counseling services
• apply cavity-prevention agents, such as fluoride and sealants

By providing essential preventive dental care, our hygienists make it possible for our doctors to focus on other complex and specialized dental procedures.  Dental hygienists play a vital collaborative and auxiliary role in dentistry to ensure the highest and most comprehensive and efficient level of oral health care for all  of our patients.

Here are short bios on both of our wonderful hygienists:

Claire has over 20 years of dental experience and has been with our office since 1998. She started her career as a receptionist for a periodontist, and also worked as an office manager for both endodontic and general practices. After time away to raise their three sons, she went to dental hygiene school and graduated in 1997. Claire’s hobbies are fishing with her husband and working out.

Ann relocated from Queens, New York in 1998 after receiving her Master’s degree in Health Education from NYU. She has been in dentistry for over 35 years, four as a Certified Dental Assistant and then as a Registered Dental Hygienist. When she first arrived in Florida in 1998, she was the Program Director for the Dental Assisting Program at Charlotte County Vo-Tech Center. In 2000, Ann returned to clinical dental hygiene, practicing in cosmetic dental offices in Sarasota. Ann’s hobbies are cooking and marathon running.