May 26, 2002

Dear Dr. Markus,

I have wanted to write this letter for a very long time. I suppose it's better late than never, especially when it's so deserving.

By nature, I am a pretty optimistic person. I believe that good things, often times, can come from bad situations. That is exactly what happened a while back.

Excruciating tooth pain, which eventually led to a root canal, was definitely the last thing that I wanted, but it was truly a blessing in disguise. I've always heard horror stories about the dreaded root canal but you made sure that I was comfortable and as pain-free as possible. The amazing part of it all was the tooth itself. It matched the real tooth, just opposite of it, exactly.

I thought to myself, if he puts this much painstaking effort into the esthetics of a tooth no one will ever see, I can only imagine the perfection level he'd strive for with teeth that are totally visible. At that moment, I knew you were the dentist for me.

In 1989, I had porcelain veneers placed on some teeth, for specific reasons by a prominent Philadelphia cosmetic dentist. I was not satisfied with the results. He was unable to achieve the esthetics and various bite corrections I desired. To make matters worse, the veneers were too thick and my tongue placement was getting inhibited. I've never had a speech impediment in my whole life, unless you are counting my South Philly accent. So after 11 years with them, I had enough.

When I began the veneer process with you, I was extremely confident that I'd be happy with them. Well, one could only imagine my surprise when they not only met but surpassed my expectations. They look and feel unbelievably natural. My bite was corrected and my speech is back to normal (South Philly accent is totally intact).

For anyone who thinks that any dentist can create a healthy and great smile, think again! I watched a special about dentistry on the Health Channel. They were praising the work of a dentist from Atlanta. He's known as "The Father of Cosmetic Dentistry". After viewing his before and after collection, let's just say, I'm glad he's in Atlanta. Well he may be the "Father of Cosmetic Dentistry", but you are the "Mother of all Dentists". You're even good enough to make "All-Madden".

You've earned these titles through your actions, words and ultimately the incredible results you give.

There can be no denying that you must love what you do. You possess the same passion and excitement you'd expect from a newly graduated student just beginning his/her practice. If this is your energy level after 25 years in dentistry, you must have been a maniac when you first started out!

It's a very difficult task to be an easy-going and approachable doctor and at the same time maintain your professionalism but you have mastered it beautifully.

Your office, receptionists, hygienists and assistants are incredibly warm and friendly. They go the extra mile to accommodate your needs.

Dr. Phillips, who typically treats my children, couldn't be sweeter or more informative. The fact that I could tell the kids that they've got a dental appointment and they jump into the car without fear or anxiety, says it all.

I've never met Dr. Scott, but I wouldn't doubt that he is equally as wonderful.

In closing, I feel very fortunate that my family and I are patients of your "too good to be true" "Stepford" practice.

Gratefully yours,

Karen Di Lullo


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