Collins Dental
by Kevin Fritz
Over the past 23 years, Collins Dental in Winter Springs has become synonymous with five-star service, rooted in a community-oriented culture established by Dr. F.H. Collins III, who opened his practice in 2003. That culture of caring has led to steady growth of the practice and its loyal client base.
Now home to 47 employees, six of whom are dentists, the practice has grown to encompass two buildings on tree-lined Canton Cove. Its largest facility, which opened in 2017, houses 10 treatment rooms, while the fully remodeled original location across the street has six treatment rooms.
The practice provides a full scope of dentistry, treating patients of all ages throughout Central Florida.
“Our goal is to provide an exceptional and unrivaled dental experience for each patient,” says Dr. Collins, “giving them the confidence to smile proudly and function without pain.”
A recent addition to the practice’s services is IV sedation dentistry, led by Dr. Collin Wietfeldt. Collins Dental is one of the few certified IV sedation practices in the area.
“We believe fear should never stand between the patient and their health,” says Dr. Wietfeldt. “If someone is avoiding going to the dentist to improve their smile, replace missing teeth, or eliminate pain due to anxiety or fear, we have a solution that will work for them.”
In addition, he says, the sedation option works well for patients who want to have multiple dental procedures done at once or for those with a sensitive gag reflex.
A Community-Minded Practice
At Collins Dental, the team cares about its community as well as its patients. With that in mind, Dr. Collins has established several initiatives to help others:
The practice’s annual Smiles from the Heart free dental day offers anyone without access to dental care complimentary extractions, cleanings, and fillings. Collins Dental’s 14th annual Smiles from the Heart will be held on November 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Since 2012, 1,000-plus people have received more than $550,000 worth of free dental care through this give-back initiative.
Recently, the practice began partnering with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to allow veterans who would rather be treated at Collins Dental than the VA dental department to do so. Dr. Collins and Dr. Clayton Little both served in the Navy, and a hygienist and treatment coordinator at the practice are also military veterans.
“We are proud to partner with the VA to care for the veterans who have served our country,” says Dr. Collins. “Because the VA dental department cannot meet the high demand for care on its own, private practice dentists play a vital role. We encourage eligible veterans who need dental work to contact their VA administrator and use this benefit.”
The practice has its own membership plan, the Collins Dental Plan, designed to make dental care accessible to everyone. The plan covers all preventative care, cleanings, exams, and X-rays so patients can stay on top of their oral health, and it includes discounts on certain procedures. The team at Collins Dental believes everyone deserves a healthy, confident smile, without the stress of unexpected costs.
Additionally, the practice assists local high schoolers in a couple of ways. Free, custom bite guards are available for any athlete at no charge. Also, Collins Dental’s scholarship program has provided more than $10,000 over the years to students interested in pursuing careers in health care.
The practice’s focus on the community reflects the kind, compassionate culture practiced daily at Collins Dental.
“The team works very hard to know each patient’s needs and desires,” says Dr. Collins. “We want to put our patients at ease.”