Dr. Klugman stays invigorated and maintains his love of dentistry by staying current with new materials and techniques. He attends meetings and continuing education classes, accumulating as much as 8 times the number of hours that the state requires. He follows his special interests in dentistry by maintaining memberships and attending meetings of a number of dental organizations. As a result of his achievements in dental implants, he was awarded a Fellowship by the International College of Oral Implantologists.

Dr. Klugman is one of approximately 500 dentists in California with the university training, experience, and testing to hold California sedation permit. The office and staff must be periodically inspected and tested to have a permit. We are proud to meet or exceed the requirements. He is the only general dentist in Monterey County to hold that permit.

His experience and willingness to share his expertise has made him faculty at Dental Boot Kamp, a Distinguished Mentor for the Center for Restorative Excellence in Seattle, a mentor for the Dental Organization for Oral Conscious Sedation. He was appointed by the Dental Board of California to serve on the Blue Ribbon Committee on Anesthesia. He is an expert consultant for the dental board, and a regional consultant for Delta Dental.

Dr. Klugman is a strong believer in community involvement. He is currently a feeding show diver for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, diving every other Friday afternoon. He has also served on many boards including the Jaycees, the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, the California International Air show, the Colmo parade, and the Monterey County S.P.C.A. He is a past-president and past member-of-the-year of the Monterey Bay Dental Society, as well as a past member of the governing body of the California Dental Association.

He lives in Salinas with his wife of more than 25 years. They have two grown sons. He has traveled extensively throughout the Pacific, shooting video of underwater life and shipwrecks. He also does feeding shows at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. His wife, Genevieve, is a dental hygienist. She served for 9 years on the Dental Board of California both as a member and secretary.

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Dr. Christina Bianco received her undergraduate education at Northern Illinois University, where she received as B.S. degree. While in school she did laboratory research in immunology. She went on to receive her dental degree at Southern Illinois University. Her years of post-graduate education have had a special emphasis in children, and the prevention and treatment of gum disease. She has special interests in cosmetic procedures, like tooth-colored fillings, bleaching, veneers and closing spaces in front teeth. She has spent many hours working on decay prevention programs with children in public schools. Dr. Bianco was born and raised in Chicago. Her parents emigrated from Hungary and she speaks fluent Hungarian. She enjoys fitness, travel (especially to Hawaii), reading, cooking, entertaining, and collecting Limoges boxes. She is a member of the Monterey Bay Dental Society, the California Dental Association, the American Dental Association, Seattle Study Club, and the American Association of Women Dentists. Dr. Bianco lives in Salinas with her husband, also a dentist, and their two sons ages four and nine.

The Office

The office is a state of the-art-facility where new technologies are routinely incorporated. It has been used as an example throughout the country as a model for efficiency and esthetics. Actually, it is a work in progress with technology and décor evolving. The new visitor will probably first notice the 240 gallon salt-water aquarium built into the wall. You will be greeted by a team member genuinely glad to see you. Their goal is to make you feel cared for and comfortable.

It is not unusual to see the office seasonally decorated, sometimes with things the office team made. In October, you may see pumpkins decorated for the season. In the spring you may find ornately decorated eggs. Patients are encouraged to join in the fun by voting for the best one. The winning team member has bragging rights for a year. We take what we do seriously, but keep the office environment lighthearted.

What you won’t see is the many hours the office team spends in continuing education to sharpen their dental skills. You may not notice that everyone is current in CPR and Dr. Klugman is current with Advanced Cardiac Life Support. In addition, the office has rehearsals for medical emergencies we hope will never happen. There is a defibrillator, positive pressure oxygen, other instruments, and drugs to deal with that possibility. They are there because we think we should have them, and we care.

Safety is a primary concern, and so is your comfort. A patient may be given a blanket if they are cold. They can be given a pillow if they need neck support in the dental chair, or perhaps a pillow under the knees. They can be given headphones to listen to the radio and block out noise. They can also use headphones to watch a movie on the TV. There is one in every room. Some patients prefer to watch their own movie during dental treatment with our video glasses.

Everyone wants a light-handed dentist and hygienist, and for some anxious patients genuine concern and reassurance is all that is needed. Others might find nitrous oxide takes the edge off. Some patients will take a sedative pill. They will be aware of their appointment but relaxed. We can achieve a deeper level of sedation with pills using a technique that we helped pioneer. IV sedation or general anesthesia can also be provided. We are never judgmental about a person’s dental anxiety; the patient and the doctor together decide the best way to accomplish their dental care.

Our desire is to form long term relationships. We want to know your family, and to see the kids grow up. We want to help our patients keep their teeth and achieve lasting dental and overall health. If we can create a cosmetic improvement, it is a special treat. Improving a patient’s smile is especially rewarding for us. Emergencies are always taken care of first, but our usual approach is more comprehensive. We want to treat each person uniquely, the way they want to be treated. Commonly, people tell use they have never had a dental examination like ours before, or our kind of compassionate treatment.

If you are looking for a dental office that is more like a dental home, give us a call today.

Gary Klugman DDS and Christina Bianco DDS
In Salinas California and the surrounding
Monterey - Marina - Seaside - Soledad CA areas.