Lima Dental Associates is excited to announce two new additions to our team. Welcome Wesley Shankland, D.D.S., Ph.D. and Director of the TMJ & Facial Pain Center and welcome Dr. Alfred “Duke” Heller, founder of the Midwest Implant Institute. We are thrilled with the wealth of knowledge that both bring to Lima, Spencerville, and New Bremen Dental Associates.
Dr. Wesley Shankland Joins Lima Dental Associates. After serving as a combat medic in the army, Dr. Shankland returned to Ohio State University to graduate from the Ohio State University College of Dentistry in 1978. He also served on the faculty of the College of Dentistry from 1979 until 1984, where he taught courses in clinical endodontics and temporomandibular disorders. Dr. Shankland also holds a Master’s of Science Degree in anatomy from Ohio State University and a Ph.D, also in anatomy. A member of the editorial boards for 15 scientific journals, Dr. Shankland has authored over 110 national and international scientific publications, a manual of head and neck anatomy, and various chapters in fourteen textbooks, along with editing the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Craniofacial Pain for the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain. Dr. Shankland’s best-selling book, TMJ: Its Many Faces (Anadem Publishers), was released in February of 1996, followed by a second edition in October 1998. US News & World Report listed this as “The TMJ book to purchase.” His second pain book, Face the Pain (Aomega Publishers), was released in July of 2000. Shankland’s most recent book is Bioterrorism, You Can Survive. Dr. Shankland is a well-known international lecturer on the subjects of headaches, temporomandibular disorders, or facial pain and anatomy. While in graduate school, he discovered three structures that had never previously been reported in the scientific literature. Dr. Shankland is also a member of many professional organizations, including the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines. Dr. Shankland is Board Certified by the American Board of Craniofacial Pain.
Dr. Alfred “Duke” Heller, founder of the Midwest Implant Institute, has joined Lima Dental Associates and is accepting new dental implant patients. Dr. Heller has placed more than 20,000 implants and lectured on topics regarding all aspects of implant dentistry for over 30 years. His research has advanced the implant surgery field, including completion of two related FDA studies. A graduate of the Ohio State University College of Dentistry in 1962, Dr. Heller also earned a Masters of Science degree from Ohio State in 1974. He is an Honored Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID) and served on the Admissions and Credentials Board of AAID for seven years. Heller is board certified in oral implantology by the American Board of Oral Implantology (ABOI). He also served as president of ABOI and is an active member of the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association and the Columbus Dental Society. In 1980, Dr. Heller founded Transforming Dentistry, an organization that helps the dental community with professional related stresses. He is also on the staff of Grady Memorial Hospital. Dr. Heller has taught “hands-on” dental implant surgery post-graduate classes in eight American Dental Colleges.
About Lima, New Bremen and Spencerville Dental Associates State-of-the-Art Technology; State-of-the-Heart Care. Lima Dental Associates has been open in Lima since 1969, and was purchased in 2004 by Dr. Erik J. Risolvato, General Dentist. New Bremen Dental Associates and Spencerville Dental Associates were purchase in 2012. Nine dentists and a dedicated staff of over 60, including dental hygienists, in-house dental lab specialists, insurance/financing experts, and assistants support the patients and doctors at our practices. Services range from basic dental health and wellness, to implant dentistry, root canal therapy, periodontal disease treatment, crowns, cosmetic dentistry and more.