Convenient Access from Uptown Westerville
Short answer: about 10 minutes. Pure Smiles is roughly 3.8 miles southeast of the Westerville Public Library, so anyone who wants a dentist near Uptown Westerville can stay inside the same city for checkups, repairs and urgent visits. The trip follows one main road for most of the way and never merges onto an interstate.
Start at the library at 126 S State St and head south on State Street, which doubles as SR 3. Past the I-270 interchange the same road changes its name to Westerville Road; follow it to Dempsey Road, turn left and run east to Sunbury Road. One more left brings you to 1245 S Sunbury Rd #201, Westerville, OH 43081, right at the Dempsey Road corner, with Inniswood Metro Gardens a short way northwest. Patients from Sharon Woods and Huber Ridge share parts of this same drive.
A Same-City Dental Office for Uptown Westerville
Uptown Westerville is the city's historic downtown, the business district that lines State Street in Franklin County. It is a neighborhood of Westerville rather than a separate town, and our office sits within the same city limits on the southeast side. That keeps everything simple: one city, one straight road, no highway ramps.
The blocks around the library carry a lot of history. The Uptown Westerville Historic District joined the National Register in 2019, and its oldest building is the 1852 Stoner stagecoach stop and inn. The Holmes Hotel, the Weyant Block and the Masonic Lodge still frame the street, and State Street itself once carried the old 3-C Highway between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.
The wider city sits between Alum Creek and Big Walnut Creek, with I-71 and I-270 along its edges and downtown Columbus about 16 miles away by interstate. Uptown Westerville is the historic heart of the city, while our office is on the southeast side, a short distance north of Big Walnut Creek. Most of the drive between the two is one familiar road you already use for errands.
Westerville was once called the "Dry Capital of the World" after the Anti-Saloon League moved its national headquarters here in 1909. The Westerville Public Library shares its address with the Westerville History Museum, which keeps that story alive on the site of the old headquarters. Our route starts from that building because nearly everyone in town knows where it is.
People who live above a storefront, run a shop or teach a class in Uptown Westerville tend to want a dentist who respects a working day. We open at 8 AM Monday through Thursday and close at 5 PM Monday through Wednesday and at 4 PM on Thursday. Friday visits are arranged by appointment, which helps when a weekday shift leaves only one free morning.
What Otterbein Students and Uptown Westerville Neighbors Should Know
Otterbein University's campus sits inside Uptown Westerville, and plenty of its students live hours from the dentist who knew them growing up. Waiting for winter break to deal with a sore wisdom tooth or a cracked filling rarely works out well. A local office ten minutes down State Street lets a student keep a regular cleaning schedule during the school year and get an aching tooth looked at quickly.
New patients with an urgent problem can use our $29 limited emergency exam and x-ray, which covers an evaluation and a clear plan for what comes next. It is for new patients only and cannot be combined with other offers. Digital x-rays keep that first look quick, and the images are ready to review on screen while you are still in the chair.
Wisdom teeth are the classic college-age problem. When there is not enough room for them, removal is often the healthier choice, and the visit can be paired with nitrous oxide or conscious sedation. Nitrous wears off within minutes, while the conscious sedation pill means a roommate or friend needs to drive you home.
Long-time residents of Uptown Westerville face a different set of questions, often about worn crowns, an old bridge or a missing back tooth. When a tooth cannot be saved, our page on who qualifies for dental implants explains how bone health and general health shape the options. Your dentist reviews those factors with you before any treatment is planned.
Not every worn tooth needs a big fix. Curodont can help repair very early decay without drilling, and a cracked tooth that does need a crown can often get a permanent CEREC crown in a single visit. For Uptown Westerville residents who would rather not make three trips for one tooth, that difference counts.
Five Services From Your Dentist Near Uptown Westerville
General Dentistry
Cleanings, x-rays, exams and tooth-colored fillings form the base of care, and every checkup includes an oral cancer screening. An intraoral camera lets you see the same close-up view your dentist sees.
Extractions
Crowded wisdom teeth and teeth damaged beyond repair are the usual reasons for removal. Our dentists numb the area, offer sedation for nervous patients and talk through replacement options afterward.
Invisalign
Clear aligners straighten teeth without brackets, which suits students and professionals who present in class or at work. Several of our dentists hold Invisalign certification or clear aligner training.
Cosmetic Dentistry
In-office whitening, bonding and veneers can brighten a smile before graduation photos, an interview or a big night out. We talk through goals and budget before recommending anything.
Root Canals
A deep infection does not have to cost you the tooth. Root canal therapy clears the damaged pulp, seals the tooth and finishes with a filling or crown.
Most Uptown Westerville patients start with a cleaning and exam, then add treatment only as the x-rays and exam call for it. That first visit gives you a full picture of your teeth and gums, written in plain language, before you decide anything.
Meet Your Westerville Dentists
Dr. Meghan O'Shaughnessy grew up in Youngstown, studied at Miami University and earned her DDS at The Ohio State University in 2023; she is Invisalign certified. Dr. Alia Yossef, a College of Wooster biology graduate who finished cum laude at Ohio State's dental college, focuses on preventive and restorative care, extractions and clear aligners. Between them, a student with crowded wisdom teeth or a shop owner wanting straighter teeth has a familiar face from the first visit on.
Insurance & Financing
Students on a family plan and Uptown employees alike can use most PPO coverage here, including Delta Dental, Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, Guardian and Tricare. Our team estimates your share before treatment and files the claim for you. Sunbit and CareCredit can spread a larger bill over time, and Visa and MasterCard are accepted at the desk.
What Our Customers Say
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Pure Smiles from Uptown Westerville, and how do I get there?
Pure Smiles is about 3.8 miles from the Westerville Public Library, roughly a 10-minute drive. Take State Street (SR 3) south until it becomes Westerville Road, then go east on Dempsey Road to Sunbury Road. For a dentist near Uptown Westerville, it is a single surface-street trip that ends at the Dempsey Road corner.
How can I keep coffee and tea from staining my teeth?
A few habits help a lot. Drink coffee or tea in one sitting rather than sipping all morning, rinse with water afterward and keep up regular cleanings, which polish away surface stains. If stains remain after a cleaning, a comprehensive smile exam lays out the cosmetic options that suit your teeth and your goals.
Can college students become patients while they are away from their family dentist?
Yes, students are welcome as new patients. A student can keep cleanings on track here during the school year and still see a home dentist on breaks. Bring your insurance card, even if the plan belongs to a parent, and our team will check the coverage and file the claim so you know your share before treatment.
Does a cracked tooth always have to be pulled?
No, many cracked teeth can be saved. A small crack may only need a crown to hold the tooth together, while a crack that reaches the nerve may need a root canal first. Extraction is usually reserved for a split that runs below the gumline, so seeing the dentist early gives the tooth a better chance.
Are Friday visits available for people who work Uptown shifts?
Yes, Fridays are available by appointment. Regular hours run 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Wednesday and 8 AM to 4 PM on Thursday. For shop owners and restaurant staff along State Street, an 8 AM weekday slot or a pre-arranged Friday can make a cleaning fit around the shifts they already have.
Schedule Your Visit from Uptown Westerville
If you need a dentist near Uptown Westerville, call 614-721-6398 and our front desk will find a time that fits your week. Browse every neighborhood we serve on our areas we serve page, or visit our main Dentist Westerville, OH page for the full list of services.