TL;DR
Stone Falls Dental Care is a family, cosmetic and implant dental practice led by Dr. Carleigh Prane, based on Frank Scott Parkway in O’Fallon, Illinois, since 2004. Our aim is what the practice calls “dental health care” rather than “disease care”: thorough exams, oral cancer screening, X-rays only when they’re needed, and a review of your medical history so problems are found while they’re small. Treatment is planned as a whole and kept conservative. Instruments and rooms are handled to ADA, OSHA and CDC sterilization standards.
What does “dental health care” mean at Stone Falls Dental Care?
It means we spend our effort keeping teeth and gums healthy, so there is less disease to treat later. The practice has put it plainly for years: “We strive to provide ‘dental health care’ vs. ‘disease care’.”
In the chair, that looks like a careful exam of every tooth and the gums around it, an oral cancer screening, and X-rays taken when the exam calls for them rather than by habit. Cleanings, sealants, fluoride and good habits at home do most of the quiet work of prevention, and we talk through all of them with you. None of it is complicated, and over the years it adds up.
We also ask about your health at your visits. New medications, a recent diagnosis or a change in how you feel can all affect your mouth, and knowing about them helps us plan care that is safe for you.
How is treatment planned here?
Treatment is planned as a whole, with the most conservative option that will last considered first. Before anything is recommended, Dr. Prane looks at how your teeth, gums and bite work together, so a single filling or crown fits into a longer view of your mouth.
When restorative or cosmetic work is the right answer, it is sequenced so you understand what comes first, what can wait and why. The practice handles everything from routine checkups to porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges and implant-supported restorations. You can read about the training behind that work on Dr. Prane’s background and credentials.
Planning this way also helps with cost. When you can see the whole picture, you can decide with Dr. Prane what to do now and what to schedule later, and our coordinators can line treatment up with your insurance benefits.
If something breaks or starts to hurt between visits, call us. We make every effort to see an emergency as soon as possible.
What sterilization standards does the office follow?
Our sterilization and cross-contamination procedures follow the standards set by the American Dental Association, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In practice, every reusable instrument goes through cleaning and sterilization before it is used on the next patient, disposable items are used once, and the chair and counters are wiped down with disinfectant between appointments. Those routines are the same for a six-month cleaning as for a crown appointment.
In 2020 the practice also upgraded the air itself, adding UVC lamps to the heating and cooling ducts and HEPA air purifiers to each clinical and office space. The details are on our page about office safety and clean air.
Where is the office, and who comes to see us?
Our home is Suite A at 4945 Stone Falls Center, along Frank Scott Parkway in O’Fallon, Illinois. The practice has served the Metro East and the wider St. Louis area from here since 2004.
Patients come to us from O’Fallon and from Fairview Heights, Shiloh, Swansea, Belleville, Collinsville and Scott Air Force Base, among many other communities. Families often bring several generations to the same office, and military families make up an important part of the practice.
Hours, phone numbers and directions are on the contact page.