Hudson Valley Health

The sound of patient laughter surprises visitors to Putnam Dental Associates. “It’s not exactly what you expect to hear in a dental office,” says Dr. Carl Ern, whose practice has been a visible presence in the village of Brewster for over 20 years. “I want to help my patients get healthy, bright smiles in a friendly office in a comfortable setting.” The first step is a free cosmetic exam offered to new patients.
The entire team works in tandem to make patients comfortable through their course of treatment. Dr. Ern is joined by Dr. Vincent Carafelli, five dental assistants, three full-time dental hygienists and three front desk professionals.
A credo of “high tech – high touch” is followed at Putnam Dental where most dental procedures can be done on premises with state-of-the-art equipment. For example, with the CEREC 3D, teeth often do not need to be filed down as much as they would for traditional crowns. Damaged teeth are quickly restored using ceramic material that matches the natural color of the patient’s mouth. Other benefits are that crowns are placed in one visit, there’s no temporary crown and less tooth removal.
Dr Ern is known as one of the area’s leading dentists offering sedation dentistry. This service allows the patient to sleep while their dentistry is done. They awake relaxed with no memory of the procedure. “We’ve had many patients visit us specifically for sedation treatment,” says Dr. Ern. “They are high fear patients; many have had bad childhood dental experiences. Once we’ve helped them get healthy mouths and smiles, they no longer have that fear.”
Another important service Dr. Ern provides at Putnam Dental is implants. Patients missing one or more teeth want replacements that are as natural looking as possible. For those patients who don’t want removeable dentures and those who want single tooth replacement without bridges or drilling down teeth, implants are an option. Implants are permanently anchored into the jaw and have high aesthetic appeal. In order for a patient to qualify for this procedure, Dr. Ern carefully evaluates each patient to make sure their jawbone ridges are in good shape and they have healthy tissues. “With implants,” says Dr. Ern, “patients get a perfect fit and they will look and feel as good, or better than, your original teeth.”
Dr. Ern’s signature treatments also include laser gum procedures, metal free dentistry and Invisalign orthodontics. Many of his patients take advantage of cosmetic dentistry services and “Zoom!” tooth whitening.
A graduate of New York University College of Dentistry, Dr. Ern has continuously pursued advanced training in porcelain veneers, root canal treatment, orthodontics, implant technology and surgical techniques. He is a member of the Putnam County Dental Society, the American Dental Association, the Dental Society of the State of New York, the Academy of General Dentistry, the mid America Orthodontic Society, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation. Married with two sons, Dr. Ern is an avid gardener, mountain biker and photographer.