Former Patient Purchases Practice, Opens New Pediatric Dentistry In Middletown

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Sweet Tooth Pediatric Dentistry recently celebrated its grand opening under the ownership of Dr. Erica Pitera, who is following in the footsteps of her mentor Dr. Patricia Carta, who passed away this past September at the age of 62.

Pitera purchased the existing pediatric dental practice Patricia A. Carta, DMD, located at 583 Saybrook Road in Middletown, where she was a former patient of Carta’s (known as Dr. Pat to her patients) since the age of 3. She also received her orthodontic treatment from the same office.

Carta was the initial inspiration for Pitera to follow the path to becoming a pediatric dentist. After graduating from the UConn School of Dental Medicine, Pitera performed her Pediatric Dental residency at Columbia University - New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Erica Pitera / Contributed photo

Pitera, who grew up in Cromwell, decided to move back to Connecticut to be close to her family and serve her surrounding communities.

Shortly after Carta reached out to Pitera about becoming an associate in her practice, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Carta stopped working to begin chemotherapy.

Pitera was working at a pediatric dental practice in Newington at the time, but she tried to help out by working one day a week at Dr. Pat's practice.

After a few months, Pitera moved full-time to working at Patricia A. Carta, DMD.

After chemotherapy, a failed bone marrow transplant, and a second bone marrow transplant, Carta seemed to be getting stronger and healthier every day.

Dr. Pat and Pitera had still not worked a single day together, but they began discussing the future of the practice, as they would be working side-by-side and Pitera would gradually buy into the ownership.

Sadly, Dr. Pat's recovery took an unexpected turn and she passed away in September 2016. It was a shock to her family, her staff, and her beloved patients, and Pitera was now asked to purchase the practice outright in February 2017.

Pitera is now continuing on the 30-plus years of pediatric dental tradition forged by Dr. Pat.

Pitera's new practice is called Sweet Tooth Pediatric Dentistry, which is inspired by her “sweet tooth.”

Pitera is an avid baker and started a baking blog in her first year of dental school called Erica's Sweet Tooth.

Although it's quite ironic to be a dentist who loves to bake, Pitera has always chosen baking as a means of artistic expression and stresses the balance of good oral hygiene with a sweet treat every now and then. She chose the name "Sweet Tooth" for her new practice as a playful title that reflects the sweetness of her patients as well as her other passion outside dentistry.

Visit the Sweet Tooth Pediatric Dentistry website here.

Pictured: Dr. Eric Pitera with patient Lily Fleming / Contributed photo