Three Generations, One Chair: Inside Smith Family Dental Associates' 50-Year East Providence Legacy

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — In an era when dental practices change hands and names with regularity, Smith Family Dental Associates has done something increasingly rare: it has stayed a family business for more than fifty years, passed from a father to the two daughters who grew up watching him practice. Founded by Dr. Robert N. Smith in 1973, the practice is now led by Dr. Michelle Smith-Goncalves and Dr. Nicole Smith-Steckler, who joined in 1994 and 1996 respectively and have spent three decades building on the foundation their father laid. The practice holds a 99 Dental.me Score and a 4.9-star average across 293 patient reviews — numbers that reflect a sustained, decades-long standard of care rather than a recent trend.

A Family Legacy Built on Continuity

Dr. Robert N. Smith's path to East Providence began far from Rhode Island. After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island and his dental degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in 1966, he spent five years practicing dentistry in the United States Air Force before returning home to Rhode Island in 1971, opening Smith Family Dental Associates two years later. He practiced for decades, achieving Fellowship status in the Academy of General Dentistry, before semi-retiring in 1998. That continuity is the quiet engine of the practice's reputation: patients who were treated by Dr. Smith decades ago now bring their children and grandchildren to his daughters. As the practice describes it, "We have many long-term relationships with our patients, some including multi-generations of families, and it is our mission to treat our patients with the same care we treat our families."

Two Daughters, Rigorous Training, One Shared Standard

Dr. Michelle Smith-Goncalves earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester in 1990 before completing her dental degree at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1994. She has served as chairperson of the Committee for New Dentists of Rhode Island and holds memberships in the Rhode Island Dental Association, the Providence Dental Society, the American Dental Association, and the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Nicole Smith-Steckler followed a parallel path with her own distinctions: an undergraduate degree from Union College in 1992 and a dental degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1996, earned with Magna Cum Laude honors. Her academic record includes induction into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honors Society and the Robert Andrews Research Society, along with the Best Scientific Research Presentation award from the George A. Bates Society for laboratory studies on dental materials, and the Quintessence Award in Recognition of Academic Achievement. Both sisters maintain ongoing continuing education to keep pace with advances in restorative and preventive dentistry, a discipline they credit with ensuring patients receive comprehensive, current care.

A Philosophy Rooted in Comfort and Comprehensive Care

The practice's stated approach is to combine technical thoroughness with genuine warmth: comprehensive initial exams that include oral cancer screenings and a photographic "tour" of the mouth, so patients can see and understand exactly what the doctors see. From there, Smith Family Dental Associates offers a full spectrum of general and cosmetic services — tooth-colored composite fillings, dental implants, sealants for children's developing teeth, porcelain veneers and lumineers, crowns, bridges, dentures, root canal therapy, digital X-rays, and customized cleanings calibrated to each patient's individual periodontal measurements. The office also performs microabrasion to resolve surface discoloration and offers full cosmetic smile makeovers for patients seeking a more comprehensive transformation. Dental implants, the practice notes, offer a particularly durable solution to tooth loss because they anchor independently in the jawbone rather than relying on adjacent teeth, functioning and feeling like natural teeth once complete.

The Patient Experience and a Team Built to Last

Walk into Smith Family Dental Associates and the staff roster itself tells a story of loyalty rarely seen in a modern dental office. Hygienist Lisa has been with the practice since 1993. Dental assistant Lynn joined in 1995, and Teresa in 1996. Administrative staffer JoAnn has been part of the team since 2001, the same year hygienist Elia came aboard. This kind of tenure — team members who have spent twenty, twenty-five, even thirty years in the same practice — means patients are often greeted by the same familiar faces visit after visit, year after year, reinforcing the family atmosphere the Smiths set out to build. It is this continuity, as much as any single procedure, that patients consistently point to in the practice's strong review history.

Access, Hours, and a Standing Welcome to New Patients

Smith Family Dental Associates keeps a consistent weekday schedule, open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., giving patients an early-start option well-suited to those heading to work or school afterward. The office is closed on weekends. The practice states plainly that it is "always accepting new patients and are happy to see family and friends of yours," extending the same welcome to newcomers that it has long offered to its multi-generational patient families.

Frequently Asked Questions

What services does Smith Family Dental Associates offer?
The practice provides comprehensive general and cosmetic dentistry, including white and silver fillings, dental implants, sealants, veneers, crowns and bridges, dentures, root canal treatment, digital X-rays, microabrasion, customized cleanings, and full cosmetic smile makeovers.

Who are the dentists at the practice?
The practice is led by Dr. Michelle Smith-Goncalves and Dr. Nicole Smith-Steckler, both Tufts University School of Dental Medicine graduates who joined the practice their father, Dr. Robert N. Smith, founded in 1973.

What are the office hours?
Smith Family Dental Associates is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is closed Saturday and Sunday.

Is the practice accepting new patients?
Yes. The practice describes itself as always accepting new patients and welcomes family and friends of existing patients as well.

What makes dental implants a good option for tooth loss?
Implants function as an artificial tooth root anchored in the jawbone through natural bone growth, so they don't depend on neighboring teeth for support. They are designed to be permanent, stable, and to look and feel like natural teeth, with full treatment typically completed over two to twelve months depending on the case.

How are dental cleanings approached at the practice?
Cleanings are customized to each patient based on measurements taken during a comprehensive initial exam, which the hygiene team then reevaluates at each subsequent visit to track changes in oral health over time.

About Smith Family Dental Associates

Smith Family Dental Associates is a family-owned general dentistry practice in East Providence, Rhode Island, founded by Dr. Robert N. Smith in 1973 and led today by his daughters, Dr. Michelle Smith-Goncalves and Dr. Nicole Smith-Steckler. The practice offers comprehensive preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental services for patients of all ages and holds a 4.9-star average rating across 293 reviews and a 99 Dental.me Score. The office is open Monday through Friday and welcomes new patients.

The verified profile for Smith Family Dental Assoc is available on Dental.me. For more information about Smith Family Dental Assoc, visit smithfamilydental.net.

Verified Dental.me profile: https://dental.me/ri/east-providence/practices/smith-family-dental-assoc-east-providence-ri/
East Providence dentists on Dental.me: https://dental.me/ri/east-providence/
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