Gokulan Thiagarajah brings over two and a half decades of business management experience to Dental Support Group. With his entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Thiagarajah has made dental management a career specialty.

As Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Thiagarajah has created a vision through hands-on experience that helps him to continuously keep Dental Support Group up to par with the ever-changing technological advancements. Recognized industry-wide as one consistently at least one decade ahead of the times, Mr. Thiagarajah built New England Dental Group to the premier dental care provider in the Northeast, bringing to the practice next-level excellence in terms of care, systems, and processes. Now he offers this valuable experience to our client practices.

A respected practitioner for over 25 years, Margarita Panajoti earned her Doctorate of Dental Medicine from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Her memberships include the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and the CEREC Study Club. As Chief Dental Director of Dental Support Group, Dr. Panajoti imbues her philosophy to the professionals of our client practices. As she explains:

“It’s our job to help each patient make the right decisions by educating them and carefully explaining all their options…including the pros and cons of each.” At the same time, she adds: “Self-education must be a continual activity. It is vital to keep up with the ever-improving technological innovations and treatment methodologies.”

Among her many “make a difference” commitments is her active support of the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (also known as Doctors Without Borders).

A professional in the field since 2002, Mike Anastasi joined us in 2022. After finishing Saint John’s Prep in Danvers, MA, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Communication from Waltham’s Bentley University.

“I love the people and the culture here,” he says. It’s a great group that feels like an extended family…and family that most definitely includes our patients.”

Mike’s main role is expanding the orthodontic business segment across all of Dental Support Group’s current and future locations. A major motivation for him is patient satisfaction. “I enjoy seeing how a beautiful smile can — and does — transform a patient’s life.”

He, like his co-workers and our patients, appreciate the latest dental and orthodontic technology we use to provide the best treatment possible.

In addition to spending time with his family and friends, and golfing, Mike is active in his family’s foundation: Spectrum for Hope/Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation, which helps families affected by autism.

A Bentley College graduate, Walter Mason brought his twenty-years of experience as a C.F.O. to our practice in 2023.

Walter has the primary responsibility for managing our finances, including planning, risk management, record-keeping, compliance, budgeting, and reporting.

“The people here are great to work with,” he says. “They make it a pleasure to act as a team in problem-solving. And it’s apparent they are key in taking the anxiety out of visiting the dentist.”

After business hours, Walter enjoys spending as much time as possible with his wife, three children and two dogs. The family’s activities include golf, dance performances, long walks, and watching sports and movies.

Veena Reddy brings over two decades of financial management experience to the company, helping our client practices manage financials, budgets, payroll, and human resources.

Cheryl Demelo ought to know how great our team members are …she’s the one who’s in charge of keeping them happy!

After more than thirty years in the long-term care field, Cheryl joined us in 2022.

Among her many tasks are employee recruitment, performance appraisal, and reward management. “My main focus is to make our practice successful through our people,” she says. “I enjoy the people I work with very much!”

In addition to her admiration for our team members, Cheryl appreciates — and believes our patients do, too — our clean and beautiful offices and convenient locations.

When not working, Cheryl enjoys spending time with friends and family. And here’s a fun fact: she’s a Justice of the Peace and loves officiating at weddings in her free time.

Alicia LaClair uses her experience as a trained and certified dental assistant to help our client practices seamlessly integrate the necessary doctor and clinical team support by helping both new and existing assistants learn the correct processes of, in part: doctor and clinical team support in deploying new technologies such as 3D printing, “behind the scenes” clinical team support, clinical team education on the newest technologies & techniques and correcting (if necessary) any technical issues with dental equipment and communicating with all clinical team members to keep protocols consistent.

A 2020 graduate of High Point University, North Carolina, Emily Paul studied business administration, with a focus on sales and marketing. She joined us in 2022.

Emily’s busy day includes participating in the design and plan of upcoming offices, working with contractors, architects, and advertising agencies. She communicates with each office on a regular basis, keeping protocols consistent, while implementing new business systems and fielding questions from various sources practice-wide.

“It’s my job — and my pleasure — to communicate to the public this vital message: that our extremely qualified staff will make sure that each patient’s needs are not only satisfied, but done so with care and the utmost respect,” she says.

During her non-working time, Emily enjoys reading, watching movies, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

Xhilda joined us in 2000, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tirana, Albania, and an Associate’s degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Fluent in English, Albanian, and Greek; she provides front office support, coordinates patient and treatment activities, insurance issues, and performs the multiple duties inherent in operating an excellence-driven practice like ours.

“Our team is simply amazing,” she says. “I’m proud to say that we provide the highest quality of care possible.”

Xhilda lives in Worcester with her husband and daughter, and loves world-wide travel, sports, classical music, and movies.

Treatment Coordinator Kathleen Gurney brings over 30 years of experience in the dental field to our practice. Kathleen graduated from Becker College with a Bachelor of Science. She attended Dental Assistant School at Springfield Tech. She is certified in CPR and OSHA.

A practicing Dental Hygienist with more than 30 years of experience, Jayne Carey has been employed in many different practical settings — from Orthodontics to Periodontics — and has worked with many mentors advancing her career.

Keeping at the top of the field through seminars such as “Dental Boot Camp,” “Excellence in Dentistry,” and “Advanced Laser Training.” Ms. Carey is in demand as a continuing education speaker, and is active in the community school systems promoting good oral health. Her memberships include The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and the Nova Scotia Dental Hygienists Association (NSDHA).

In her role as Clinical Hygiene Director for Dental Support Group, Ms. Carey motivates dental professionals in providing excellence in “Overall Health Care.”

Nahara Collazo joined us in 2018 after training at the Porter and Chester Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts.

“I care about my patients and like letting them know it. We treat them like family here,” she says. “I want our patients to relax in their chairs, knowing they are in good hands. And they do!”

Nahara’s daily activities include welcoming patients into the operatory, preparing them for their procedures, assisting the doctors, and maintaining sterilization.

About Dental Support Group, she says: “The environment here is amazing…I love being a part of the warm and caring interaction between the staff and our patients. It’s a delight to help people change their opinions about visiting the dentist!”

When not working, Nahara enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Tricia Demac boasts over twenty-five years in the field and joined us in 2010 as a Dental Hygienist. Her certifications include: local anesthesia, Advanced Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy, and Zoom!^® teeth whitening.

“It’s my job — and my pleasure! — to listen to my patients, understand their needs and desires, educate them, and provide them with the best dental care possible,” she says.

About the practice, she continues: “The team at Dental Support Group is not only top-notch in education, skills and technology…we are warm, caring people with a simple goal: to make our patients happy and healthy!

Tricia currently resides in Shrewsbury with her two daughters and enjoys home remodeling projects, traveling, reading and exercising in her spare time.

A dental professional since 2011, Eleni Psomadelis joined us in 2022. Her career spans several areas within the field. She is a certified dental assistant, and worked as a treatment coordinator and insurance coordinator. Her experience is now put to work in her position as Conversion Specialist.

Eleni trained at New England Dental Assisting School, is Radiology Certified, and certified in making temporary crowns.

“During my years in this field, I’ve seen a lot of patients who fear dentists,” she says. “An important part of my work is to relax them, and to make their appointments more enjoyable.”

Eleni treasures her time with our staff. “Every single person genuinely cares about his or her work,” she says. “It’s more than a career for them…it’s a passion, and it shows.”

Among her many activities, Eleni helps patients navigate the often daunting areas of dental insurance. “A lot of patients don’t understand their own dental benefits. It’s rewarding to educate our patients to further understand how insurance works.” She deals with insurance complexities on a daily basis, as well as transferring patient data across various dental software applications.

Eleni appreciates our State of the art technology for top notch dental care, and a staff well-educated in everything we do and offer.

She spends a lot of her non-working time with her rescue dog, Charlie. The pair can often be seen at dog parks, hiking, enjoying the beach and playing fetch in the back yard.

Top insurance specialist Elizandra Diaz helps our client practices navigate the sometimes challenging waters inherent in the field, making sure the practices receive compensation while simultaneously achieving the optimal coverage for patients.

Emilia Koka joined us in 2015 with a degree in Biology from Worcester’s Assumption College. Her duties include checking claims, administering insurance payments, and insuring that patients’ insurance benefits are utilized properly.

“I love helping our patients feel welcome and well-informed about any procedures they are about to undergo,” she says. “Our staff does its best to cater to each individual need…patients feel truly cared for.

Outside office hours, Emilia spends her time in filmmaking, writing, reading, and playing the guitar.

Having worked in the insurance industry in various capacities since 2012, Kerry Durkin is well-versed in the “tricks of the trade”…and uses her knowledge to help our patients get the most out of their coverage. A graduate of Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, she joined our practice in 2021. “The best thing about working here? My colleagues share a common philosophy: that quality will always supersede quantity,” she says.

Kerry devotes her time to communicating with dental insurance companies, posting payments, adjusting accounts, running reports, and reworking insurance claims to push for proper coverage for our patients.

“The state of the art facilities here are amazing,” she says. “We offer the latest and best in technology.”

After office hours, you’re likely to find Kerry involved in outdoor activities, like running, biking, hiking, and skiing.

In the dental field since 2016, Maria Fonseca joined us in 2022.

Her daily activities include creating payment plans, and interacting with insurance providers on behalf of our patients.

“We take the time to gather our patients’ information prior to their first visits,” she says. “The talent and expertise of our care providers is amazing…and very patient-focused.”

Maria enjoys interacting with our patients. “It’s nice to find a way to help them get the care they need.

When not working, Maria enjoys handcrafting, particularly refurbishing furniture, as well as spending time with family members in Maine and Florida.

A dental professional since 2007, Kim Truong joined us in 2022.

“The high quality of care and the warm and friendly staff is amazing,” she says. “And it’s evident that everybody enjoys what they do here.”

Kim spends much of her day advocating for our patients, particularly, but not exclusively, in dealing with insurance companies, and helping patients understand the billing process.

A self-described “foodie,” Kim spends her non-working hours with her family. She enjoys listening to music, and true crime and dental podcasts.

In the field since 2016, Breanna Labelle joined our team in 2023.

She describes her position this way: “I do everything I can to make sure patients’ claims are processed correctly and their accounts are accurate. People want to be heard and I want to listen and make sure I solve all their issues.”

Her daily activities include making sure all claims are submitted correctly, with all the correct information sent along with them, following up on accounts to make sure balances are correct, and helping patients understand their insurance and benefits.

“Seeing our patients leave the office with smiles on their faces, and knowing we helped boost their confidence is an awesome feeling!”, she said.

In her spare time, Breanna enjoys long walks with her dog and going out to hear live music.