Reflecting on 25 Years in the Lowcountry

When I found an opportunity to begin my career on Hilton Head after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine in 2000 (hail to Pitt!), I couldn’t have imagined what was ahead. My wife, Rebecca, and I packed up our car and started a new chapter filled with sunshine and the hope of building something meaningful in a community we were just learning about.

Two days after opening my small office on Main Street, Rebecca told me she was expecting our first child.

Wow, that was a little stressful, but of course the best gift ever. The same patients that I shared my worries with during those years became vested in my and our children’s lives and I got to know their families as well, either in the dental chair or through their stories.

As I got to know them well, they told me how much time and money they gave to local nonprofits—far more than I expected for such small towns. Bluffton and Hilton Head could easily rival big cities in their generosity and their pride in local arts and history.

Inspired by them, I made it my mission to get involved too, especially with groups that help improve our community’s well-being.

Now, 25 years later, it’s incredible to look back and see how much has changed, both in dentistry and in the Lowcountry. The advances in my field have been amazing. The technology in both of my offices – we expanded to a second location in Bluffton in 2021 – allows us to provide care that is more precise, comfortable, and efficient and, to be honest, is fun to use.

But from the beginning, embracing the philosophy that every patient deserves more than a procedure - they deserve a relationship built on trust and understanding - has led to the greatest fulfillment.

Great dentistry combines science, artistry, and, most of all, connection. I can’t count how many patients I have seen on the weekends at my Main Street and Bluffton offices when they have had a dental emergency, but I did it so that they would know that if they get in a jam with a toothache or, worse, an accident, we will take care of them. They know they can get back to their work or service to the community almost immediately.

I’m grateful for our local team, that now includes five highly skilled, talented dentists, that shows up every day with dedication, kindness, and a commitment to excellence. I’m thankful for our patients, who have trusted us with their care and shared their lives with us along the way. And I’m deeply grateful our Lowcountry community, including my colleagues in the dental field, that welcomed me all those years ago and continues to inspire me with its generosity.

Dr. Matthew Mastrorocco is a dentist and the owner of ROC Dental Group in Bluffton and Hilton Head. Learn more at ROCDentalGroup.com.