Montecito Dental Relocates

After nearly 25 years in business, Montecito Dental Group, the largest and longest running dental practice in the Santa Barbara area, has relocated to two different offices, after leaving their longstanding home in Paseo Mariposa on Coast Village Road. The practice has opened in Santa Barbara at 3714 State Street (in the new Estancia development), and in Montecito at 1260 Coast Village Circle, next to Montecito Pet Hospital. The practice includes doctors Lynda Benedetto, Cris Shepard, and Gregory Scarcello, along with their team of staff, hygienists, and assistants. 

Dr. Scarcello will head up the State Street office, Dr. Shepard is at the Montecito office, and Dr. Benedetto will split her time between both offices. Dr. Shepard sat down with us earlier this week to discuss the move, which he calls an exciting next chapter for the practice. 

“It was important for us to stay in Montecito,” Dr. Shepard said about purchasing the long-vacant building in 2018 after deciding to move from Paseo Mariposa. “This is a convenient location for our patients who come from Montecito, Carpinteria, Ventura, and Ojai to see us,” he said. 

Originally the plan was to expand the older building, which was once the longtime home of Enrico & Associates Accountants, but it was ultimately decided to work within the footprint of the space and remodel the interior.

“It’s simple, clean, and private,” Dr. Shepard said of the space, noting that with seven private treatment rooms, patients will have more privacy than the previous location, which was an open-bay type of dental office. 

Founded in 1997, Montecito Dental Group specializes in general and family dentistry, including aesthetic dentistry, Invisalign, and children’s dentistry. The practice uses metal free fillings, and its technology has adapted over the years to keep up with the ever-changing world of dentistry.

Dr. Scarcello founded the practice with Dr. Benedetto and Dr. Craig Downen, who eventually sold his share to Dr. Shepard nearly a decade ago. What sets the practice apart is that the trio of doctors each have their own patients, rather than a clinic-type atmosphere in which the doctors are interchangeable. The doctors consider the practice family friendly and treatment rates are competitive with nearby dental offices.

“We hope patients continue to be comfortable here,” Dr. Shepard said. 

For more information, visit www.montecitodentalgroup.com. The office is located at 1260 Coast Village Circle in Montecito.