Alachua is well known for warm friendly people, which could not be truer of the doctor and staff at Alachua Dental Center. This office has a warm, welcoming atmosphere and is only one block from Main Street in Alachua.

Dr. Cauchon has been part of the fabric of this community for over 10 years, sponsoring and supporting local sports and charities such as the Santa Fe Babe Ruth Rookie All-Stars, the Alachua Lions Club, and the Alachua Women’s Club. He has been an Alachua Chamber member for the past 8 years, serving 2 successful terms as Chamber President. Being involved in the community has always been important to Marc, not just being a local dentist.

Karen, the front office manager knows each patient by name and is always there to give a warm welcome. Karen has been part of Dr. Cauchon’s team for over 7 years. She attended SFCC and received her CDA certificate from the UF College of Dentistry.

When patients meet Dr. Marc Cauchon, he always gives them his undivided attention. It is important to him to spend the extra time with his patients; getting to know their needs and wants and putting them at ease. It is also important to him that patients not be kept waiting. To ensure this, Karen will personally call patients the day before their appointment to make sure of a prompt arrival.

Dr. Cauchon’s interests in biologic science and art led him to become a dentist. He graduated with his D.M.D. from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in 1993, after a Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-professional Biology from the University of West Florida. According to Rob Pompi of the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, Dr. Cauchon is among only 600 dentists in the world who have completed the advanced training necessary for the LVI designation of LVI Fellow!

“Patients from as far away as Gainesville, Bell, Lake City, Melrose and Ocala drive out to see us, as they have heard of us through other patients, or Good Life Community magazine or even the LVI branding campaign”, said Dr Cauchon.

Alachua Dental Center may be in an idyllic setting but don’t let this fool you. They offer the very latest in cutting-edge dental technology. Neuromuscular Dentistry (NM) can help with jaw re-positioning. Real-time computer programming allows jaw tracking and muscle evaluation. This technology can help eliminate migraine headaches by changing people’s bites. A lot of head and neck pain, and even lower back pain, can be caused by an improper bite. By changing the bite you can often relieve grinding and myofacial pain.

“Because we do a lot of aesthetic dentistry at Alachua Dental Center”, says Dr. Cauchon, “we use a soft-tissue LASER to do a lot of gingival (gum) recontouring. Quite often, this makes for a much more aesthetic smile. We also use intra-oral cameras and an imaging system which allow us to take a digital image of someone’s smile and then show them what it might would look like once the work is finished.

Alachua Dental Center’s slogan is Change Your Smile…Change Your Life! Changing one’s bite can truly be a life-altering experience. Cosmetic dentistry is also a huge part of what Dr. Cauchon and his highly trained staff love to do, as they find it extremely rewarding to see a client gain more confidence in themselves with their new smile.

“What I enjoy doing the most is full mouth aesthetic reconstruction. My golden rule is to treat people the way that I would want to be treated. I would want someone to take their time and be compassionate and understanding, while at the same time offer me the most modern dental treatment available”.

Dr. Cauchon recommends kids visit a dentist as early as they have teeth, just to get them used to the sights and sounds of the dentists’ office. “The last thing a dentist wants to see is a child come into a dentist’s office with an abscessed tooth as they are already hurting and nervous about what might happen”, says Marc.

Dr. Cauchon sees clients of all ages and is impressed that people are so wellinformed about modern dental technology. He says that they often ask about Laser treatment, porcelain crowns and veneers; they have done their research and want the best dental services that are available today.

We asked Dr. Cauchon some questions:

Q: Where are you from, originally?
A: Port Huron, MI but I have been an Alachua County resident for the past 27 years.

Q: Why did you choose Alachua for your practice?
A: Having been in Alachua County for quite a few years, prior to graduating from the University of Florida College of Dentistry, I was able to evaluate areas I thought were underserved. When I was looking at the City of Alachua, I found folks quite receptive to the idea of my setting up an office there. I was quite well-received. The decision was a good one, as I have been very busy since I first opened Alachua Dental Center over 10 years ago.

Q: Anything special about living here you would like to share?
A: Absolutely! The people make it a very special place to be. While I don’t officially live in the City of Alachua limits, I am only about ten minutes away. The warmth and charm of a “small town” fit my lifestyle and type of practice perfectly.

Q: How about your family?
A: I have a lovely wife and two young children. They love Alachua, too. Both my son and daughter attended the Montessori School next door to my office. They both have played sports at our fantastic Hal Brady Recreation Center. In fact, they’ve both attended City Commission meetings with me!

Q: What are your outside interests, hobbies, passions?
A: I am an avid outdoorsman; give me something to do that gets me out into the natural surroundings and I’m there! Among other things, I enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing, and motorcycling. I have a Harley and like to ride. I support Bikers On Parade and participate in their annual Red Cross fundraiser. I love a good book, too. As to the passion part…I am passionate about seeing that my children are raised in a loving, nurturing environment.

Q: Name one (or more) things that patients can do to maintain a beautiful smile for years to come?
A: The best advice I can give you is to have your mouth restored to its optimal condition by a highly-trained aesthetic dentist and then maintain it! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of regular cleanings and checkups by your dentist.

Q: What are the downsides (effects) on a person having teeth they are not happy with? Perhaps damaged through either trauma, neglect or other circumstances.
A: Wow! Great question! The short answer is that clients with an unattractive smile generally are not the happy, vibrant people they once were. However, once their smile is restored, it’s like a metamorphosis. It’s very much like the butterfly that is finally free of the cocoon. Once restored, our clients stand up straighter, smile more confidently, maintain eye contact longer. It really does…Change their Life!

Q: How does restoring their smile “change” them, in ways that might not be obvious to an outside observer?
A: The fact that you asked this question would indicate that you know it to be true. The effect would be immediately apparent to anyone who knows them. There is the increase in self-confidence, the increased desire to socialize; no longer fearing the stigma that our society places on the unaesthetic smile.

Changing your smile can, indeed, change your life!