Ellwood City Native Opens Dentistry in Ewing Park

Although Nikki Jo Magnifico DDM was successfully practicing as an associate dentist in New Hampshire for the last decade, the Lincoln High School graduate felt a need to move back to her hometown of Ellwood City.

So Magnifico did just that. She bought her new 620 Jefferson Ave practice from Dr. James Oberfeitinger on February 1, 2020.

“I decided it was time to move home to be closer to my family,” she said.

Her immediate family includes her husband, Eric, who she said is supportive of her business goals as well as two sons Tyler, 5, and Anthony, 2.5.

A Gannon University 2004 graduate with a B.S. in Biology and a Doctorate of Dental Medicine graduate of The University of Pittsburgh in 2008, Magnifico said she knew at the young age of four that she wanted to be a dentist.

Following her college studies, she furthered her education with a General Practice Residency at Tufts University Medical Center in Boston, MA.

As a new, sole practice owner, Magnifico has already faced a challenge: Magnifico Family Dentistry was open less than two months before the doors were locked to patients—temporarily—because of the Coronavirus. Magnifico said she is reopening to urgent needs on Monday May 18thns, but is unsure when she will be able to resume routine cleaning appointments.

“So far my biggest challenge has been the mandated closure associated with COVID-19,” Magnifico said. “I had to learn very quickly the ins and outs of business owning while trying to navigate the major decisions regarding closing and applying for business aid.”

She said she looks forward to reopening her doors and welcoming new patients. Admittedly she said that she knows going to the dentist may not be everyone’s favorite thing, but she hopes to change that perspective.

“My success stories are seen in the patients I had treated for years in New Hampshire,” Magnifico said. “The most amazing outpouring of love and mixed emotions from me leaving there really proved to me that I had made a difference in many people’s lives. Most people do not love to go to the dentist. I try my hardest to make everyone feel as comfortable as they possibly can.”

Magnifico said she can’t wait to welcome new patients and watch her business grow.

“I will be having a dental hygienist join my team soon,” she said. “A hygienist specifically goes to school to learn how to prevent gum disease, also known as gingivitis and periodontitis. They are highly specialized in different cleaning techniques and have the knowledge to educate each patient specifically to their needs.”

Magnifico said to serve her patients best the hygienist will focus specifically on hygiene so that she can focus on more in-depth dental conditions.

Despite having to close her doors so soon after opening, Magnifico said she has a lot of hope and vision for a successful comeback.

“I have been working hard during this closure to update different aspects of the office,” she said. “I now have a website and a Facebook page. I hope to soon have computers with digital x-rays, new and improved equipment and ways to reach patients. As well as a few small esthetic updates.”

Magnifico said what sets her apart is her ability to provide comfort to her patients.

“I believe that I have a very gentle touch and have been told I give the best anesthetic injections,” she said.

The Ellwood native classifies herself as a general dentist that provides a wide range of dental services and specialties. She provides routine exams, fillings, crowns, implants, dentures, some root canals and some extractions, but her dental passion is cosmetic dentistry.

“I like to treat the patient as a whole systemically not just focusing on the mouth,” she said. “There are many dental conditions that can be linked to overall health.”

But outside of all her services, she feels that her staff and patients are the best part of her practice.

“Without either of them, I could not practice what I love,” she said.