Planning a dental trip to Natural Smiles in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida starts with picking an airport, choosing a place to stay, and scheduling a new patient exam before any treatment begins. The office is at 132 Mirror Lake Dr. N., Unit 101, in downtown St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida, and it is the practice’s single location. Dr. Carlo Litano, DMD founded the practice and has more than 20 years of experience in biological dentistry.
Airports and the drive to the office
Two airports serve travelers headed to the office, and the shorter drive comes from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. That airport is about 12 miles from the office, about a 19 minute drive without traffic. Tampa International Airport is a bit farther out, about 20 miles away, about a 29 minute drive over the Howard Frankland Bridge. Both drive times are estimates without traffic, and traffic can add time to either route.
Patients coming from farther corners of the state have a few more starting points to weigh. Downtown Tampa is about 23 miles from the office, about 31 minutes without traffic. Sarasota is about 37 miles away, about 54 minutes. Orlando is farthest out at about 106 miles, about 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Places to stay during the visit
Traveling patients can stay in a private apartment above the office, in the same building. For patients who prefer a hotel, lodging and food within walking distance of downtown St. Petersburg are also available, and the downtown area gives plenty of choices within a few blocks.
What a single trip can include
The in-house lab mills a zirconia crown in about three hours, which allows same-day zirconia crowns for patients whose case allows it. A patient traveling for zirconia ceramic implants can often complete the surgical phase in a single trip when the case allows for it. The exam with the 3D CBCT scan comes first, before any surgical step gets planned, since the scan and health history shape the treatment plan the patient receives.
A trip can also include a new patient exam or SMART mercury removal, depending on what the written treatment plan calls for. Because the plan and cost estimate come before any work starts, a patient knows what the visit covers before committing to travel.
Getting ready before the trip
A first visit is a consultation and a 3D CBCT scan, read together with the dental and health history. The patient leaves with a written treatment plan and a cost estimate before any decisions are made.
Before the trip, bring a health history, a list of medications and known sensitivities, and any records or imaging from previous dentists if available. Patients can also ask about costs and insurance at the consultation, and the team walks through payment and insurance reimbursement options. Costs depend on the treatment plan, and a written estimate comes before any work starts, so there are no surprises once the appointment wraps up.
Walking distance from the office
The office is in a walkable part of downtown St. Petersburg. Mirror Lake Park is close by, and the marina is two blocks away. A patient can pair a visit with a walk outdoors or a stop at the marina without needing a car for the day, which makes the time between appointments easier to fill.
Next step
The next step is scheduling a new patient exam, which starts with a consultation and a 3D CBCT scan. Call (727) 300-0044 to schedule a visit with Natural Smiles and start mapping out the rest of the trip around it.
