Dr. Cassarella launched DCO Orthodontic Specialists after nearly a decade of ortho experience; it’s now one of the fastest-growing specialty practices in suburban Philadelphia. He has held faculty positions at the University of Maryland and, currently, the University of Pennsylvania.

Losing a great friend and classmate in dental school. “His tragic passing awakened in me a sense of urgency in cherishing every second we have with those we love. It also helped me see with enhanced clarity the beauty and gifts that so many others bring to our lives.”

From Marcus Aurelius: “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”

A teenage boy with Down syndrome. “During his first visit, he had a lot of anxiety and did not want to sit in the chair or open his mouth. After three months of our getting to know him, he began to tell the team that he loves them at every visit. He is such an uplifting presence for our whole team.”