Daniel and Ellen Kelly, DMD

robyn · 1 out of 5 stars · 4 months ago

Have you ever had to sit and watch the person you love suffer every single day? Not from an illness that just happened — but from something that was supposed to help them. Have you ever watched someone who was once healthy, sharp, independent, and full of life slowly disappear in front of you… and known it never had to be this way? That is my reality. I am writing as the partner of a man whose life was permanently altered under this surgeon’s care — and as someone who lives with the consequences of that care every single day. What happened to my boyfriend was not a complication. It was not bad luck. It was not unavoidable. It was failure after failure after failure. He underwent THREE brain surgeries. After the first two surgeries, radiation was never set up. Because of that, the tumor grew back. Again. And again. And again. By the time they went in for the third surgery, only 80% of the tumor could be removed. At one point during all of this, my boyfriend flatlined. He died. I was told he was gone — and then he was brought back. That moment — the most terrifying moment of my life — does not appear anywhere in his medical reports. The second surgery changed him. Permanently. It damaged his brain. It took pieces of who he was — pieces he will never get back. And when it came time for the third surgery — after everything that had already been done to him — the original surgeon didn’t even show up. Another doctor had to step in. He couldn’t face what he had caused. After all of it — the brain damage, the cognitive decline, the emotional instability, the loss of the life he once had — the only thing this doctor did was pat my boyfriend on the leg and say he was sorry. That was the extent of his care. No plan. No referrals. No rehabilitation. No attempt to help him recover, adapt, or rebuild his life. No effort to make anything right. I want people to understand what loving someone after this really looks like. I watch the man I love struggle to think clearly. Struggle to regulate his emotions. Struggle with anger, confusion, depression, and the crushing grief of knowing he will never be who he was before. I watch him fight his own brain every single day — and lose pieces of himself over and over again. This didn’t just happen to him. It happened to me. It happened to our life. It happened to every future we thought we were building. Surgeries end. Scars heal. But this kind of damage follows you home. It lives in your house. It shows up in moments of silence when you realize how much has been taken and how little accountability there has been. Doctors like this continue practicing because patients and families are expected to be grateful someone survived — and stay quiet about the cost of that survival. We are done staying quiet. If sharing this stops even one person from placing their life — or the life of someone they love — in this surgeon’s hands without knowing the full truth, then this is worth it. Because surviving him was not the same as being saved. Be careful about who you choose to operate on you because your fate lies in the palm of their hands, literally.

Jonathan Rice · 2 out of 5 stars · a year ago

I’m basing my review completely on my exchange with their scheduler. I understand that support staff are often very busy and under a lot of stress but I was spoken to in an angry and irritated manner that was in no way justifiable let alone professional. The person I spoke to may be an excellent employee in every other part of the job but there’s no excuse for being snippy with prospective patients.

Maggie · 5 out of 5 stars · a year ago

I've been attending Dr. Ellen Kelly since January but waited on my review because I didn't want to jinx things. Now though the full outcome of the subsequent work Dr. Kelly did for me (today Nov. 20) remains to be seen I feel compelled to share my experience at this practice and with this super smart and wonderful practitioner. First of all, because the root canal I needed done by Dr. Kelly was on roots that go in weird directions she had her work cut out for her. Yet, wow did Dr. Kelly patiently embrace the challenges of that, gently trying to reach all angles of my roots. More importantly all the while she communicated clearly and honestly, including not promising her work would succeed. As valuable to me too was that several times in the past year when I needed reassurance about the progress or not of the healing she willingly had me come in to check things out. Then when she felt things weren't healing satisfactorily she wanted to do today's procedure (an apicoectomy) to try and reach the root end that couldn't be reached the regular root canal route. Now having had two procedures with Dr. Kelly and witnessed her consummate skill with these gnarly procedures, that she manages with a lively, caring, and sometimes wonderfully humorous demeanor, I feel she deserves this review even if this work fails too. And of course if it succeeds it will only be thanks to this gifted practitioner. Thank you SO much Dr. Kelly for making this journey much less stressful. Thank you Schuyler, for your warmth and what you do by Dr. Kelly's side. Yor are an invaluable presence during these procedures. Also, thank you Cindy, and Kelsey (forgive me if my spelling is incorrect) for how responsive you are on the phone and when I arrive for my appointments. Your presences are much needed too. PS I will return in a few months to report hopefully on the full recovery of my apicoectomy.

Jennifer Ward · 5 out of 5 stars · 2 years ago

It is never fun going for dental work, but the entire team at Dr Kelly’s office made my visit wonderful. I was greeted in a prompt fashion, the wait time to be seen was minimal. While working with Dr Kelly and his wonderful assistant each step of the process was explained. I was assessed for discomfort during the treatment, and all aspects of my dental health were evaluated. No unnecessary treatments were recommended. I am so grateful for the care they provided.

Tracy Topolosky · 5 out of 5 stars · 2 years ago

Truly feel that I’m in good hands with this practice. Very clean. Office staff was pleasant and efficient. Assessment was thorough and results were clearly explained. Dr. was interested in understanding how to best address my concerns. Developed and described her course of action. Much different experience than previously visited provider. Very glad I was referred to this practice.