William P. Caldon, D.M.D. - Owner & Dentist

Quality and comfort are our top priorities. Our experienced staff will provide you caring support and individualized treatments that will make your dental experience comfortable and anxiety-free.

Doctor William P. Caldon, D.M.D. graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in 1976 and immediately joined the United States Air Force. He retired from the Air Force in Plattsburgh as a full Colonel in 1996 after 20 distinguished years  of service and joined the practice of Doctor Michael O'Connor. His military career took him and his family to Michigan,  Southern Italy, San Antonio Texas, England, Plattsburgh and finally Doctor Caldon went without his family to McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey for the last year of his military career. In 1983 Doctor Caldon attended a two year Air Force residency in General Dentistry where he received additional intensive training in all facets of dentistry including all of the recognized dental specialties. In 1987 he successfully challenged the demanding Federal Services Board of General Dentistry and was then recognized by the Federal Services as a "specialist" in general dentistry. In 1989 he was named one of only three Air Force examiners for the Federal Services Board of General Dentistry and served in that capacity for the maximum of three years with representatives from the Army and Navy. During his Air Force career, Doctor Caldon was an instructor and Officer in Charge of a one year general dentistry residency, which provided additional training in all phases of dentistry to new Air Force Dental Officers. In addition he was commander of dental clinics in England, Plattsburgh and New Jersey. Doctor Caldon was the last dentist to leave Plattsburgh Air Force Base.

 
In 1988 he successfully passed the very difficult examination for the American Board of General Dentistry and achieved certification by that organization. He is a member of the prestigious International College of Dentists, the American Dental Association and is a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry. He is presently enrolled in the Academy's Mastership program. Doctor Caldon routinely obtains well over 100 hours of continuing education each year. He is a certified member of DOCS (Dental Organization of Conscious Sedation) and has been providing sedation dentistry for several years.

In his free time Doctor Caldon enjoys fishing, traveling, bicycling and jogging.

Doctor Caldon's childhood sweetheart wife of over 35 years, Margaret, is a pediatric nurse at Plattsburgh Pediatrics. They have four children, all of whom serve in the Military. Josh is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and is a Major and a pilot instructor in Texas. He is married to Rebecca Terry from Plattsburgh, New York and they have a son, Zeke and twin boys Ian and Isaac. Boone is a graduate of SUNY Albany and of Boston University School of Dentistry. Boone is presently attending a two year General Dentistry Program at Lackland Airforce Base in San Antonio, Texas. Seth holds a degree in biology from the College of St. Rose and is a dental student at Boston University on an Army scholarship. Seth is married to Kirsten Jacquet, an immunology technician from Schenectady, New York. Lizzie is the apple of her father's eye, and is married to Kevin Mahan a New York State trooper from the Catskill area. She is a human biology major at SUNY Albany and is a cardio-pulmonary technician in the Schenectady Air National Guard. Kevin and Lizzie have a son named after his Uncle Boone.

The partnership of Doctors Caldon, O'Connor and O'Neill- High Peaks Dental has two state-of-the-art dental facilities in New York, one in Plattsburgh and one in Lake Placid. They recently expanded the Plattsburgh office which has been open since 1978 and moved into their Lake Placid facility in February 2002 after working in Saranac Lake since 1997.

Michael T. O'Connor, D.D.S. - Owner & Dentist

Michael T. O'Connor, D.D.S. is a North Country native. He was raised in Dannemora, NY and graduated from St. Johnis Academy in Plattsburgh, NY. Doctor O'Connor received a BS in chemistry from LeMoyne College and attended Providence College for graduate work in organic chemistry. He taught math for one year in the Syracuse School System. The following three years he taught high school chemistry at Liverpool High School near Syracuse, NY where he received tenure in 1973. In 1977 Dr. O'Connor graduated from Georgetown University School of Dentistry. Following graduation he completed a rotating residency at Worcester Memorial Hospital in Worchester, MA in 1978. From 1978 to the present, Dr. O'Connor has been in private practice in Plattsburgh, NY. In 1996 Dr. William Caldon joined Dr. O'Connor's practice. Dr. Caldon had retired as a full Colonel from the United States Air Force, following a distinguished career in their dental service. Doctor O'Neill joined the practice in 2003, working primarily in our Lake Placid location. Prior to joining High Peaks Dental, Doctor O'Neill purchased and ran a private practice in Horseheads, New York for ten years and served Public Health as the Assistant Director of the Dental Clinic for the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation for two and a half years. In 1984 Dr. O'Connor successfully passed the certification examination to become a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the New York Dental Association, the Fourth District Dental Society and the Adirondack Dental Society. Dr. O'Connor is also a member of DOCS (Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation) and has his NYS certification for Oral Conscious Sedation.

Each year Doctor O'Connor obtains well over the minimum number of continuing education hours required by his profession.Over the years, Dr. O'Connor has served on several community and professional boards, including the American Cancer Society, the Beartown Ski Area, and 15 years on the Board of Directors of the 4th District Dental Society. He also served as President of the Adirondack Dental Society, as President of Beartown Ski Team, and as coach for many YMCA baseball and basketball and Little League baseball teams. He presently is a member on the Foundation Board for the ARC.

Participating in and spectating at sports events have been a great source of competition and fun throughout Dr. O'Connoris life. He played basketball, baseball and golf at the high school level and basketball and golf at the collegiate level. He is still passionate about downhill skiing in the winter, golfing in the summer and is an active member of the SGA. In addition, watching both sons compete in college at the Division I level in their respective sports has been rewarding.

Dr. O'Connor has been married to his high school sweetheart, Meredith since 1970. Meredith is a retired elementary art teacher from the Chazy School System and the mother of their two sons. Their oldest son Michael is a graduate of the National Sports Academy and Williams College. As a NY state champion ski racer, Michael raced for and was selected captain of the Williams College Ski Team. He presently teaches at the Fessenden School near Boston and is actively pursuing his dream of screen writing and acting. Christopher is a graduate of Plattsburgh High School and attended the University of Maine on a soccer scholarship. After transferring to SUNY Platsburgh, Christopher was a defenseman on the team that went to the final four of the Division III National Collegiate Soccer Championship. He recently graduated from PSU and is contemplating graduate school.

The partnership of Doctors O'Connor , Caldon and O'Neill- High Peaks Dental has two locations in New York, one in Plattsburgh and one in Lake Placid. They moved into their present Lake Placid facility in February 2002 after working in Saranac Lake since 1997. The Plattsburgh office open since 1978 recently expanded and we now have two state-of-the-art dental facilities.

Donnon "DJ" O'Neill, D.D.S. - Owner & Dentist

Donnon "DJ" O'Neill, D.D.S. grew up in White River JCT, Vermont. He graduated from Hartford High School in White River JCT, Vermont. Doctor O'Neill received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York. Doctor O'Neill went on to Dental School at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. After completing Dental School in 1990 Doctor O'Neill spent a year at D.C. General Hospital with the Oral Surgery Department. In 1991 Doctor O'Neill moved to Horseheads, New York. In Horseheads he purchased and ran a private practice for ten years. During this time his office grew from a one doctor and two hygienist practice to a three doctor and five hygienist practice. Doctor O'Neill served as President of the Chenango Dental Society and as a member of the District Pier Review Committee, during this time as well. In 2001 Doctor O'Neill sold his practice and moved North to work with the Public Health Service. Doctor O'Neill was the Assistant Director of the Dental Clinic for the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation. Doctor O'Neill served for two and a half years before accepting his Associateship with High Peaks Dental in 2003. Through his life Doctor O'Neill has enjoyed many activities and adventures. His main hobbies are flying, white water kayaking, skiing, biking and hiking. For the past ten years Doctor O'Neill has enjoyed these adventures with a very special person in his life, Carolyn Wiggin. Carolyn is a land surveyor with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In 2002 Doctor O'Neill and Carolyn kayaked the Grand Canyon together.

The summer of 2003, Doctor O'Neill and Carolyn moved to Lake Placid and "DJ" joined Doctor O'Connor and Doctor Caldon in their state-of-the-art dental facility.

Doctor O'Neill continues to enjoy his many hobbies. Although piloting his father's 1948 Stinson 108-3 plane brings him the most satisfaction. Doctor O'Neill having found such great comradeship working with both Doctor O'Connor and Doctor Caldon, Doctor O'Neill became a partner with High Peaks Dental in September of 2006.

Sheila, RDH - Office Manager, Plattsburgh

Sheila, R.D.H., started working at High Peaks Dental in September 2003. She has over twenty years experience in the dental field that includes positions in administration, dental assisting, dental hygiene and practice management.

Sheila was born in Plattsburgh, New York in 1965 and was raised with 3 brothers and 6 sisters. Sheila graduated from Plattsburgh High School then moved to south Florida where she graduated from Palm Beach Junior College with honors and as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Society. Her classmates elected her to receive the Congeniality Award for dedication and service within the dental hygiene program in 1999. Sheila is a registered dental hygienist licensed in Florida and New York State and she obtained her Dental Anesthesia Licensure in 2004. Sheila always looks forward to Continuing Education and has attended numerous courses on multiple topics and has successfully completed advanced training in areas of conscious sedation, practice management and patient care.

After living in Florida for 16 years Sheila returned to Plattsburgh to raise her 2 sons, ages 9 and 16, in an environment that only the North Country can offer. Her children keep her busy with basketball, baseball and soccer, as well as Boy Scouts. Sheila is a committee member and actively involved with her son's Boy Scout troop. She enjoys time at home gardening, reading, cooking and most importantly spending time with family.

Sheila loves working in the dental field and looks forward to going to work everyday. Her greatest pleasure is seeing a new patient overcome their dental apprehensions over several caring visits to High Peaks Dental and then, this formally apprehensive patient, eventually becomes a comfortable, dentally healthy individual who actually looks forward to their next visit. Sheila is proud to be an integral part of a team that can make that happen.

Katrina - Office Manager, Lake Placid

Katrina started her career at High Peaks Dental in March of 2005. Her experience in the dental field includes dental assisting, patient care coordinator, administration, financial coordinator and office management.

Katrina was born in Cortland, New York in May 1982. She lived in Raquette Lake, New York for a year where her father was the caretaker for Camp Huntington, a branch of SUNY Cortland. Her family then moved to Lake Placid where she, her older brother and older sister were raised. Katrina graduated form St. Agnes Catholic School in Lake Placid and went on to Seton Catholic in Plattsburgh then finally to Lake Placid High School. Katrina has taken several accounting, computer and small business management courses as well as specialized courses in the dental field.

Katrina now resides in Wilmington, New York with her family. She married her childhood sweetheart Greg and they have a son, Cassius, who is their pride and joy.

Katrina takes interest in local politics and ran for town councilman in 2006, but unfortunately was defeated by 2 votes….yes 2 votes. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, interior decorating, water sports and playing poker.

Katrina enjoys working in the dental field, and especially loves working at High Peaks Dental. She really takes pleasure in helping people smile with confidence, without emptying their wallets. She feels lucky to have the opportunity to work in such a modern facility with Doctors and Staff who's first concern is the patient.

Paul W. Gingrich - Community Relations Director

Paul joined High Peaks Dental in October 2011.

Born and raised in Logansport, Indiana, Paul came to New York as a result of being transferred to Plattsburgh Air Force Base in 1992 with his wife Kimberly and their three children.  In 1995, after serving 22 years as a security policeman, he retired from active military service. 

Paul was the last Superintendent of Law Enforcement and Senior Detective to serve at Plattsburgh Air Force Base.  In three short years, Paul and his family fell in love with the beauty of the Adirondack Region of New York and decided to make Plattsburgh their “retirement” home.

Upon retirement he began a successful career as an insurance sales representative, providing senior health insurance programs to residents of Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties of New York.  He attributes his success in this endeavor to providing unparalleled in-home service and always doing what is right for the customer. His background gives him firsthand knowledge of the importance of trust, integrity and communications. 

In 2005, Paul was appointed as Treasurer for the South Plattsburgh Fire District where he managed the funds for a 5 million dollar building project.

Considering combined Air Force and personal travel, Paul has visited all 50 states and twelve foreign countries.  Besides travel, Paul and Kim enjoy the arts, ballroom dancing, Boise State Football, attending the Army / Air Force Football game in West Point, boating on Lake Champlain, biking and spending as much time as possible with their three beautiful grandchildren.

Paul attended the University of Maryland, Los Angeles Community College, Boise State University, Community College of the Air Force and Parkland College.  He has degrees in Criminal Justice and General Business Studies.

In the era of “high tech”, Paul’s passion for quality patient service with the “high touch” philosophy and excellent communication skills is what Paul brings to High Peaks Dental.

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Dental Staff - Lake Placid

Dental Staff - Plattsburgh