About Our Practice
Danyel Salmella, office manager, Dr. Matt Sheldon, Dr. Lee Sheldon, Dr. Michel Furtado,
Jennifer Ashley, front desk manager, Courtenay Zambrano, clinical manager
Serving the area with gum treatment and dental implants for three decades
Our doctors use advanced technology when planning your dental treatment procedures.
Using the latest innovations in dentistry, periodontist Dr. Lee Sheldon has been successfully treating gum disease and placing implants for Florida residents, and even out-of-state patients, for over 30 years. Passionate about his profession, Dr. Sheldon has found the most effective but at the same time minimally invasive ways to help his patients regain a healthy, attractive smile. He is especially known for his minimally invasive gum disease treatment and for his Solid Bite teeth replacement procedure that can give a patient a solid set of teeth with just a few dental implants, sometimes in just one day!
Knowledgeable and experienced full dental rehabilitation
Our doctors use a variety of procedures to help you achieve your smile goals.
Drs. Sheldon, Sheldon, and Furtado have helped many people improve their quality of life by rehabilitating their mouths to full function and beauty. Patients receive a restored ability to eat any food, often helping them improve their diet. The doctors have removed gum disease, jaw and tooth pain, and given patients teeth that look, act and feel fully natural, and don't have to be taken out at the end of the day.
Providing comprehensive dental care
In order to help his patients get the best in dental care, Dr. Sheldon introduced his son, Dr. Matthew Sheldon, to our practice to provide excellent care for our patients' general and cosmetic dental needs. Rounding out our doctor team is Dr. Michel Furtado, a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. Together, this superb team of doctors create beautiful smiles and solid bites in even the most challenging of cases.
Minimally invasive treatment with the latest technology
Minimally invasive treatment with the latest technology
Drs. Sheldon, Sheldon, and Furtado have equipped their practice with state-of-the-art equipment to provide quality, comfortable and minimally invasive dental care. For moderate to severe gum disease, our practice uses a special endoscope, used by only 100 dentists in the United States, that allows our doctors to fully eliminate gum disease without any actual surgery. No cutting or suturing involved! Our office has successfully helped many hundreds of patients overcome their gum disease with this breakthrough technology. We use a special low-radiation CT scanner to capture 3D images of the jaw area for precise planning of dental implant placement. These images allow us to plan the exact location and angle of the implant placement, and to create a surgical guide that the doctor uses on the day of surgery. This makes surgery day a fast and comfortable event as Drs. Sheldon and Furtado can do minimally invasive surgery with pinpoint accuracy and minimal post-op discomfort.
Honest, competent care recommended by other dentists
Our gum treatment is customized for each patient.
Over the last 30 years, we have earned a very good reputation within our community. For dental implants and periodontal therapy alone, well over 100 dentists have referred their patients to us. They know that we will not "sell" you dentistry you don’t need, and that we will do a very good job on the dental work that you do require.
Attentive, friendly and caring staff
Our well-trained staff has one purpose: making sure that you get high-quality dental care. From the front desk receptionists to the dental hygienists and dental assistants, everyone is here to make your visit a comfortable and pleasant one.
Meet our team
Danyel Salmela – Practice Manager/ IV Therapist
Danyel has been a dental assistant for over eighteen years and loves it! She has been a part of our practice for over thirteen years. She most enjoys taking care of patients and making a difference in a patient’s smile makeover. In her free time, Danyel enjoys traveling and spending time with her four children: Taylor, Andrew, Abygail, and Isabella. She enjoys watching them grow and exploring new things with them. She says, “Working for Dr. Sheldon and his staff is very rewarding. We all work great together and enjoy providing the best treatment possible for all our patients.”
Jennifer Ashley – Front Desk Manager
Jennifer says working for Dr. Sheldon is like no other dental practice. Dr. Sheldon gives her the ability to help patients. Being a “chicken” of dentistry herself, she can calm patients that have fears and reassure them that they are in the best of hands with Dr. Sheldon and his staff. “They provide the patient with superior treatment in such a sincere and caring way,” said Jennifer. She loves the whole atmosphere that Dr. Sheldon provides. When not working, Jennifer spends her time involved in her son’s activities and loves spending time with family and friends!
Courtenay Zambrano – Dental Assistant Manager/Manager of
Clinical Services
Courtenay was born in Melbourne and raised in Tallahassee, Florida. She attended the Dental Assisting Program at Brevard Community College, where she earned her Expanded Functions certificate. She has been assisting in the dental field since 2006. Courtenay enjoys spending time with her husband, Michael, and girls, Malia and Codie. Courtenay also loves to sing and play the piano, both of which she does at her church each week. Aside from music, she enjoys shopping, volleyball, and spending time with her family. Courtenay says, "Our doctors are great doctors that really enjoy what they do. They're not only concerned about a patient's oral health, but a patient's general health as well. They get to know patients on a personal level and treat them as if they've known them all their lives. They treat the staff that same way too! We really are a big family here."
Eleanor Sheldon – Accounts Manager
Eleanor grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. She met Lee in college and they married in 1973. Their oldest son, Daniel, is a television sports anchor; their daughter, Stephanie, works as a transcriptionist for our office; and their youngest son, Matthew, is a general and cosmetic dentist for our office. Eleanor has been working in the office since it opened in 1980. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, biking, reading and taking care of her many foster cats.
Stephanie Wintercorn – Marketing Manager
Stephanie was born and raised in Melbourne, Florida. She graduated from Florida State University in 2005. Her father (Dr. Sheldon) is very happy to have her working in the office. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys traveling with her husband, baking, knitting, and caring for her two dogs. She says, “My favorite part about working in Dr. Sheldon’s office is seeing all of the patients' healthy, post-operative smiles!”
Laura Widener – Patient Coordinator/Dental Assistant
Laura was born in Big Spring, Texas. She is married and has one son who, after graduating college, lives and works in North Carolina. Laura’s hobbies include utilizing her culinary degree for friends and family, walking and gardening. She went back to school outside of the San Francisco Bay area to continue her Dental Assistant training. Laura enjoys working at Dr. Sheldon’s office for various reasons such as, “Having a wonderful, friendly staff; everyone puts forth 100 percent for the best care possible; and helping people achieve the look they want for esthetics and health reasons. This is the most satisfying reward one can get out of a career. We change lives for a living!”
Joy Santore – Patient Coordinator/Dental Assistant
“Joy has been in the dental field for over sixteen years. Her main focus is making patients feel comfortable and to ensure them that they truly are in the best hands. Joy moved to Florida a few years ago from Connecticut and feels so grateful to have found a practice that offers such outstanding patient care. Joy loves spending time with her son Connor, and in her spare time she enjoys going to the gym and the beach.”
Rebecca Caudill – Registered Dental Hygienist/Perioscopy Therapist
Rebecca has been an instrumental part of our office since 1984. During her tenure, Rebecca has become extremely skilled in the use of the Perioscope to improve the results of periodontal root planing. Never short on conversation, Rebecca puts her patients at ease, talking about the adventures of her three dogs. When asked why Rebecca likes working in our office, she states, “The people I work with; the patients; the ethics. We are very professional and up-to-date on innovative procedures.” Rebecca, her husband Greg, and her three dogs live in Valkaria.
Amanda Clark – Registered Dental Hygienist/Perioscopy Therapist
Amanda was born in Fort Walton Beach, Floirida. She moved to Melbourne in 2005, where she finished out high school and continued onto Eastern Florida State College, where she earned her degree as a Certified Registered Dental Hygienist. When Amanda is not working, she takes her dog, Hank, to the dog park and is active in volunteering with the Brevard County Dental Hygiene Association and the Brevard County Dental Association. She also enjoys traveling all over the country, visiting family and the beaches. Amanda says, “I enjoy learning each and every day about new technology and ways to better our patients' dental health, but most importantly, overall health. I love what I do and being a part of changing lives and improving patients' health every day”.
Sarah Richman – Surgical Assistant
Sarah was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and moved to Melbourne just over a year ago with her husband and two kids. Sarah and her husband served in the military for four years and she is now an Army veteran with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Sarah started here as a front desk assistant and is now our lead surgical assistant. Sarah loves working at our practice with all the staff members and doctors and making a difference in patients’ lives.
Hanna Hranicky – Surgical Assistant
Hanna was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and moved to Florida in 2009. Besides assisting Dr. Furtado in surgery, you'll find Hanna fabricating dental appliances in our laboratory. In her spare time she likes to hunt, fish, and enjoy the outdoors with her family. Hanna says, “This office has shown me that there are no better hands to be in than the doctors and staff here at the Solid Bite practice. When it comes to dentistry, you will not find a more experienced and compassionate team than what we have here.”
Katie Dennison – Dental Assistant
Katie was born and raised in Springfield, Illinois. She married right out of high school to an airman. She has lived in Tucson, Arizona, Warrensburg, Missouri, and here. She has two little boys and a sister that she is raising. She loves to be outside either at the beach, in the pool, or on the boat. She also enjoys watching her kids play baseball.
Laura Acuna - Dental Assistant
Laura was born and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut. She has just recently moved to Florida. She’s a mother of two boys, Luke and Sam, who she loves greatly, and are truly her treasures. She loves to take any chance she can to spend time with her two sons in Connecticut. Laura comes to our office with twenty-seven years of general dentistry experience. She has a passion for serving God as she serves others. Laura says, “I am so grateful to be working with an amazing team doing amazing work, helping patients one smile at a time. I am so blessed to have been brought by God to this office, and humbled by the abundance of talent of doctors and staff within this office. So glad to be here!”
Samantha Reed – Front Desk Assistant/New Patient Specialist
Samantha was born in Fredonia, New York; she moved to Florida in 2008. She is our New Patient Coordinator. Sam is excited to help our patients get their mouths and lives healthier and looks forward to being a part of their journey here with us in the office. In her free time, Sam loves to cook, read, longboard, and she enjoys camping. She also enjoys going to the beach and playing volleyball. “Working for this office has been such a joy and privilege! These women are incredible and the doctors are the BEST in the business. I have never loved working for anyone more than I love working for Dr. Sheldon! I feel blessed every day for the opportunity!”
Amberly Conyers – Front Desk Scheduler
Amberly is new to the dental field, but not to serving patients. She has worked in the pharmacy industry for many years and loves helping patients. She loves that now she gets to have an amazing opportunity to play a part in creating beautiful smiles that literally change lives and do that with a great team of professionals! Amberly says, “It's such a rewarding job, everyone here is so patient and so nice, it makes coming to work something to look forward to!” When she is not at the office assisting patients and staff with their scheduling needs, she enjoys painting pottery and spending time with her son, Leo, and daughter, Lia. They enjoy going to the beach and getting together with family. Amberly is one of seven children in her family. She is the middle child and the only girl.
Ashley Porter - Clinical Assistant
Ashley has been a part of the Solid Bite family for almost three years. She is currently working at the front desk part time and is working towards pursuing a career in the dental field when she is finished with school. Ashley says, “I love coming to work every day and working with an amazing team that share the same goal: to give our patients the best dental care possible while treating them like family.”
Elaine Lockoski - Restorative Tech
While still enrolled in high school online, Elaine started in our office as a part-time sterile technician. After graduating, she started her training as a dental assistant. In her free time, she enjoys being at the beach, traveling, and hiking. She loves seeing our patients' amazing outcomes. Elaine says, “Working for Dr. Sheldon has been such a blessing. The amount of care and time the doctors and staff spend on our patients' health shows that they are truly in the right hands.”