Meet Our Dentists
General Dentist
Rick Leppo, DMD, FAGD, MCSD
Dr. Leppo is known for his caring touch and humorous tone making even the most nervous patients comfortable. A native of northwestern Illinois, Dr. Leppo completed his undergraduate studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and obtained his Doctor of Medical Dentistry from SIU School of Dental Medicine.
A perfectionist by nature, Dr. Leppo received additional post-graduate training at the most renowned American dental & medical institutions. He was accepted into Louisiana State University’s program, where he completed additional dental surgical training. In recognition of his unique skill set and clinical knowledge he was bestowed the honor of Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry. He is proud to bring this knowledge and enhanced skills to the Columbia-Waterloo communities.
Fearful & apprehensive patients are pleased that Dr. Leppo offers both oral and IV sedation allowing for a virtually anxiety-free dental experience. Sedation may be implemented for a variety of dental procedures to allow for a relaxing dental visit. Dental procedures that are traditionally completed across multiple appointments can now be finished within one visit. He completed his advanced sedation training at Seton Hall University’s St. Joseph Hospital and was awarded the level of Master by the College of Sedation in Dentistry, the highest honor that can be awarded by the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. In addition to his advanced training in dentistry and anesthesiology, Dr. Leppo is dual certified in both CPR and ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support).
To better support the patients within the Columbia-Waterloo area, Dr. Leppo completed advanced training in dental implants & bone grafting techniques. Dr. Leppo completed an Implant Residency at the Medical College of Georgia, one of the most respected and comprehensive training programs for implant dentistry. This training prepared him with the skills necessary to replace missing teeth and stabilize ill-fitting dentures. As an active member of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID), Dr. Leppo is committed to maintaining the highest standards in dental implantology.
As an active participant in the dental community and to say thank you and give back to the community that has supported him, Dr. Leppo has participated in the “Give Kids a Smile” program since 2004. This non-profit organization provides underserved children with free comprehensive dental care.
Dr. Leppo is a proud member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and Waterloo Rotary Club. He lives in Columbia with his wife and daughter where she attends school at Immaculate Conception. His dedication to the community is evident in his personal commitment to quality care, integrity, and leadership.
DMD DENTIST
Caroline Connolly
Dr. Connolly received her undergraduate degree from Bradley University before obtaining her Doctor of Medical Dentistry from Southern Illinois University. In addition, she is certified to provide Invisalign clear aligner braces and has also received advanced training in Cosmetic dentistry and Endodontics.
Dr. Connolly truly enjoys getting to know her patients and creating a caring and professional relationship with them. Her primary focus is understanding their dental needs and exceeding their expectations by providing quality dentistry that will help her patients achieve and maintain a healthy, brilliant smile. Dr. Connolly continues to seek out advanced training in numerous continuing education courses so that she is able to provide her patients with the latest advances in dentistry.
“As a dentist, I strive to provide high-quality dental care to the best of my ability. I am committed to staying on the leading edge of new dental technology and techniques to ensure I am doing the best I can for our patients. I want to make sure every patient I see is treated just like family.”
Dr. Connolly resides in Millstadt where she enjoys watching her two children participate in their various school activities. In her free time she likes to shoot a round of golf at one of the local golf courses.
