“When I was very young, I think about 5 or 6, I had a bad experience at the dentist. From then on, I was EXTREMELY fearful of the dentist. It was so bad I went years without going, I'd cancel my appointments, and I'd have anxiety attacks just walking in the dental office,” says Tane Rontal, DDS and owner of Delta Bay Dental Group. Little did she know that she would be a dentist decades later – an excellent dentist who was warmly welcomed by the community. 

The difference is in the details when you go to the dentist. Imagine a relaxing environment where patients feel at ease, comfortable, and content.

 

At Delta Bay Dental Group, Dr. Rontal has built a practice where patients feel like they’re stepping into a high-end spa rather than a typical dental office. With Dr. Rontal’s deep empathy for her patients, she strategically created a practice with an innovative design. 

“Patients tell me when they walk in my practice, they feel like they are on vacation or in a high-end spa, and they don't want to leave!” she explains. This welcoming environment is no accident—it’s the result of years of experience, a heartfelt commitment to patient comfort, and the desire to redefine the dental experience.

For Dr. Rontal, dentistry is as much an art as it is a science. 

“I absolutely love what I do!” she raves. “I've always been artistic and designing smiles has become an artistic passion for me. Each patient is unique in personality and lifestyle and their smile design needs to be as unique as they are. It's like each smile is its own masterpiece that I get to be a part of. It’s so much fun!” 

Her creative approach has led her to specialize in cosmetic dentistry—ranging from prepless veneers to full-arch implant rehabilitation—ensuring that every patient leaves with a smile that feels tailor-made.

“Smile design can provide a patient with self-confidence and well-being that is life-changing,” says Dr. Rontal. She also treats Temporomandibular Disorder - TMD, which many people refer to as TMJ. This disabling disease can be treated and cured, changing the lives of many patients at their wit’s end with pain. “Freeing a patient from that kind of pain is metamorphic for them.”

There is nothing better than changing lives as a dentist. 

The true reward for Dr. Rontal comes from the life-changing impact her work has on patients. “I absolutely love changing people's lives by restoring their confidence and self-esteem with a stunning smile. I've had patients look in the mirror and burst into tears. They haven't felt beautiful or confident in years and now they tell me they can't stop smiling!” 

One particularly moving story she shares is of a patient battling cancer. “I had a patient that was fighting cancer for years. She was terrified of dentistry. The cancer treatment and lack of dental care really wreaked havoc on her teeth. It took some time to build trust and a relationship, but we did a full mouth rehabilitation, and in the end, she just hugged me and cried. We both cried! Her smile was gorgeous, and for the first time in years, she felt beautiful again. Relationships such as these are life-changing.”

Prior to becoming a dentist, Dr. Rontal worked as a dental assistant for 13 years. She gained invaluable experience cleaning the dental office. She started assisting the assistants and hygienists, sterilization tech, and then received her RDA license and started assisting. 

“I was so fortunate to assist a dentist who wholeheartedly took me under his wing and taught me all about dentistry. I looked forward to going to work every day,” she smiles.  

“He knew I was thinking of going to hygiene school and he encouraged me to bypass hygiene school and go to dental school instead,” she adds. Dr. Rontal was in her late twenties at the time and she told him she would be 40 by the time she would graduate from dental school. His words were, "You're going to be 40 anyway, might as well be doing something you love to do rather than wishing you were." “That might have been the best advice I've ever received,” says Dr. Rontal. “I took his advice to heart. I went back to college and eventually applied to dental school. I'm happy to say I graduated from dental school at 39!” She has loved her job ever since. 

When Dr. Rontal isn’t working, she enjoys time with her family. She met her husband of 10 years now in 2009 on Match.com. They’ve been together ever since. Dr. Rontal has four stepdaughters who are all grown up, as well as two dogs, a 9-pound Yorkipoo named Holly and a 35-pound Cavapoo named Cooper. 

“On my time off, I love to travel and explore as much as possible. I've been to 19 countries and I want to keep that number growing. I love warm tropical weather so my pins on the map of the world are mostly near the equator,” shares Dr. Rontal. 

Life is too short not to do what you love. Dr. Rontal found her passion in dentistry and made it her profession, creating countless smiles in the process. 

For more information or to schedule a consultation, visit deltabaydental.com or call (925) 516-8886. Virtual consultations are also available for those considering a smile makeover.