Meet The Doctors

Meet the Dentists

Our friendly and knowledgeable dentists work hard to provide the highest quality dental work to every patient. Learn more about the professionals who will be working to help you maintain your smile and oral health.

Headshot of a La Cantera Dental Group surgical dentist Dr. Vandan Desai.

Dr.Vandan Desai, D.D.S

Owner / Surgical Dentist

Dr. Desai is an alumnus of the University of Maryland. He pursued and completed a two-year residency program from Pennsylvania, specializing in implant prosthodontics and wisdom teeth extraction. He was born in India and eventually shifted to Maryland.

Dr. Desai brings his commitment to excellence, never-quit attitude, and years of training and experience to provide his patients with quality dental care in a relaxed environment. He firmly believes that his profession gives him the chance to bring smiles to his patients’ faces, which acts as an impetus for him to do better and keep all his patients happy and satisfied.

In his spare time, Dr. Desai enjoys traveling the world and spending quality time with his wife and son. They enjoy exploring new cities and different cuisines together. Dr. Desai also likes to stay up to date with advances in technology.

Headshot of a La Cantera Dental Group cosmetic dentist Dr. Terri Ashby.

Dr.Terri Ashby, D.D.S

Cosmetic Dentist

Dr. Terri Ashby was inspired to become a dentist when she was 12 years old after a life-changing experience with a compassionate dentist. Her education began in her hometown on the south side of Chicago. Determined to reach her goal of becoming the world’s most gentle dentist, she became the first woman in her family to graduate high school. Her drive and passion led her through graduate college and dental school at the University of Illinois.

After school, Dr. Ashby followed the path of many family members and joined the Army. She considers herself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve our country. She finally settled here in San Antonio and loves being around her sons and patients.

Some of Dr. Ashby’s other interests include travel and yoga. In fact, she is a certified yoga and meditation instructor! Dr. Ashby is eager to meet her new patients and looks forward to taking care of all their oral health needs.

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Dr. Vanessa Bednarik, D.D.S

General Dentist

Dr. Vanessa Bednarik attended Case Western Reserve University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology. She went on to earn her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at The Ohio State University. Dr. Bednarik chose to study dentistry because of her passion for helping people and her love of working with her hands. Dentistry has given her the opportunity to use her artistic side in a medical profession.
Dr. Bednarik enjoys the entire spectrum of various procedures in dentistry, from aligning teeth with Invisalign to restoring missing teeth with implants. She’s looking forward to getting to know her patients and their families, and to be able to enhance their smiles through dentistry. When she’s not enhancing smiles, Dr. Bednarik enjoys spending time with her husband, her two daughters, Lauren and Alexa, and their dog, Dune. She also enjoys skiing, scuba, swimming, and bicycle riding in her free time.

Headshot of a La Cantera Dental Group general dentist Dr. Eliana Melendez.

Dr.Eliana Melendez, D.D.S

General Dentist

Dr. Eliana Melendez was born in El Paso, Texas. She attended Texas Tech University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in chemistry and Spanish. She went on to attend UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry, where she earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.

Dr. Melendez fell in love with dentistry after volunteering at a free dental clinic during her undergraduate career. The idea of taking a patient out of pain in the same day and seeing life-changing results through dentistry ignited her passion for the profession. She deeply values forming meaningful connections with her patients, going above and beyond to achieve their health and aesthetic goals.

In her spare time, Dr. Melendez enjoys playing indoor volleyball, working out, traveling, and spending time with her husband and their two fur babies – a husky and a chocolate lab.

Dr. Crusco, D.D.S

San Antonio native, Dr. Albert Crusco was raised in Houston, TX and is a Texas Tech University Alumnus. Dr. Crusco earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Marquette University - School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, WI. and went on to complete further training in Endodontics and Implantology.

Dr. Crusco is an active member of the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. With over 20 years of practicing dentistry, he finds it most rewarding to be able to replace missing teeth with implants to restore a patient's smile. After recently relocating back to San Antonio after 16 years in southwest Arizona, Dr. Crusco can be found playing tennis, cycling, hunting, fishing, and traveling around the world.

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