Our Staff Dentists

Douglas A. James, D.D.S., M.A.G.D.

A vision of providing the highest quality dental care to his patients is what led Dr. James to develop Michigan Avenue Dental Associates, a dental group practice composed of two subgroups: Michigan Avenue General Dental Associates and Michigan Avenue Dental Specialty Associates.

He started his practice in 1974 when Dr. Kenneth C. Washburn, one of his dental school professors, asked him to be his associate. Since then he not only has maintained his own full-time private practice but, maintaining the philosophy of his teacher and mentor, he continued to actively pursue his dental education. Successfully fulfilling the rigorous academic requirements of the Academy of General Dentistry, he received the academy’s “Fellowship” (F.A.G.D.) Award in 1987 and in 1991 he received the highest award the Academy bestows, to only a few members annually, the “Mastership” (M.A.G.A.) Award. In 1992 he was honored by the American Society of Osseointegration, a component society of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists with a “Fellowship” Award for his accomplishments in “Dental Implantdontics”.

Concurrently with his continued academic achievements, Dr. James designed and contracted to build in 1987 a new and more efficient dental office where dentists could practice in an environment of learning and of sharing of knowledge and experience. Ideas and knowledge could more easily be exchanged when multiple practitioners practiced together in the same office. This group was named, Michigan Avenue Dental Associates. Realizing a continued need for optimal care for his patients and those of his associates, in 1990 he arranged for a dental specialist to join the group. This co-group of dental specialists was named, Michigan Avenue Dental Specialty Associates. Dr. James feels honored to treat those patients who walk through the door of the practice, and acknowledges they deserve the highest quality dental care possible.

Dr. James is a native of Evanston, Illinois where he attended four years and graduated from Evanston Township High School. He graduated from Drake University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.), and continued his post graduate work at the University of Illinois School of Dentistry at the Medical Center in Chicago, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree (B.S.D.) in 1971 and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (D.D.S.) in 1973.

With many years of practical dental experience to draw from Dr. James’s practice focuses mainly on the treatment of difficult and complex reconstructive and cosmetic adult dentistry. During his 42 years of practice he has placed more than 15,000 crowns and preformed more than 10,000 root canals. This is a highly imaginative and creative dentist who has developed through his many years of practice and continuing education many sophisticated skills for restoring oral function and obtains for his patients functional harmony and optimal cosmetic appearance. With more than twenty-five years of experience in the placement of implants, Dr. James has become a highly trained dental implantologist, who views complex implant cases as an exciting challenge. He has also refined his skills over the years in working with cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers, porcelain restorations, laser dentistry, as well as a wide array of other special cosmetic procedures to obtain for his patients the most optimal, functional and best cosmetic results.

Despite being at the helm of a thriving group practice, and his own private practice, this highly energized practioner made time to marry and raise two children. His daughter Jennifer attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where she received her Bachelor of Science degree (B.S.) and further attended Rollins’s graduate business school, the Crummer School of Business, receiving her Master of Business Administration degree (M.B.A.). Furthering her education and following in her father’s footsteps, she attended Temple University’s Maurice H. Kronberg School of Dentistry, graduating with her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (D.D.S.) in 2014. She is currently attending the University of Texas School of Dentistry for the post doctorate specialty program of periodontics. Matthew, his son, graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics. Went on to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology where he obtained his teaching certification in 2014. Matthew is currently serving as an officer on the bridge of the Chicago Sail and Power Squadron as the Squadron Secretary. Matthew is currently attending DePaul University in its post graduate division in Computer Science where in 2017 he will receive his Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering.

Maintaining an active involvement within the dental community is critical to remaining abreast of the newest advances in dental care, stresses Sr. James. His professional affiliations include membership in the American Dental Association, International Congress of Oral Implantologists, Academy of General Dentistry, Illinois State Dental Society and the Chicago Dental Society. Dr. James is currently a Life member of the American Dental Association. He has had the honor of being the charter president of the American Association of Managed Care Dentistry, President of First-Dent Corporation, a Chicago area dentist-provider owned dental managed care corporation, Administrative Officer in 2001, Executive Officer in 2002 and Commander in 2003 of the Chicago Sail and Power Squadron, the local component of the United States Power Squadrons. Dr. James is currently serving as an officer on the bridge of the Chicago Yachting Association as the Association’s Rear Commodore. He is a 32 degree mason and has been a member if the Shriners of North America for 26 years. He was recently selected by the Consumer Research Council of America as being a member of America’s Top Dentists for 2003-2004. More recently Dr. James, his son, Matthew and daughter, Jennifer authored and published a 181 page local marine reference directory entitled: James Marine Reference Directory. The directory is used by the United States Coast Guard, the Chicago Power Squadron, the Chicago Police Marine Units, the United States Coast Guard Auxillary, Commodores of all the Chicago Yacht Clubs, Harbormasters of the nine lakefront recreational boaters. Dr. James is presently the Rear Commodore of the Chicago Yachting Association.

Dr. James told us he has always believed that academic achievement should balance with physical activity. In high school, winning the Illinois State High School gymnastic championship, initiated within him a never ending desire to join physical accomplishments with academic accomplishments.

He has continually and progressively participated in paddleball, squash, handball, tennis, racquetball, scuba diving and downhill skiing. He was president of his college ski club and founding president of the University of Illinois Medical/Dental School Ski Club. He very much enjoys boating with his family and friends on his boat ‘Venture On’. He is the founder and past president of the Chicago River Rats and Other Rodents Club. Presently he enjoys playing and interacting with his children most of all.

He looks forward in continuing to provide to his patients and future patients, as high a quality of dentistry and personal service as possible. This includes some who have been his patients for 42 years since he started his practice and one in particular who came into his office and stated: “Hey doc! Remember that bridge you made for me 31 years ago. I think it is time to replace it. It’s loose.”

J.D. Feldman, D.D.S.

Dr. Feldman grew up in Beverly, a community in the southwest side of Chicago. After being encouraged to be a dentist from an early age, he was accepted to Northwestern Dental School’s early admission program, available only to academically accelerated students, after only two years of undergraduate work at Northwestern University’s Evanston campus. At the dental school, he participated in several organizations and was an officer of the Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity. Upon graduation, he grew a beard to look older than his 24 years.

Dr. Feldman has been in private practice for over 35 years, and still feels privileged to be able to serve his patients. Some of his patients have been with him since almost the beginning of his career and feel comfortable with his gentle manner. He especially enjoys cosmetic dentistry where he can transform a smile into a thing of beauty, whether it be through veneers, all porcelain crowns, whitening, or sometimes by just adjusting the lengths of the teeth for a more symmetrical appearance. He is also well versed in other phases of general dentistry as he is frequently attending continuing education courses to offer his patients the most recent proven techniques. Another passion of Dr. Feldman is educating his patients of the importance of good oral hygiene and its connection to systemic disease.

Dr. Feldman resides in Highland Park, with his wife Debra. Debra is a social worker who recently worked at Glenkirk, a facility for mentally challenged adults. She received her master’s degree from Loyola University. Dr. Feldman and his wife have three children and three grandchildren. Dr. Feldman enjoys classical music, attending plays and family time.

Salvador Nares D.D.S., Ph.D.

Dr. Nares is a native of West Texas and attended Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, TX, where he received a Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 1997. Dr. Nares subsequently enrolled in the combined Ph.D./Periodontics Specialty program at Baylor where he earned a Ph.D. in 2001 and a Certificate of Specialty in Periodontics in 2002. During this advanced training period, Dr. Nares practiced as a part-time General Dentist for 5 years in Dallas, TX. Upon completion of this program, Dr. Nares relocated to Bethesda, MD to continue his training at the Oral Infection and Immunity Branch of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH). During the 3-year period, Dr. Nares practiced Periodontics in College Park, MD. Most recently, Dr. Nares graduated from the MBA program at the University of Chicago, in 2016.

Dr. Nares has been practicing Periodontics and Implant Dentistry since 2002 and is s Diplomat of the American Board of Periodontology. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Periodontics at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to moving to Chicago, Dr. Nares served as a faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Nares has published over 40 peer reviewed scientific and clinical research articles, 3 book chapters and his research program in Mucosal Immunology is funded by the NIH, UIC College of Dentistry, and corporate entities. Dr. Nares has lectured nationally and internationally in the area of mucosal immunity/periodontal disease and implant dentistry. He has won several teaching and research awards from the American Academy of Periodontology and was recently awarded the Earl Robinson Regeneration Award which is presented to the most outstanding scientific published article on periodontal regeneration in the basic or clinical sciences. Dr. Nares serves as a peer reviewer for numerous clinical and scientific journals including the Journal of Periodontology, Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, PLoS One and Scientific Reports.

Dr. Nares focuses on evidence-based clinical periodontics and implant dentistry and is a firm believer in optimizing communication between provider and patient. Dr. Nares also stresses disease prevention. He incorporates the latest advances in periodontics and implant dentistry in treatment of his patients. Dr. Nares has been married to his wife Celia for 27 years. Together they have 3 active teenage daughters. They enjoy exploring the many culinary experiences in the Chicagoland area, a night at the movies and traveling.

Jason Guerrero, D.D.S., M.S.

Dr. Guerrero was born and raised in Chicago. His passion for Dentistry was sparked at a very early age from admiration for his family dentist. In 2001, he graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI where he obtained his Bachelor of Science with a major in Dental Hygiene. In 2005, he received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Marquette University. And in 2010, he completed a three-year specialty program in Prosthodontics along with a Master of Science in Oral Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Guerrero is a board eligible candidate and is in the process of completing board certification requirements established by the American College of Prosthodontists. The dental specialty of Prosthodontics focuses on the incorporation of new dental technology to complete general and advanced dental procedures associated with tooth restoration and replacement.

Throughout dental school, he worked as a part-time certified Dental Hygienist gaining four years of invaluable experience in the field of Periodontics. He was on academic scholarship throughout his four-year dental education and was the recipient of the Pierre Fauchard Award & the American College of Dentists Academic Achievement Award. After graduating from dental school in 2005, he practiced Dentistry for two years before enrolling into his postgraduate educational program in Advanced Prosthodontics at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Guerrero is focused on providing patients with the most current techniques available in Dentistry including dental treatment that requires implant rehabilitation through the use of computer guided surgery. He uses evidence-based dental decision making to provide all his patients with the most predictable outcome with the best long-term prognosis. He is interested in providing comprehensive dental care that focuses on the patient’s concerns while improving their overall oral health.

He prides himself on being a perpetual student and has accrued hundreds of continuing dental education credits in full mouth rehabilitation, dental implants, esthetic techniques, dental materials, advanced bone grafting procedures, and computer-guided implant surgery.

He holds certificates for ACLS, PALS, and Invisalign® & active memberships in the American Dental Association, Chicago Dental Society, American Prosthodontic Society, Academy of Osseointegration, and American College of Prosthodontics.

In his spare time, Dr. Guerrero enjoys living a healthy lifestyle, reading, computer technology, travel, and spending time with friends/family.