Meet Dr. Gutierrez

Dr. Elias Gutierrez, DDS

Dr. Elias Gutierrez has lived most of his life in Southwest Michigan. During his childhood, his parents left the city of Chicago to settle down in the small town of Three Oaks, Michigan. He attended high school at Andrews Academy and received his Bachelor degree from Andrews University in Berrien Springs. He then attended Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in Southern California, where he earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery. During his time at Loma Linda, Dr. Gutierrez was a core member for the community clinic that offered free treatment to low income patients. He also volunteered on several occasions for weekend heath clinics. In his third year, he joined a small group of students and doctors to provide free dental care to the people of Fiji for two weeks. Dr. Gutierrez was ranked among the top clinical students in his class, which earned him the privilege of joining the Esthetics and Implant Selectives. These two intensive courses ignited his passion for Cosmetic and Implant dentistry.

Upon graduation, Dr. Gutierrez decided to accept a position at a community clinic in Saipan, one of the Mariana Islands. While working at the clinic, he was able to serve the local community and also the surrounding islands. On multiple occasions, he and the other team members would fly to the neighboring Islands on small planes to offer free dental care to the impoverished people of Tinian and Rota. Dr. Gutierrez made the most of his life on the island. He enjoyed his beautiful morning runs along the beach, he golfed almost every weekend, and went on several scuba diving trips. Unfortunately, his time on the island ended sooner than expected due to the pandemic.

After his time on the island, Dr. Gutierrez returned home to Southwest MI. He worked for a year in Berrien Springs, before deciding to return to Southern California to pursue more education in Implant Dentistry. Dr. Gutierrez is a graduate of the prestigious Loma Linda Implant Continuum. During his time in Southern California, he met a beautiful girl and they married soon after. His wife is a dental hygienist and works with him at their practice. While he enjoyed the warm weather in California, he knew that he wanted to settle down in Southwest Michigan and be close to his family and friends. He was fortunate enough to purchase the practice of Dr. TIm Ward, who was retiring here in St. Joseph.

When he is not working, Dr. Gutierrez enjoys spending time with his wife Paola. They enjoy exploring the surrounding areas and making weekend trips to Chicago and Grand Rapids. They also love spending time outdoors, going on walks with their dogs and spending time at the lake.

Dr. Gutierrez is a member of the American Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and the Chicago Dental Society.