Dr. Tarantola received his dental degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1982 and practiced dentistry in Kansas City, Missouri until 1991. During that time, he received advanced training at The Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education in Key Biscayne. After completing those courses, he was asked to join the Visiting Faculty and helped teach there several times a year. He was offered a position as a Full-Time Faculty which he accepted and began there full time in 1991. His responsibilities as Clinical Director involved teaching over 3000 dentists from around the country and around the world, developing innovative and relevant teaching materials, writing articles for peer-reviewed journals, and lecturing here and abroad. These CD learning modules are a compilation of many years of documentation, study and teaching.

During that time, he also maintained a private practice, focusing his attention on comprehensive cosmetic and reconstructive dentistry. In 2001, he made the decision to return to full-time practice whereby he could devote his full attention to his patients. He still teaches on a limited basis at The Pankey Institute. Practicing comprehensive dentistry in a relationship-based setting is the message he is committed to teaching to dentists everywhere.  

 He is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, the American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics, the American Equilibration Society and has achieved Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry.