Home » Pediatric Dentist » Wearing the Right Hat

So much of what makes a person who they are in adulthood, begins with their experiences as a child. I feel, as a person and a doctor, that my practice themes and ethics developed from childhood. My family encouraged good relationships and communication with each other, and did their best to make learning experiences impactful and fun. I continue this practice with my husband, Brian and our children, Elizabeth and Connor. It’s this type of foundation that allows us to grow and prosper in life.

Providing clear communication and building a rapport with our patients, is crucial to my success as a pediatric dentist and to the success of your children’s future dental health habits. In my evaluations of each child, I take note of their growth and development stages and communicate with them in a way that closely relates to how they process information at that developmental stage. If I didn’t approach pediatric dentistry in this manner, it would be nearly impossible to make these important connections with my patients.

I also take great pride in the relationships I build with parents. The sum total of each parent’s individual life experiences often leads them down vastly different paths. Getting to know each of you and having some context for what your family values, makes us a better team as we promote positive dental health associations for each of your children, together.

As a new mom to my daughter, Elizabeth, I realized she was having trouble gaining weight initially and we were having difficulties. My medical background encouraged me to try and figure out what the problem was on my own, before seeing the pediatrician. In my head, I thought I didn’t want to be thought of as a sub-par mother or doctor in the eyes of another physician.

Crazy thinking, right? By the 2nd or 3rd appointment, the pediatrician told me that when I come into the office, I needed to wear my “Mom Hat” and leave the “Medical Hat” to him and TOGETHER we would then get everything taken care of. I felt as if I lost all my baby weight in that one moment! It was the best parenting advice I had ever received. I realized that we seek out professional advice so we don’t have to feel compelled to wear too many “hats” at a time and can focus solely on being moms and dads, and that there shouldn’t be any feelings of judgement associated with doing so.

I wore my “Mommy Hat” for every appointment after that. I share this story because parents that come to see me with their children may feel just like I did, and I want them to know that we use the same TEAM approach here at Cherry Orchard Pediatric Dentistry. I want all of our parents to feel comfortable and supported in all of their inquiries about their child’s dental health.

I feel my experience as a fellow mom strengthens my ability to provide excellent dental care and positive dental experiences for each of my patients. Luckily, I have found a wonderful team of individuals who subscribe to the same belief and who have helped me create the fun, supportive environment that Cherry Orchard Pediatric Dentistry is today.

I look forward to getting to know each of you. 😊