Kids Healthy Teeth - BestOf Winner 2021

BY MEREDITH KNIGHT

Dr. Elizabeth Chen loves the hustle and bustle of her busy pediatric dental practice. In fact, her favorite days are the ones when kids are out of school and the office is really hopping. “I love seeing everyone and keeping things fun for our young patients,” she said. Dentistry was a natural choice for Dr. Chen since she comes from a family of dental professionals.

“My dad’s an oral surgeon,” she said. “My mom is a pediatric dentist, and my older brother and younger sister are both orthodontists.” In fact, Elizabeth knew by her sophomore year of high school she wanted to be a pediatric dentist. Now at her thriving practice, Dr. Chen sees kids beginning around their first birthday, although those visits are for the parents as much as they are for the kids. Parents stay with their children throughout all visits at Kids Healthy Teeth and Dr. Chen speaks to them about many topics, including the importance of establishing a dental home, what to expect as teeth develop, and how to care for their child’s teeth as they get older.

“During those first visits, I check their anatomy to make sure everything is developing correctly,” Dr. Chen said. “And we help them realize going to the dentist can be fun.” Dr. Chen and her team keep things relaxed as they follow the child’s lead. “We let them see we’re different from the pediatrician, and we just want to look at their teeth,” Dr. Chen said. “Then I spend time fielding parents’ questions and making sure they leave with all the answers they need.”

One happy parent wrote this about her child’s experience at Kids Healthy Teeth, “Dr. Chen and her nurses really took the time to get my little one comfortable with them and the surroundings. The dentist and her two nurses just had a conversation with me for a while, so my baby could settle in. They were very sweet and professional, and answered all my questions about dental care. The exam itself was a breeze. We both left happy and look forward to our long-term relationship with this office.” Isn’t that what every parent wants in a pediatric dental office?

A firm believer in giving back to the community, Dr. Chen supports many local nonprofits, including Graeme’s Run and Casa de Esperanza. She also loves to support local schools in whatever ways they need, such as PTA donations or career day volunteering. When she’s not on the job, she’s enjoying every minute with her growing family — a three-year-old boy, Pierce, and a six-month-old boy, Brooks — and staying active with her husband. “Of course, staying active now means going to the park and strolling the neighborhood with the boys, instead of training for half-marathons or playing soccer, but we’re really enjoying these years,” she said.

Kids Healthy Teeth is now accepting new patients.