Dr. Sarah Esmaili is honored and humbled to care for the smallest smiles in our dental practice, and we're so glad to have her expertise since children have unique needs when it comes to their dental care!
Today, the spotlight is on Dr. Esmaili as we take a moment to hear more about her story and her journey to becoming a dentist.
What Inspired You to Become a Dentist?
Dr. Esmaili has always been passionate about helping people, which led her to the medical field as a pre-med student during her undergraduate years. Eventually, she realized that dentistry allowed for more autonomy and continuous care, allowing her to build ongoing relationships with her patients, something that was important to her.
She was in her third year of dental school when she first encountered a pediatric patient—a ten-year-old child. She did her best to help him feel comfortable throughout the procedure, telling jokes to put him at ease. It turned out to be a positive experience for both of them, and she realized that the fun and colorful side of pediatric dentistry better suited her personality. She then set her sights on becoming a pediatric dentist; the rest is history!
Dr. Esmaili focuses on making kids feel as comfortable as possible in the dental chair by allowing them to feel safe and free to vocalize their feelings to her. She understands that she's treating teeth and building a child's confidence in feeling happy and even excited about visiting the dentist. This is so important and integral in helping them become confident adult patients who don't avoid visiting the dentist and taking care of their smiles.
What Do You Find Most Rewarding about Pediatric Dentistry?
There are so many things that Dr. Esmaili loves about her job! She finds the profession humbling because kids are intelligent and sensitive, and she has to prepare to meet every patient wherever they're at on any given day, which is everchanging but also one of the things she loves most about being a pediatric dentist.
Dr. Esmaili feels that being a pediatric dentist has built her kindness and empathy and made her more open and adaptable to her patients' needs. She greatly values and appreciates these skills.
What Does Dr. Esmaili Do In Her Free Time?
Outside the dental office, Dr. Esmaili loves reading, cooking, and soccer—she's a Warriors fan!