By
Meredith
Knight
The year was 1998. Furbies were the must-have
Christmas toy and the movie “Titanic” was sweeping the Oscars. A fun night in
still began with a trip to Blockbuster and everybody and her sister was
trying to perfect “the Rachel” haircut. The country said “hello” to Google
and Harry Potter, as we said “goodbye” to Frank Sinatra and “Seinfeld.” And
in Coppell, Texas, that year, a brand-new pediatric dental practice was
opening its doors as Dr. Melissa Rozas welcomed her first young patients into
her fun, beach-themed office.
Hard to believe it’s been 25 years. Dr.
Rozas’ son and daughter have grown and headed off to Texas A&M and —
blessings upon blessings — she’s now treating the children of some of those
early patients. Over the past decade and a half, Dr. Rozas has witnessed and
participated in countless dental breakthroughs that have made pediatric
dentistry gentler and more precise. Through it all, many of her stellar staff
members have continued to work with her and the families of Coppell. In fact,
her office manager, Priscila Swearingen, has worked by her side since day
one.
A Dentist
Is Born
We never
really know how our childhood
experiences will influence our adult lives — for better or for worse. Growing
up, Melissa Rozas was exposed
to a lot of sugar beginning
with Coke and chocolate milk in her bottle. All that sugar soon took its toll
on her developing teeth, leading to “baby bottle tooth decay.” By the time
young Melissa was three, in fact, she had to have her front teeth pulled. She
also had three — count ’em three — sets of braces on
her teeth, her wisdom teeth pulled, and more than
her share of cavities. You’d think these experiences would combine to make
the dentist’s office her least favorite place on Earth, but amazingly Melissa
loved visiting her dentists. She loved it so much that, when the time came to
choose a career, she could easily see herself slipping into that
role.
Legacy of
Oral Health
After completing dental school, Dr. Rozas and
her husband had one thought — finding a safe, welcoming community in which to
start her practice and raise their children. Coppell, Texas, more than filled
that bill and, over the years, they’ve been thrilled with their decision. Dr.
Rozas set about hiring the team that has become like family, not just to her
but to her patients. Her staff now consists of 11 employees including her
associate, Dr. Terra Compton. “I couldn’t be prouder of my staff,” Dr. Rozas
said. “They share my passion for putting our patients first and making a
trip to the dentist a fun adventure. I love hearing compliments about my
warm, loving staff. I’d absolutely trust anyone in my family to their
care.”
Patient
Education Is Paramount
A large part of Dr. Rozas’ job, as she sees
it, is education. “I had a good mom who put Coke in my baby bottle because
she didn’t know the damage it would do,” she said. “It’s up to me to make
sure my patients’ parents understand the importance of good oral health and
the difference a healthy diet can make, because every child deserves a
healthy, happy smile. Establishing good dental practices now will have an
impact that lasts a lifetime.” Dr. Rozas loves showing young families how to
make oral hygiene a fun and natural part of their day.
As They
Grow
Dr. Rozas has a natural rapport with her
young patients. (It doesn’t hurt that she’s only four foot eleven herself.)
She loves to hear from parents how often their kids ask to go back to the
dentist and, while she loves working with them as they transition from
toddlers to teens, she has to laugh when one of her college-age patients is
reluctant to leave the practice because they feel like this is their dental
home.
Latest
Dental Advancements
Much has changed in dentistry over the past
25 years. Dr. Rozas can now offer her young patients digital X-rays which
greatly reduce radiation exposure while producing much more precise images,
allowing her to detect and address cavities while they’re much smaller and
preserving more of the natural tooth structure. Intraoral cameras allow
patients and their parents to see what Dr. Rozas sees in their mouths, making
them an invaluable educational tool. The latest additions to her practice
technology are a state-of-the-art CO-2 laser and a CBCT cone-beam machine. An
avid learner, Dr. Rozas is committed to obtaining continuing education in her
field — over and above that which is required of her — even leading a
professional pediatric study group with other dentists.
Recognized by Her Peers
Dr. Rozas is often called upon to speak
professionally in the dental community and to serve as a consultant for other
private dental offices. Over the years, she has served as chairman of Greater
Dallas Pediatric Dental Society, director of District V College of Diplomates
/ American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, president of Texas Academy of
Pediatric Dentistry, and has served on the boards of Dallas County Dental
Society and Texas Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She’s a member in good
standing of American Laser Study Club, International Affiliation of
Tongue-Tie Professionals, DFW Airway Collaborative, American Dental
Association, and Texas Dental Association. Most recently, she completed her
training and became an Ambassador for the Breathe Institute. She is
also certified in CO2 soft tissue lasers.
Philanthropic
Commitment
A firm believer in giving back to her
community, Dr. Rozas sponsors school events, an annual Halloween
cash-for-candy round-up, canned-food drives, and more. She sends her mascot,
Sammy the Shark, into elementary schools and to community events, along with
his smile guards (AKA staff members), to teach kids about oral hygiene in a fun
way they won’t soon forget.
Twenty-five years has flown by for Dr.
Melissa Rozas. She’s looking forward to many more years treating the children
of Coppell and the surrounding communities in her fun, beach-themed pediatric
dental practice. Find out more and take a virtual tour at RozasDDS.com.
CONTACT
632 East
Sandy Lake Road
Coppell, Texas 75019
