Dr. Jeanette MacLean joined Affiliated Childrens Dental Specialists in 2005 and became an owner in 2007. She is a graduate of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, where she first met Dr. Mandy back in Spanish class! She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University in 1999. She received her dental degree, with honors from the University of Southern California in 2003 and completed her specialty training in pediatric dentistry in 2005 at the Sunrise Childrens Hospital through the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

Dr. MacLean is internationally recognized as an expert and advocate for silver diamine fluoride (SDF), Icon Resin Infiltration, and minimally invasive dentistry. She has been appointed to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistrys Speakers Bureau and has provided lectures across the United States and Canada, as well as webinars viewed in 39 countries. Dr. MacLean is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, one of only two Board Certified pediatric dentists in Glendale, Arizona. Her research has been published in the journal Pediatric Dentistry, the official publication of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She has been featured twice in the New York Times:

Good Morning Arizona, twice on AZ Daily Mix, Phoenix Magazine Top Dentists, written articles for multiple dental magazines and journals, been featured on KTAR News Talk Radios The Agenda, twice on the Howard Speaks dental podcast series, AAPDs Pedo Teeth Talk podcast show, has appeared on AZTVs Kids Corner, is a spokesperson for the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation, and has a popular YouTube channel on minimally invasive dental procedures. Dr. MacLean named as one of DentaQuests 2020 Health Equity Heroes Heroes in the Time of COVID-19.

She is also an active member of the Central Arizona Dental Society, the Arizona Dental Association, the American Dental Association, the Arizona Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

She is married to Timothy Budd, an attorney, and they have a son, Charlie, and a daughter, Sabrina. She has donated her time to underprivileged children both locally and in Mexico, Belize, and Costa Rica, and has been honored for her volunteer work and humanitarian achievements. She speaks conversational Spanish and her interests include party planning, crafts, Jazzercise and all things Disney. She is also active in Local First Arizona, the Arizona Dental Associations AHCCCS Subcommittee and Women in Dentistry group.

Dr. Mandy Daitch, daughter of our practice founder, Dr. Joel Arthur, is a graduate of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale. In fact, it was back in high school that Dr. Mandy started working for her father in the lab at Affiliated Childrens Dental Specialists. She received her dental degree from the University of Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco in 2001 and joined Affiliated Childrens Dental Specialists upon graduation, she became an owner in 2005.

Her emphasis on gentle dentistry brings an additional touch of compassion while providing the best possible care. She is an active member of the Central Arizona Dental Society, the Arizona Dental Association, the American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

She is married to Dr. James Daitch, a Urologist practicing in Phoenix, and they have a son, Zachary, and a daughter, Samantha. She speaks Spanish and her interests include yoga, jogging and traveling. She is also active in Local First Arizona and West Valley Women.

Dr. Wil Saavedra made his childhood home in Virginia, and attended Radford (VA) University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology. He went on to achieve his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDS), as well as his Master of Science in Oral Biology, along with a specialty certificate in Orthodontics from the Temple University School of Dentistry.

Dr. Saavedra brings a devotion to new technologies and consistent learning to his work. By remaining on top of technological advancements, he helps maintain E&S Orthodontics as one of the most advanced dental practices. Dr. Saavedra is known for his capability to work with patients using his meticulous attention to detail to achieve the best results possible. When he isnt working, Dr. Saavedra enjoys spending time working with computers, biking, spending time with his family, and exercising.

Dr. O El-Hillal received his Bachelors Degree from Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At Temple University School of Dentistry, he earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, MBA, Master of Science in Oral Biology, and Orthodontic Specialty certification.

Dr. El-Hillal (affectionately called Dr. O by his patients) has been published in numerous professional journals. He was Chief Resident and has held several other leadership roles when he was receiving training. He has helped to develop E&S Orthodontics into the West Valleys leading provider of Damon System Braces.

Dr. O is known for his laid-back style and ability to communicate with patients and parents. When hes not helping patients achieve their dream smiles, he enjoys biking, golfing, spending time with his loving family, hiking, scuba diving, and running.

Dr. Joel Arthur founded Affiliated Childrens Dental Specialists in 1973. Now retired, many of our patients parents saw Dr. Arthur when they were kids themselves we like to call these our grand-patients. He is very proud to see his children, Dr. Mandy and Dr. Chad, carry on the practice today. Dr. Arthur is known nationally for his expertise and care of special needs patients. He is enjoying retirement with his wife, Candy.

A toothbrush with soft bristles and a small head, especially one designed for infants, is the best choice for infants. Brushing at least twice a day, in the morning and at bedtime, will remove plaque bacteria that can lead to decay.

Baby bottle tooth decay is a pattern of rapid decay associated with prolonged nursing. It happens when a child goes to sleep while breast-feeding and/or bottle-feeding. During sleep, the flow of saliva is reduced and the natural self-cleansing action of the mouth is diminished. Avoid nursing children to sleep or putting anything other than water in their bedtime bottle. Encourage your child to drink from a cup as they approach their first birthday. He/she should be weaned from the bottle at 12-14 months of age.

Thumb and pacifier sucking habits that go on for a long period of time can create crowded, crooked teeth or bite problems. If they are still sucking their thumbs or fingers when the permanent teeth arrive, a mouth appliance may be recommended by your pediatric dentist. Most children stop these habits on their own.

Sealants are clear or white plastic applied to the teeth to help prevent cavities. Sealants fill in the grooved and pitted surfaces of the teeth, which are hard to clean, and shut out food particles that could get caught, causing cavities. Fast and comfortable to apply, sealants can effectively protect teeth for many years. They are meant to help prevent cavities, but do not eliminate the possibility of getting cavities. You still need to brush and floss regularly.

Due to the increasing levels of tooth decay seen in young children, the guidelines on the use of fluoridated toothpaste have changed. According to the Center of Disease Control, tooth decay is now one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood and 42% of children ages 2 to 11 have had cavities.

The current recommendation is to begin brushing with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste (grain of rice size) as soon as the first tooth erupts. After age 2, begin using a pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste. Parents should supervise brushing and make sure the child uses no more than the recommended amount of toothpaste. Children should spit out and not swallow excess toothpaste after brushing. Properly dosing the toothpaste will help minimize the amount accidentally swallowed by a young child who cannot yet spit.

To comfort your child, rinse his/her mouth with warm salt water and apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in a cloth on your childs face if it is swollen. Do not put heat or aspirin on the sore area, but you may give the child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain. See us as soon as possible.

Fluoride has been shown to dramatically decrease a persons chances of getting cavities by making teeth stronger. Fluoride in the drinking water is the best and easiest way to get it. Your child may not be getting enough fluoride internally through water if you live in a community where the water district does not fluoridate the water, or if your child drinks bottled water without fluoride, or if your home has a water treatment system such as reverse osmosis. In these cases, your pediatric dentist may prescribe fluoride supplements, or you may choose to purchase fluoridated bottled water from companies such as Arrowhead, Culligan or Sparkletts.

With contemporary safeguards, such as lead aprons and high-speed film, the amount of radiation received in a dental X-ray examination is extremely small. Even though there is very little risk, pediatric dentists are particularly careful to minimize the exposure of child patients to radiation. In fact, dental X-rays represent a far smaller risk than an undetected and untreated dental problem.

A mouth guard should be a top priority on your childs list of sports equipment. Athletic mouth protectors, or mouth guards, are made of soft plastic and fit comfortably to the shape of the upper teeth. They protect a childs teeth, lips, cheeks and gums from sports-related injuries. Any mouth guard works better than no mouth guard, but a custom-fitted mouth guard fitted by our doctor is your childs best protection against sports-related injuries.

At about 6 months, the two lower front teeth (central incisors) will erupt, followed shortly by the two upper central incisors. The remainder of the baby teeth appear during the next 18 to 24 months but not necessarily in an orderly sequence from front to back. At 2 to 3 years, all of these 20 primary teeth should be present.

First of all, remain calm. If possible, find the tooth and hold it by the crown rather than the root. Replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or a washcloth. If you cant put the tooth back in the socket, try to keep it moist. Place the tooth in a clean container with (in order of preference); Save a Tooth kit, egg white, milk, saliva, or water. Take your child and the container immediately to the pediatric dentist. The faster you act, the better your chances of saving the tooth.

Sore gums when teeth erupt are part of the normal eruption process. We recommend following the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for teething, which are to give the child a chilled not frozen teething ring or gently rub or massage the childs gums with a finger instead of using benzocaine (over the counter teething gel) to relieve the symptoms.

Primary, or baby, teeth are important for many reasons. Not only do they help children speak clearly and chew naturally, they also aid in forming a path that permanent teeth can follow when they are ready to erupt. Some of them are necessary until a child is 12 years old or longer. Pain, infection of the gums and jaws, impairment of general health and premature loss of teeth are just a few of the problems that can happen when baby teeth are neglected. Also, because tooth decay is really an infection and will spread, decay on baby teeth can cause decay on permanent teeth. Proper care of baby teeth is instrumental in enhancing the health of the your child.

Four things are necessary for cavities to form a tooth, bacteria, sugars or other carbohydrates and time. Dental plaque is a thin, sticky, colorless deposit of bacteria that constantly forms on everyones teeth. When you eat, the sugars in your food cause the bacteria in plaque to produce acids that attack the tooth enamel. With time and repeated acid attacks, the enamel breaks down and a cavity forms.