Whats special about Clifton & Mauney is thatour doctorsandstaffare specialized in not only regular orthodontics, butpediatric dentistryfor the communities of Chapel Hill, Durham and Hillsborough as well. We know the ins and outs of childrens teeth and we definitely know that their sweet tooths can kick in and be the cause for those pesky little cavities! However, just because those teeth are going to fall out anyways isnt a reason not to get them checked and treated.

Believe it or not, everyone has two sets of teeth within their mouth. The first set is the primary, or baby, teeth, which appear at about 6-8 months, and are fully visible by age 3. These primary teeth total 20 in all, and by age 5 or 6, they slowly fall out one by one because of the permanent teeth that are pushing behind them.

The second set of teeth is the secondary, or permanent, teeth. Permanent teeth are our adult teeth that most kids have by the age of 12 or 13. There are 32 permanent teeth in total, and four of them are called wisdom teeth, which grow in the back of the mouth, and are usually extracted since not many adults have room for all 32 teeth.

We all have different types of permanent teeth, which all serve different functions for when we eat. Your front four teeth are called incisors, and you have four on the top of your jaw and four on the bottom. These teeth usually make first contact when you bite into something such as a noodle or an apple.

The next side teeth are your pre-molars or bicuspids, which are bigger and stronger than your incisors and canines. Their purpose is to crush and grind your food. Finally, in the way back of your mouth are your molars which are the toughest, both wider and stronger than your premolars. Molars grind up your food even further than premolars do, preparing it for your tongue to be swallowed down your throat.

Dr. T. Lenise Clifton, DDS, MS is a native of Louisiana. She grew up in DeQuincy and completed her undergraduate degree at Centenary College of Louisiana. Dr. Clifton moved to North Carolina after college and completed her Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992. She completed a residency in both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics that required five years of training after dental school and earned her Masters of Science. Dr. Clifton opened the doors to her practice in September 1997. She has published several articles related to her graduate program research at UNC and sometimes returns to UNC for teaching in the pediatric dental clinic. She is a member and board-certified by both the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Academy of Orthodontics. Dr. Clifton is also a member of the North Carolina Dental Society and the Durham-Orange Dental Society.

Dr. Clifton has been married to Dr. Chuck since 1993. She is the wonderful mother of three children: Anna Claire, Mary Kate and Ben. Dr. Clifton enjoys college sports and is an avid Tar Heels fan! She has a green thumb as well as an artistic eye. This is evident in the beautiful roses she grows and the many intricate creations she has made while sewing. Dr. Clifton loves playing the piano and is a talented singer. During college, she even had the opportunity to perform with her choir in many foreign countries. She loves to relax with a good book and spend time with her family.

She has enjoyed being a pediatric dentist and orthodontist because, Theres always something new to learn, and its always exciting. She feels like, We make a difference in the way people smile and feel about themselves. Having toys and prizes around is great, too! Dr. Clifton is proud of the team that supports her and Dr. Mauney. She loves working with our talented, committed team. Theres nothing better than spending your days with people who love caring for children.

Dr. Charles U. Mauney (or Dr. Chuck), DDS, MPH grew up in Charlotte, NC. He graduated from NC State University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1989 and received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1993.

Dr. Chuck practiced as a general dentist for a few years before returning to UNC to complete his residency in pediatric dentistry and receive his Masters in Public Health in 2000. He then joined the practice with his wife, Dr. Lenise Clifton.

Dr. Chuck is board-certified and has achieved Diplomate status with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, NC Dental Society and the Durham-Orange Dental Society. Dr. Chuck sometimes teaches in the pediatric dental clinic at UNC as an adjunct faculty member.

He enjoys gardening and has recently become a hobby farmer. His favorite vegetable to grow is tomatoes. He is a big fan of all types of music and loves chocolate chess pie! He is also a great cook and loves to test out new recipes on his family.

Dr. Chuck loves being a pediatric dentist because it offers him the chance to watch the kids grow up and to celebrate their accomplishments. He enjoys being a part of our dental team because every member strives to make every child feel special.

At Clifton & Mauney we provide comprehensive services under one roof. Whether your child (or you) needs orthodontic careusingbracesor Invisalignor your family needs specialized pediatric care, we have it all.

At Clifton & Mauney, we pride ourselves on maintaining a gold standard of excellent customer service. We treat every customer like family, and we work hard to create a fun and relaxing office environment.Our doctors and our wonderful team of highly skilled orthodontic and pediatric dental specialists strive to make every visit to our office a positive experience for everyone and while we take our jobs very seriously, we always find a way to have fun!

Kristen is the first face you will see in our office! She is an Orange County native and graduated in May 2017 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. The skills she developed with her degree are valuable for building relationships with our patients and their families!

Her favorite part of her job is meeting so many new, smiling faces! and she loves seeing our patients enjoy a positive dental experience! She values that we truly work together as a team and that our doctors always have the patients best interest at heart! She thinks of her team as her extended family.

In 2020, Kristen did not let Covid stand in the way of marrying her long-time love, Kameron, in an intimate ceremony in Ambers backyard and starting their lives together. They have been practicing their parenting on their puppy, Tessa, as they patiently wait for their sweet baby to be born this summer. Kristen is definitely a planner so they are completely ready for the arrival. Until then, they are still working their way through a restaurant bucket list that is constantly growing. Kristen loves traveling with her family, watching Kameron play ball, and eating strawberry shortcake. She prefers frozen yogurt to ice cream and her hidden talent is her ability to pop every joint in her body!

Beth Ann graduated in 2009 from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Exercise Physiology and then in 2014 with a BS in Dental Hygiene. She joined our team in 2011 to gain dental knowledge as she applied to the hygiene program and then returned to our team in 2015 after becoming a Registered Dental Hygienist.

She loves her job because it gives her the opportunity to teach children and their parents about nutrition and the link it has to their overall health. She wants them to develop healthy habits at a young age and loves creating a fun environment for kids of all ages and developing long-term relationships.

Beth Ann appreciates working with Dr. Clifton and Dr. Mauney because they genuinely care about their patients and their dental team. I admire how they treat each patient as their own child, the reassuring rapport they have with children and parents and the way they make me feel like part of their family.

Beth Ann is an avid runner and fitness nut. Her dedication to being healthy is an inspiration to those around her. Chocolate and pizza are her weaknesses, especially peanut M&Ms and she cant pass up a good cup of coffee. She loves to travel, with Greece being her farthest destination to date. She is part Italian and hopes to one day make her way to Italy. She loves summer and the Tar Heels. Even though she transplanted from West Virginia, we have finally taught her to say yall!

She joined our team in 2011 to cover another employees maternity leave, and we fell in love with her and wouldnt let her leave! She loves her job because she has the opportunity to work with kids and educate both the patients and their parents on the importance of dental health.

Lisa and her husband, Tyler, are busy playing with their active son Westan and taking care of their sweet daughter Shelby. Lisa loves baseball, especially if it is her beloved Tarheels or the Durham Bulls. Her biggest joy is spending time with her growing family. She loves to vacation on Marthas Vineyard but would also love to give Hawaii a try!

Besides always having a smile on her face, Paula also brings creativity and fun to all of her projects in our practice. She loves the chance to meet new families and the feeling that we are making a difference to the people we serve. Watching patients grow up and then bring their own children back is the ultimate compliment to our practice.

She firmly believes we have the best dental team around! Her favorite thing about working with Drs. Clifton and Mauney is that they constantly put the needs of their patients and their team first. She loves her team because they feel more like family than co-workers.

Paula has been married to her high school sweetheart Keith since 2001 and they have two teenagers, Will and Rhiley. Will recently headed to college at App Sate and loves Boone. Keith and Paula love that it gives them an excuse to head to the mountains. Rhiley is taking advantage of every opportunity that high school has to offer and keeps their house abuzz with constant activities, from multiple sports to FFA and showing cows. Paula is passionate about relic hunting, telling stories, Frosted Flakes, and talking in a British accent!

Dee began in our practice in 1998. She attended UNC-Greensboro and received a BS in Early Childhood Education. After teaching preschool for a few years, Dee returned to college at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she received her certification in dental hygiene.

She is passionate about helping children learn the value of their teeth: Why they are important and how to care for them. She is an avid promoter of dental care that starts with the first tooth. It has been a joy for her to see many of these kids lives evolve. She especially enjoys the relationships she has cultivated with our special needs patients over the years.

Dee and her husband, Dale, have two adventurous children, Chase and Kenzie, who love running their own at-home science experiments, growing a garden every summer, and raising five chickens. Dee has always been quite outdoorsy and her family continues that tradition with hunting, fishing, and lots of camping. Their recent acquisition of a camper makes them even more ready for adventures. She loves to try new things, whether it be books or food or even skydiving. She dreams of one day adventuring all the way to Alaska!

We first met Jamie when she completed a dental rotation in our practice while attending the dental assisting program at UNC-Chapel Hill. After graduation in 2011, Jamie joined our team and has been a vital part ever since. Jamie can often be found joking with her patients and enjoying her time with each child. She loves when kids love coming to the dentist and enjoys watching some cool kids grow up.

Her favorite part of being on Dr. Clifton and Dr. Mauneys team is the overall compassion and respect both doctors show for others, both patients and employees. Dentistry has changed so much over the years and Jamie has worked hard to master all the various technologies, like the digital scanner and the 3D printer. She loves the challenges of an ever-changing field. She loves being part of this team because we are a family!

Jamies house is organized chaos, as she and her husband, Corey raise their two children, Savannah and Jase, and their four dogs. She loves being creative with her Cricut, sublimation, and resin art and enjoys sharing her gifts with others. It is no surprise that Hobby Lobby is her favorite store. She is devoted to the Cowboys and the Tarheels. She dreams of one day being a rock star, but until then will rock being a dedicated dance mom to Savannah. Like a true southern girl, she loves NASCAR and banana pudding!

Amber and her husband, Brett, are busy chasing around three active children: Karley, Addison and Trent. As her sunglasses say, Im a SUPERMOM. Being a busy mom doesnt leave much time for her to visit her favorite spot, the lake, or bake her favorite Funfetti Cake!