Our Doctors provide dental care to kids in a warm and anxiety-free environment. We believe that happy smiles come from healthy teeth, and love sharing our philosophy in a fun and engaging manner with your child! Our office was designed with your childs health and comfort in mind.

Jerry Udelson, DDS, PC has been a Pediatric Dentist for more than twenty years. He graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry in 1987. He then completed two additional years of specialized training in pediatric dentistry at Indiana University School of Dentistry. Following that, Dr. Jerry was awarded a one-year fellowship at Riley Childrens Hospital in Indianapolis, which was sponsored by the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation. Dr. Jerry was also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the Indiana University School of Dentistry for two years.

Throughout his career Dr. Jerry has spoken at various dental meetings and institutions, both nationally and internationally. In 2003, Dr. Jerry was invited by the People to People Ambassador Program to visit Cuba. There, he observed and learned about the state of health care in Cuba. He also participated in dialogue with Cuban dentists sharing ideas about how their pediatric dental care differs from that offered in the United States.

Dr. Jerry has the expertise, experience, and heart to treat children with a variety of special needs within his practice. His desire to work with special needs patient began years ago. While caring for his brother Mark who was severely disabled with cerebral palsy, he found that his capacity to care for him was natural and the results rewarding.

For many years, Dr. Jerry has offered his time and service to the community. His commitment to the special needs population is evident in his continued volunteer efforts, which has included treatment of individuals from The Infant Welfare Society.

Dr. Jerry was born and raised in the Oak Park Area and graduated from OPRFHS in 1975. He currently resides in the area with his wife Michelle and their four children. In his spare time, Dr. Jerry enjoys traveling with his family, golfing, and glass blowing.

Dr. Jennifer is a true Mid-Westerner having grown up and spent most of her life in Illinois. She completed her Bachelors in Biology at Illinois State University and then went on to earn her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Southern Illinois School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Jennifer followed this by completing a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry through NYU Lutheran in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Jennifer worked as a general dentist for four years in a Chicago childrens community clinic, where she realized her true passion was working with kids! She headed back to school and completed her residency in Pediatric Dentistry at LYU Langone in Phoenix, Arizona.

Dr. Jennifer is so excited to be a part of the Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids family and working in this amazing specialty! She strives to provide the highest quality care possible in a comfortable environment by taking the time to build trust and rapport with her patients and their families.

When Dr. Jennifer is not in the office, she loves running, staying active, and spending time with her family, friends, and her boxer Max! Like any other true Chicagoan, Dr. Jennifer enjoys watching her favorite Chicago sports teams, the Bears, the Blackhawks, the Cubs, and the Bulls!

Dr. Elissa grew up in a small town in New Hampshires vibrant Merrimack Valley. She attended Colby College, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Chemistry. She then moved to Boston, Massachusetts to complete her dental school education at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. While at Tufts, she was honored to receive the Honos Civicus award due to her dedication to providing outstanding community service to the underserved population in the Boston area. She regularly provided free dental care to homeless youth, visited local schools to educate children about oral health and hygiene, and organized an annual preventive-screening event, Tooth Day at Fenway, for all park patrons.

Following dental school, she completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency on the Navajo reservation in Winslow, Arizona. She considers this an invaluable experience in her professional life, as she continued to treat an underserved population of deserving patients. After completing her general residency, Dr. Elissa worked at a private pediatric practice in Charleston, South Carolina for three years. It was there that she realized her passion for providing care to the pediatric population and patients with special health care needs. She decided to pursue specialized training and went on to complete a two-year pediatric dental residency at The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University and Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta while continuing to work at the pediatric practice in Charleston on the weekends.

Dr. Elissa is excited to be a part of the Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids family and is devoted to providing quality care in a positive environment for both her patients and their families. She considers herself lucky to be in a position where she has the ability to impact and influence children at such a young age. Dr. Elissa strives to create a calm and inviting environment for her patients in order to alleviate fears while promoting positive future dental visits. She loves seeing improvements and growth with each and every encounter. Dr. Elissa is passionate about pediatric dentistry and finds the profession incredibly rewarding.

Dr. Elissa visited Chicago frequently and was intrigued by the city, culture, and even the snow (after living in the Southeast for the last five years). When shes not taking care of little teeth, you can find her staying active at yoga and group exercise classes, hiking mountains, traveling to untouched areas of the world, volunteering, exploring the Chicago food scene, and spending time with friends and family, both near and far. She looks forward to meeting you and your family soon!

Dr. Risa Hurwich is so excited to be a part of the Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids community! A true Midwesterner, Dr. Risa was born in Chicago, IL, and was raised across the border in Munster, IN. She graduated magna cum laude from Indiana University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts. She majored in Spanish while at Indiana, and she spent a semester studying abroad in Seville, Spain. Dr. Risa still loves any opportunity to practice her Spanish-speaking skills with her patients and their parents!

Dr. Risa continued her education at Indiana University School of Dentistry and quickly became interested in pediatrics. She served as the co-president of the Pediatric Dentistry Outreach Club and received a community service scholarship, as well as the Special Interest in Pediatric Dentistry award from the Indiana Society of Pediatric Dentists.

Dr. Risa has always loved working with children and thinks that pediatric dentistry allows for the biggest opportunity to make a difference in todays world. She is grateful that she was able to return home to Chicago to pursue her specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, where she was a recipient of the Health Resources and Services Administration grant. This allowed her to simultaneously complete her Masters of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Dr. Risas public health training has helped her to become a better pediatric dentist, and she feels very fortunate to be in a profession that is constantly evolving yet is always focused on the health of the child.

When not working as a pediatric dentist, Dr. Risa loves to do yoga and spend time with her family and friends around the city. She also enjoys podcasts, cooking and trying new bites on the Chicago restaurant scene.

Dr. Kelsey Brar grew up in the western suburbs and attended Benedictine University in Lisle where she received her undergraduate degree. She then went to The University of Illinois at Chicago where she obtained her D.M.D. After dental school, Dr. Kelsey furthered her education with a three-year pediatric dentistry residency program at the University of Illinois at Chicago while also pursuing a Master of Science in Oral Biology and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Administration. While in residency, she focused her research on reducing oral health disparities amongst pediatric patients.

Dr. Kelsey is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, Illinois Society of Pediatric Dentists, Illinois State Dental Society, and Chicago Dental Society. She is committed to continued education and growth in the dynamic field of pediatric dentistry. She loves to incorporate new techniques into her practice to provide the best care to all of her patients.

Dr. Kelsey believes that going to the dentist should be an enjoyable and positive experience for all children. She truly enjoys working with anxious children and helping them become comfortable in a child friendly dental environment, while teaching her patients the fundamentals for achieving a lifetime of excellent oral health.

Outside of her professional activities, Dr. Kelsey enjoys life in Downers Grove with her husband and children. Together they explore local parks and trails, and love to go on walks. Dr. Kelseys hobbies include arts and crafts, interior design, and staying active. She is so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids team!

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Dr. Priyal Mangrola obtained her Bachelors in Microbiology at Texas Tech University. Dr. Mangrola opted to further her education by obtaining her Masters in Public Health before being accepted to Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine in 2013. After completing her doctoral studies, Dr. Mangrola completed a one- year general practice residency at Mercy Hospital in Saint Louis. She then completed her pediatric dental residency at Saint Louis University where she worked at the Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital. During her time in Saint Louis, Dr. Mangrola received extensive training in children with special health care needs.

Dr. Mangrola wants each visit to the office to be fun and educational for both patients and parents the end goal being preventative dentistry. A firm believer in making the dental experience enjoyable and comfortable, you might catch her singing or dancing.

In her spare time, Dr. Mangrola enjoys playing golf and basketball, playing video games, traveling with her husband, and following her favorite sports teams. She is sadly a die-hard Texans and Astros fan, no trash talk needed, but still loves watching all Chicago sports teams.

Dr. Josh Woodruff is a Board Certified pediatric dentist. He was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia. Dr. Josh attended college at the University of Florida where he received a bachelors degree in Psychology. Following college, Dr. Josh attended dental school at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine where he earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.

Upon graduation from dental school Dr. Josh headed north to New York City where he completed a residency in General Practice Dentistry at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Josh then worked as an adult dentist before deciding to head back and further his education in pediatric dentistry. Dr. Josh continued his training in New York and completed his residency in Pediatric Dentistry at The Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan.

Through his years in dental school, residency, and practice, Dr. Josh has obtained extensive training in treating children of all ages. His residency in pediatric dentistry emphasized greatly behavior management, helping children to feel comfortable and confident in visiting the dental office.

Dr. Josh loves having the opportunity to shape the experiences children have at the dentist and he strives to foster a relationship with every patient so that they feel comfortable and confident at all dental visits. Working with children and young adults on a day to day basis is an exciting journey, and Dr. Josh is happy to be a part of the team.

We have a fabulous office staff who likes to have fun at work. Each member of our team is highly qualified with pediatric dental knowledge and experience. We all have a love for working with children and are committed to making your visit to our office enjoyable, pleasant, educational and one you will speak highly of to others.

Dental Assistant Ariana is excited to join the ED4k team and looks forward to creating strong relationships with our patients. She enjoys learning new things every day and is enthusiastic about her career in the dental field. Ariana is proud to be certified in Pit and Fissure Sealants and Coronal Polishing. She has a passion for educating our patients on the importance of keeping their teeth healthy! In her free time she enjoys going on walks with her favorite puppy- Diesel. She also enjoys going to the gym and taking a nap right after! When she isnt with her pup or working out, a good drama movie has Ariana cuddled up!

Dental Assistant Nallely is excited to be a part of Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids and to learn as much as she can about the dental field! Nallelys favorite part about coming to work is connecting with patients and parents. She lives in Schiller Park and enjoys her morning drives to the office. When she is not at work, Nallely loves to try new restaurants, go on road trips and spend lots of time with her family and friends.

Scheduling Coordinator Steve is new to the dental world and is thrilled to be a part of the Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids family. With over 15 years of customer service experience, he looks forward to meeting the patients and their families. From Franklin Park, Steve is a huge Disney fan, has an Art degree, and loves to watch movies!

Insurance Coordinator Olivia is a proud new member at ED4K who handles the behind the scenes with insurance. She enjoys learning new things and being a helping hand in any area where assistance is needed. One of her favorite quotes is The only way to do great work is to love what you do. Olivia seeks success for herself as well as her teammates to be able to make our patients happy with a great smile. When she is not at the office, she loves to spend time with her son and part take in fun filled activities with family and friends.

Scheduling Coordinator Stephanie is excited to join the Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids team! She has always had a passion for working with kids and is excited to be at the front helping make sure every childs experience is a fun one! Her goal is to have every patient leave with a smile on their face! When shes not at the office, you can find Stephanie relaxing with a good book, snuggling with her cats, or riding the roller coasters at Six Flags with her friends!

Head Assistant Arielle is a recent graduate from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Dental Hygiene. As a dedicated healthcare professional, her goal is to always get involved, volunteer, and make an impact in the community. She strives to be attentive to all of her patients needs in order to guarantee the utmost comfort and satisfaction during dental visits. As a future Dental Hygienist, she is committed to applying her skills and experience to support our dentists, her fellow coworkers and patients. As a leading dental provider in the Elmhurst area, Arielle is proud to be a member of our fun-loving premier practice at Elmhurst Dentistry For Kids!

Treatment Coordinator Dany is the first smile every patient sees when coming in to our office. Her warm personality welcomes every child in like family. She brings over 7 years of customer service experience to our office, and it shows! She is a Bloomingdale area native, and plans to keep it that way. In her free time, you can find Dany spending time with family and friends- and if she isnt, shes probably watching a Disney movie!

Practice Manager With more than 20 years of customer service experience, Heather is a great team leader and works hard to make sure the office is running efficiently. She loves to help with questions or concerns patients or parents may have about their pediatric dental care. Heather was born and raised in Vermont and obtained her Bachelors degree in psychology from Saint Michaels College in Colchester, VT in 2005. She then moved to the Chicago area and received her Masters degree in Clinical Counseling from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2007. Heather and her husband have three children who keep them very busy. In her free time, Heather loves to be with her family, attend barre classes, and bake delicious treats for her co-workers

Dental Assistant New to the dental field, Julia loves learning something new about dentistry every day. Her favorite part about coming to work is spending time with patients. Julia was born and raised in Elmhurst and is excited to be working so closely with her community! When shes not at work, Julia loves traveling, spending time outside with her friends and family or playing with her puppy, Spike.

Dental Assistant Maritza has been in the dental field since 2011. Before starting at Elmhurst Dentistry for kids in the fall of 2016, she previously worked in a general office. Maritza enjoys working with kids and her goal is to always make them feel at home at the office. Shes sure to get a smile out of even our most challenging patients. Maritza lives in Elmwood Park and loves to spend as much time as possible with her family, especially her kids. They like going to the Brookfield Zoo and going out for breakfast together!

Administrative Supervisor (Naya for short) is excited to join the Elmhurst Dentistry for Kids family. Working in a pediatric office made her realize that she loves working with children. Nayas favorite part of working in a pediatric office is interacting with the kids, reassuring them that they are brave little ones, and listening to their funny comments! She has never had a cavity and will continue to prevent having one! On her time off Naya loves traveling, sushi, and karaoke!