Dr. Vanesa Guerra Clements was born in Harlingen and grew up in the Rio Grande Valley area. After graduating from Baylor University, Dr. Clements attended the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston andearned her degree in Doctorate of Dental Surgery (DDS). Dr. Clements began practicing general dentistry in Dallas, Texas. In the summer of 2011,sheopened her private practice - Legacy Dental -in Brownsville, fulfillinga lifelong dream of returning home and serving those in her community.

Dr. Clements is committed to providing the best care possible for her patients and strives to stay up-to-date on the latest in dental health care. She has participated in numerous continuing education courses and attends several dental conferences throughout the country every year. She also is a member of the Rio Grande Valley Dental Association,the Texas Dental Association, American Dental Association, and the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Clements enjoyseducating her patients on the benefits of oral hygiene and hasattended a multitude of Career Day events at localschools.

Family time is important to Dr. Clements and she enjoys chasing after her two children, JoJo and Victoria. Her husband, Joseph, is the Chief Operating Officer at Legacy Dental. Dr. Clements also enjoys shopping, baking, listening to music and exercising. She is an accomplished runner, having placed in several local races.

Dr. RodolfoVargasis a Pediatric Specialist who has practiced dentistry for over 30 years. He completed his dental and pediatric dental studies at the esteemed Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York in 1984 and 1986, respectively.

Over the next 15 years or so, Dr.Vargaslogged several accomplishments, including becoming an Assistant Professor and then Chairman of the Pediatric Departmentat the University of San Carlos in his hometown of Guatemala City. He also started his own private practice and worked for several years in Chicago, before moving to Harlingen, Texas, where he has been living and working for the past 14 years.

When hes not in the office, Dr.Vargasenjoys spending time with his wife and their dog, Duke. He's also a big sports fan and enjoys watching football, baseball, tennis and soccer. He loves the beach and makes an effort to visit South Padre Island whenever he can!

My family. I have several family members in the medical field, but my father was the one who had the biggest impact. I admired hiscommitment to his patients and his passion to go the extra mile to help those in need. He would tell me a quote he was fond of, that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Thus, at Legacy Dental, my whole staff goes out of their way to ensure that all of our patients leave with a smile on their face!

Dentistry is in a great place right now; technological advances have allowed us the ability to diagnosis more accurately and provide superiordental care to our patients. Nevertheless, the old stereotype of the grouchy dentist with the giant, rusty-sounding drill still persists. That fear prevents so many people from going to the dentist or causes them to delay much needed treatment. But those technological advancements that help diagnosis have also made a trip to the dentist so much easier and much more comfortable for our patients. Perhaps equally important is the role of the dentist and her staff to show the patient that theres nothing to fear. We typically fear what we dont understand, so educating the patient goes a long way towards a successful dental visit and helps with future visits as well.

Its really the basics: brushing and flossing. Are you brushing two minutes twice a day? Are you brushing in circles? Are you brushing your gums, tongue and palate? And then theres flossing. Recent studies show that only half of all Americans floss on a daily basis. An extra two- three minutes a day to floss would do wonders for ones overall oral hygiene.

There are several great products out there right now, but Phillips ZOOM Whitening is pretty amazing. Weve seen patients come in who were so self-conscious about their teeth that they wouldnt smile. One woman showed us photo after photo of various events throughout her life birthdays, quinceaneras, weddings and no smile. After a one-hour session with ZOOM, this patient was almost transformed; her once yellow-ish teeth were now pearly white. But while the physical change in her teeth color was impressive, it was the tears of joy and that really had an impact on our staff. This was a life-changing event. Now her whole demeanor and how she carries herself is significantly different shes much more confident and self-assured. That type of change is priceless!

Success can be measured in so many ways, but at the end of the day, I want to make people smile maybe because they appreciate the dentistry theyve received or appreciate the care and attention theyve received from my team. But its the human element that drives me. People never forget how you make them feel, so my patients happiness is my success. As for the future, I hope to create more smiles by providing excellent care to my amazing patients. In addition, Id like to mentor others who want a career in dentistry. Ive had some wonderful teachers, mentors and coaches over the years and would relish the opportunity to give back just like others did for me.

Cindyis one of our awesomeRegistered Dental Hygienists! She is a graduate of Texas State Technical College in Harlingen, TXwith an Associate of Applied Science degree in Dental Hygiene. She is married with four children, including two twin boys. Cindy is quick to make patients feel at ease by building confidence, trust and friendship with each patient. Her relaxed demeanor and understanding nature make it easy for patients to feel comfortable. She is extremely devoted to educating patients on their individual needs. Cindy previously lived in Dallas and is a huge Cowboys fan. In her time away from the office she enjoys relaxing with her family and friends.

With over 14 years of experience as a Registered Dental Hygienist, Melissa is an accomplished dental professional who enjoys sharing her wealth of knowledge. She graduated from Texas State Technical College, in Harlingen, TX with an Associates Degree of Applied Science in Dental Hygiene. A native of Brownsville, Melissa enjoys interacting with her patients and educating them on the importance of oral hygiene. When not cleaning teeth, she loves exercising and playing with her dogs, Bailey, Romina, and McGreggor. Rest assure, Melissas warm smile and engaging personality will make you feel comfortable!

A native of Atlanta, GA, Joseph graduated from Georgia State University and then moved to Texas, where he's lived now for roughly 15 years. Joseph brings an extensive background in customer service, management and marketing to our team. He enjoys working alongside his hard-working Legacy teammates and interacting with patients. Most folks likely remember meeting Joseph on their initial visit, as he provides office tours to those who are new to the practice. Joseph also is our house photographer and is responsible for taking the shiny, happy pictures seen throughout the office and on our Facebook page for the Patient of the Week contest. Joseph is passionate about life and especially enjoys quality time with his wife and two lovely kiddos.