Dr. Dillon Atwood is one of two Board Certified Dentist Anesthesiologists in North Carolina, and is a Diplomate of the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology. He studied at Davidson College and attended the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry before completing his postgraduate training in Anesthesiology at Lutheran Medical Center in New York City. During that time, he practiced pediatric anesthesia in Arizona and special care anesthesia at Helen Hayes Hospital in New York

Highly respected by both his professional peers and patients, Dr. Atwood is our selected Anesthesiologist, providing in-office general anesthesia and sedation services to our patients. This specialized service allows us to provide any level of anesthetic care that our patients need, while putting patient safety and comfort first.

Dr. Ronald Venezie completed his undergraduate degree at the Pennsylvania State University in 1986 and earned his dental degree in 1990 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He remained in Chapel Hill to complete a residency in Pediatric Dentistry at UNC Hospitals in 1994. Dr. Venezie spent three years as a full-time faculty member in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. After returning to North Carolina, Dr. Venezie spent seven years working for the NC Department of Health and Human Services including as Dental Director for the North Carolina Medicaid Program. Dr. Venezie has more than 20 years of experience as a pediatric dentist in private practice as well as in public health.

Dr. Venezie resides in Cary with his wife, Michele. They have two daughters, Maria and Emily. Dr. and Mrs. Venezie are the proud grandparents of Addison and Elena. In his free time, Dr. Venezie enjoys traveling, playing golf, reading and cooking.

You do not need to be at Little Tooth Co. for long to know that we use kid-friendly language and use examples that all children can understand. We often replace words which can potentially scare children with friendlier versions.

Shot / Needle These words can quickly turn a happy cooperative child into a child that is fearful. We either say nothing at all or say that we are using sleepy drops to help the sugar bugs fall asleep. We explain that it may feel cold and tingly next to the tooth.

Laughing Gas We call this ice-cream air because of its sweet smell. We work with kids imaginations by allowing them to pick whatever flavor they want. We also explain that the air will make them feel floaty or tickly.

No sippy cups, bottles, straws and pacifiers for the first 24 hours after the procedure. No rinsing or spitting for the first 24 hours after the procedure. The sucking and swishing actions can cause prolonged bleeding and impede healing.

Avoid salty, spicy, acidic or crunchy foods for the first 24 hours as this may irritate the extraction site. Cold and/or soft foods are a great choice for two or three days (i.e. ice cream, applesauce, mac and cheese, etc.)

The local anesthesia sleepy drops used may make your childs lip, cheek, and tongue numb for up to 3 hours. Watch that your child does not bite, suck, or pinch any part of their mouth. Maintain a soft diet (for example: yogurt, pudding) to help prevent injury.

When baby teeth are lost prematurely, a space maintainer can help prevent the teeth from shifting. They can help prevent space loss so that the adult teeth have room to come in normally. These appliances are cemented into your childs mouth. At your routine checkups, we will evaluate the space maintainer, and we will let you know when is the right time to remove it.

Children usually adapt very quickly to their space maintainers, and after a short period, they forget it is there. It is important to brush and keep the area around the space maintainer clean, just as you would any other tooth.

Our patients and their families are the foundation of our practice, and we all work hard to build and maintain relationships with them. Our team is a family and we enjoy being there for each other on a daily basis. Working hard for something you love is called passion. At Little Tooth Co. nothing is more important to us than providing excellent care for our patients.

DeAnna was born and raised in Henderson, NC. She obtained her Dental Assisting license from the UNC School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill and is an avid Patriots fan! DeAnna enjoys listening to music, watching football and playing with her dogs Mallie, Shiloh and Bella. She is a huge Disney and Marvel fan - her favorite Marvel superheroes are Thor and The Hulk. Her goal is to make sure every child has a great and fun experience at each dental visit. DeAnnas patience, creativity, and fun personality make her a perfect fit for our team!

Katherine was born in Raleigh and raised in Fuquay Varina, NC. She is a graduate from Central Carolina Community College where she obtained her degree in Dental Assisting. When not in the office you can find her shopping, hiking, playing sports, playing with her dogs or spending time with friends and family. She is very excited to be a part of the Little Tooth Co. family and is honored to help you and your child receive the best care. She enjoys making the dentist fun for each child that she interacts with so that they have a great experience and she is great at making new friends! Her love for dentistry and children makes her a great addition to our team!

Cindy is a military spouse originally from Louisiana. She and her family relocated to the area in 2017. Cindy has over 20 years of experience in dental offices across the country and is a member of the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM). She has a passion for helping families understand their treatment needs and further understand how their insurance will assist with those needs. She enjoys being a part of the positive impact dentistry and oral health can have on children's lives. She loves making children feel comfortable at their dental visit from their first step into our office to their last wave goodbye. In her downtime, Cindy enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. She loves cats, dogs, coffee and collecting pens. She and her family enjoy the access to the beaches and mountains that North Carolina brings. Her love for children, professionalism and positive attitude make her a great asset to our team!

Lacy was born and raised in Sanford, NC. She currently resides in Carthage, NC with her husband, two children, and dog. She is a graduate of Lee Early College where she obtained her Associates Degree in Arts. She then went on to obtain her Dental Assisting Degree at Central Carolina Community College. As a mother herself, she is passionate about pediatric dentistry. She loves and enjoys working with children, stating that the sweet smile of a child just melts her heart. She feels it is a huge privilege to help educate and encourage our patients to feel comfortable and happy at each and every dental visit. When not in the office, Lacy enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, hunting, fishing, and going on memorable family vacations. Her patience and compassion make her an essential part of our clinical team!

Cindy was born in Toledo Ohio, but has long called North Carolina home. Cindy has over 30 years of experience in the dental field. She is a graduate of the University of Florida, where she obtained her dental assisting credentials in 1990. Cindy has ample experience and skill in both the clinical and administrative aspects of dentistry. She is especially talented at verifying insurance benefits, scheduling patients, reviewing treatment plans, and coordinating financial plans for our patient families. Outside of dentistry, Cindy enjoys spending time with her family. She has three grown children along with a daughter in law and a granddaughter. She also enjoys spending time at the beach and playing tennis. Cindys dependability, professionalism, and positivity make her a great addition to our team!