Jerry Udelson, DDS, PC
Dr. Jerry Udelson has been a Pediatric Dentist for more than twenty five 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 fellow- ship at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis, which was sponsored by the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation.
Dr. Jerry’s passion for pediatric dentistry began at a young age. His older brother, Mark, had Cerebral Palsy and Dr. Jerry was able to understand the real need for quality dentistry in children with special needs and disabilities. Dr. Jerry has based his entire career on providing the best quality care and service for the smallest, anxious, and most challenging pediatric patients.
When Dr. Jerry isn’t at the office, you can find him playing golf, riding motorcycles, or spending time with his family. Dr. Jerry and his wife Michelle live locally with their four children. In between attending the many games and activities of his children, Dr. Jerry considers himself a “foodie.” He and his wife Michelle enjoy going into Chicago, as well as the surrounding suburbs to try out new foods and restaurants. Although Dr. Jerry considers himself a Chicagoan now, when he can find time, he loves visiting his family home in Tennessee and spending time with friends.
Risa Hurwich, DDS, MPH
Dr. Risa Hurwich is so excited to be a part of the Little Teeth Big Smiles 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 today’s 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. Risa’s 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.
Jennifer Foes, DMD
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 children’s 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 Little Teeth Big Smiles 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!
Elissa Teasdale, DMD
Dr. Elissa grew up in a small town in New Hampshire’s 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 Children’s 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 Little Teeth Big Smiles 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 she’s 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!
Kelsey Brar, DMD, MS, MPH
Dr. Kelsey Brar is a Chicago land native. She completed her undergraduate training at Benedictine University, where she graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Science in Biology before continuing her education at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry where she obtained her Doctor of Dental Medicine.
She furthered her education with a three-year residency at UIC while simultaneously earning a Master of Science in Oral Biology and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Administration. While at UIC, she focused her research on reducing oral health disparities amongst underserved pediatric patients.
Dr. Kelsey continues to be involved in academia and is currently a clinical assistant professor at UIC where she helps train the current pediatric dental residents.
Dr. Kelsey has also continued to work towards promoting access to dental care for all children by serving on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Foundation’s board of trustees as a trustee, member of the grants and program committee, and the marketing committee.
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 bike rides. Dr. Kelsey’s hobbies include arts and crafts, interior design, and cooking. She is so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of Little Teeth Big Smiles!
Priyal Mangrola,DMD
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 Children’s 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.
Josh Woodruff, DMD
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 bachelor’s 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.
When he’s not at the office, Dr. Josh can be found spending his free time with his family and his dogs, Gordon & Bruce.
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