North Texas Dentistry Volume 8 Issue 3 2018 ISSUE 3 DE | Page 13

Special people, special care
Dr. Rozas’ gentle manner and ability to appreciate a child’s per-
spective equips her well to calm even the most apprehensive or
anxious child. Some of her young patients have special needs
related to Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, or sensory
integration disorder. The office’s open design and wide doorways
easily accommodate wheelchairs. She also treats medically-com-
promised patients, such as children with cancer, who may be
immunosuppressed and require a special protocol tailored to
their medical condition.
Dr. Rozas has a personality that seems custom-made for pediatric
dentistry. Her experience with dentistry began around age three,
when her four upper incisors were extracted due to drinking Coke
in a baby bottle. Even though some would say that was a negative
first experience, she loved going to see her dentist for visits. “I
knew very early that I wanted to be a pediatric dentist,” Dr. Rozas
notes. “A cousin of mine opened a pediatric dental practice in
Biloxi, Mississippi when I was in elementary school, and when I
visited him, I was convinced that I would take the same path.”
In fact, everyone on Dr. Rozas’ staff has been hand-picked for
their extraordinary skills with parents and children. Most of her
staff has been working in pediatrics for at least 15 years, and some
of them have been in the field for more than 30 years.
“My staff is the greatest asset to my practice. Each of them has a
passion for working with children and their parents. The
personal care and gentle manner they use make the families feel
at ease at every appointment.” In addition to their dynamic per-
sonalities, each member of the staff is completely cross-trained
and certified in CPR, nitrous oxide sedation, radiology, and infec-
tion control.
This close-knit team views each other as family. Priscila, who
started with Dr. Rozas in 1998, points out, “Most of us have been
with Dr. Rozas for a long time. We have a lot of fun together, and
all of us enjoy what we do immensely.” The team’s enjoyment of
their profession and of their patients is obvious, and their fun,
playful approach to dentistry is truly contagious. What a great
thing for a child to catch!
Dr. Loria Nahatis
A Fort Worth native, Dr. Loria Nahatis graduated summa cum
laude from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Biology in 2000. While attending high school
and college, Dr. Nahatis worked in a pediatric dental office part-
time, proving to herself that she indeed wanted to seek a career
in pediatric dentistry. She actually met Dr. Rozas while working
there! After college graduation, she immediately began pursuing
her dream to become a pediatric dentist and obtained her Doctor
of Dental Surgery degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in
2004. Following dental school, Dr. Nahatis earned her pediatric
specialty certificate from the University of Maryland, Baltimore
College of Dental Surgery in 2006.
Dr. Loria Nahatis, Dr. Melissa Rozas and Dr. Terra Compton share a fun,
playf ul approach to dentistry and have teamed up to provide quality care in
a relaxed environment.
Dr. Nahatis is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American
Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She is an active member of the
American Dental Association, the American Academy of
Pediatric Dentistry, the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
College of Diplomates, the Texas Dental Association, the
Greater Dallas Pediatric Dental Society, and the Academy of
Laser Dentistry.
Dr. Nahatis lives in Dallas with her husband, Takis, and their
children, Athan and Alice. In her spare time she enjoys spend-
ing time outdoors with her family, cooking, and traveling.
Dr. Terra Compton
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Dr. Terra Compton attended
Oklahoma State University, where she received her Bachelor of
Science degree in Psychology in 2006. She then moved to Mesa,
AZ, and concurrently obtained her Masters in Public Health and
Doctor of Dental Medicine degrees from the Arizona School of
Dentistry and Oral Health. After dental school, Dr. Compton
moved to Washington, D.C. to pursue her dream of being a
pediatric dentist by completing a two year pediatric dental res-
idency at Children’s National Medical Center.
Dr. Compton is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American
Board of Pediatric Dentistry and an active member of the
American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry, Texas Dental Association, and the Greater Dallas
Pediatric Dental Society.
Dr. Compton lives in Dallas with her husband Miles and their
two daughters Sylvie and Lucia. In her spare time she enjoys
cooking, spending time with her family and cheering on the
OSU Cowboys!
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