Cultivating optimal oral health

The face behind the website

Hi! I'm Marissa. As an occupational therapy student, I strive to assist individuals of all ages with participation in their occupations - the meaningful activities they want or need to do, including oral care. I recognize that it is difficult for children to appreciate the oral care routine due to the ongoing development of fine motor, cognitive, and communication skills. Disabilities and sensory processing preferences also challenge completion of oral care, both at home and in the dentist office. That's why I chose to complete my doctoral capstone experience in pediatric dentistry. For fourteen weeks, I taught Dr. Gazdeck and the Cultivate Kids Dentistry team about pediatric disabilities, mental health, and corresponding strategies to support your children during dental treatment. Since consistent oral care in the home is necessary to maintain professional results, I wanted to include parents and guardians in the journey to cultivate optimal oral health for children, leading to the creation of this website. If you have any questions regarding the information contained in this website, please contact me at pethelmarissa@gmail.com.