All Star Team

Meet The All Star Team

Our La Petite Dent Team are caring, patient, and committed to ensure a successful visit for you and your child.

We look forward to meeting you.

Dr. Katherine Bracy

Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist & Certified Lactation Counselor

I have never thought of children as small adults, but rather as beings with their own desires and needs so full of potential. The long-standing paradigm is that we are collectively victims of our own genetic makeup. In dentistry, specifically, if our parents had “bad” teeth, we would have “bad” teeth. If our parents needed braces, we would need braces. The potential in children is already predetermined at birth. As a dentist, I felt defeated. I wanted to be able to provide my families with tools to actively better themselves, not just passively sit by as nature takes its course. In the meantime, I was becoming a parent myself. I was desiring for my children to not be different from who they are, but to be the best versions of themselves. I was learning how important a good night’s sleep is to growth and development. I was learning ways to instill healthy habits into my children’s daily routine. How could I not share this information with our patients and parents? My goal is to provide families with as many tools as I can to better their lives.

Formal Education and Continuing Education

Untying Ankylossia: The Impact on Infants and Children
Evidence-Based Oral Habits Treatment Programs for Dental Professionals
The Breathe Baby Course for tongue ties and breastfeeding
Pediatric Dental Sleep Medicine Mini-residency
Introduction to Myobrace and Advanced Myobrace
The Airway Mini-residency
Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
Former Attending, Rose F. Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Diplomate, the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry, St. Barnabas Hospital
Doctor of Dental Surgery, University of Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry

Dr. Cindy Chay

Dual-Certified Orthodontist and Pediatric Dentist

My 2nd daughter, Serena, was born with a severe tongue-tie and I was unable to breastfeed. The attending physician informed me that she would grow out of it and bottle feeding was always an option. But as Serena continued to grow, I knew something was wrong. She soon became a chronic mouth breather. Her upper jaw was narrow and I saw early signs of dental crowding. As I started searching for answers, I learned that her condition wasn’t due to poor genetics. Something bigger was going on. And it was affecting the growth of her jaws, which was impacting her overall health. This was the start of my airway journey.

As I searched for answers, more questions arose. What causes dental crowding? Why can some babies latch and thrive while others can’t? What causes ADHD and is there an airway relationship? Is pulling out perfectly healthy teeth the only solution to dental crowding? I soon found myself heading back to residency, this time in orthodontics as well as attending mini-residencies that focused on growth and development and the airway. Things started to make sense as a mom and as a pediatric orthodontist.

At this point, I cannot unsee what I’ve already experienced and learned. As a result, my treatment philosophy and approach changed significantly. It’s no longer just about the teeth, but much more about the child attached to it. Every child has a story. And my hope is that I can help them thrive with proper growth guidance of the jaws and face, ultimately improving their quality of life, as I did for daughter, Serena.

Formal Education and Continuing Education

Maxillary Skeletal Expander (MSE)
Pediatric Dental Sleep Medicine Mini-residency
Pediatrics Airway Orthodontics Mini-residency
Postural Orthodontics
The ALF Approach
ALF Therapy and the Cranial Concept
Certificate,Science of Breathing Behavior Analysis
Mastery 1 level, American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine
Introduction to Myofunctional Orthodontics and Advanced Myobrace
The Airway Mini-residency
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, NYU Langone Medical Center
- Chief resident
- Awarded Leo M. Davidoff Society for excellence in teaching
Diplomate, The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry, Montefiore Medical Center
- Chief resident
- Awarded Leo M. Davidoff Society for excellence in teaching
Fellow, Rose F. Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
General Practice Resident, Hackensack University Medical Center
Doctor of Dental Medicine, UMDNJ (now Rutgers)
Masters in Public Health, UMDNJ (now Rutgers)