Meet Dr. Henry Martinez, founder of Big Apple Pediatric Dentistry in Phoenix, where he’s dedicated to making dental visits fun and stress-free for kids. On top of running his practice, he’s a staff dentist at Chandler Regional Medical Center and Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Dr. Martinez also helps lead the Special Smiles program for the Special Olympics of Arizona and chairs the Alumni Association at the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health. community.
Do you brush and floss as much as you recommend?
Absolutely. I brush twice a day with an electric toothbrush. I floss every night, and I use a water pick.
What is your favorite flavor floss?
Mint. Pretty basic, I know.
Electric or manual toothbrush?
Electric.
Which celebrity has the best smile?
Tom Cruise’s smile is really great, and I think Nicole Kidman’s smile is awesome, too.
If you could tell patients to stop doing one thing, what would it be?
Stop chewing on water bottles and biting pens!
What is the best dental advice you’ve ever received?
Being gentle with brushing goes a long way and provides a better brushing experience.
What is the best thing about being a Delta Dental dentist?
The best thing about being a Delta Dental dentist is having the ability to treat patients from various families and being able to offer more services.
Any funny stories from the dental chair?
Something that routinely happens here is that kids come in for the first time and they’re scared; they won’t sit in the chair and they’re trying to run out the door. But it’s all about having perseverance and getting that child to see that it’s not such a scary environment after all. The funny part is after a few months or years, you can reminisce and laugh with them about how much they’ve overcome!
Can you explain why Delta Dental of Arizona’s Special Health Care Needs benefit is important and how it impacts your patients?
I think it’s important because we see a lot of special needs patients, and as a pediatric dentist, I see many children and even some adults, who have special needs, and it allows us to work with those patients and to see them not only at our office, but also offer resources for parents to find dentists that are trained and treating people with special needs. It helps parents with children who have special needs to build a good relationship with a dentist for years to come.
How would you describe oral health’s impact on their overall health and well-being?
There are numerous studies of how well you take care of your teeth and how well your overall health is, and I think it’s an important topic that we like to emphasize with our patients because if they understand the importance of overall health, they’re going to have a better understanding of their overall well–being and their overall health as they get older. Establishing those principles early on will make a huge difference in the patient’s life.
What is your favorite dental joke?
Which dinosaur is a dentist’s favorite? A floss-iraptor.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what three items would you bring?
Water, food, and a cell phone!
Anything else you’d like to add?
I think Delta Dental is a great resource for families, especially in the special needs community. I first learned about Delta Dental through the Special Olympics of Arizona and some of the clinical directors there. It’s amazing to see them at big events, helping parents find a dental home for their kids. For many families, it’s hard to find a dentist who can care for their child’s unique needs, so having Delta Dental there to support them makes a big difference.
