Getting to Know Dr. Jamie Sahouria of Sahouria Pediatric Dentistry

If the name Jamie Sahouria sounds familiar it might be because she and her family are long-time residents in the community.

After graduating from Rancho Cotate, Jamie went to the University of the Pacific for her dental education and followed that up with a residency in Houston, Texas before returning home to open her own office in her home town in 2008.

Since then her focus has been all on the kids in our community and making sure that kids and parents are aware of how important good health is for your teeth from infants to adults.

Her business is located on Medical Center Drive among many of the care professionals in town. The office is fairly new and when Jamie built the office it was with an eye towards the future.

"We try to be as green as possible and have a networked system so we can see patients' files anywhere. Everything is state-of-the-art. I plan on being here for a long time so I wanted to have great facilities as well as room for expansion in the future," she said.

After taking a tour of the facility you could tell that it was really designed with an eye for ensuring the patients would be as comfortable as possible. The lobby area has plenty of room for children to play and parents to relax. She has patients from toddlers to teens and also works with special needs children.

"The kids are able to pick their own DVD movie to watch from out library while they are receiving treatment. Then the parents get to relax and enjoy the coffee bar which they seem to really love."

Each station has a flat screen TV mounted overhead to allow the kids to enjoy some entertainment while dental work is being done. Just from walking around the office and talking to Dr. Sahouria you can easily see that she has a lot of passion for not only her job but also making sure the experience is a good one for the kids.

After using a little laughing gas to help calm my nerves (kidding) it was time to sit down in the chair and learn more about Jamie.

So why dentistry?

Back in the 9th grade at Rancho we had the opportunity to do job shadowing and I shadowed Dr. Davis here in Rohnert Park. I just knew at that point I wanted to be a dentist.

Was there any reason you decided to open an office here?

I think I always knew I would come back here. This is my hometown and when you are starting a new business it is nice to have that familiarity. I was one of five kids and my parents and sister still live in town so it is nice when a parent will say, "Oh, I went to school with your sister," and things like that.

What is your favorite thing about Rohnert Park?

The friendly people. I think for the most part Sonoma County and Rohnert Park has a lot of friendly people and it lives up to the name 'The Friendly City'.

What is your favorite activity to do in town?

Running into patients and their parents when going to In-n-Out Burger (laughing).

How many flavors of toothpaste do you have here and have you tried them all?

We have five flavors from strawberry to cotton candy. The staff and I try them all out before buying them because if we don't like them then the kids won't.

What is your favorite flavor?

Strawberry!

Do you have any hidden talents?

I am a bargain shopper and never pay full price for anything.

If you could sit down with anyone (alive or dead) for coffee, who would it be?

Walt Disney. It would be fun to see what he was like and if this is how he really wanted his things to turn out.

Who is your role model?

It is my parents. They really instilled in me (and my siblings) a very good work ethic and to always be accountable.

Which is harder to deal with, anxious parents or kids?

Definitely the parents! Half of my job is to help parents get over fears they might have had from their own bad experiences.

What is the worst thing you eat or drink even though you know that you shouldn't?

Soda. But, I always use a straw then rinse with water afterwards and brush my teeth.

Are you a Coke or Pepsi girl?

I'm a Coca-Cola kid.

If you weren't doing this what would you be doing?

I would be a teacher. My grandfather was a teacher and I would like to teach math probably at the high school level.

Dr. Sahouria is especially passionate about pediatric dentistry.

"It is my job to promote healthy teeth and educate kids," she says. "This is really the kind of job you have to love if you plan on doing it every day."

She works hard to create an environment that helps reward and promote a positive attitude about clean teeth. She keeps a 'Stars Wall' for patients that are cavity free and posts a small article in the Community Voice to recognize patients. With dental decay being a top childhood disease she works to promote proper care as a positive aspect.

If you want to learn more about Dr. Jamie Sahouria and her office you and the kids can stop by their annual Back-to-School Carnival (in the office parking lot). This year it will be on Friday, September 14th from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. They have games, snacks, prizes, a jump house, and more. It is one of the ways she tries to connect with the community and her patients without the pressure of being in the office.

Sahouria Pediatric Dentistry is located at 1303 Medical Center Drive. Their hours are by appointment and you can call them at 707-586-6600 for more information or visit them on the web at www.brushflosssmile.com.

If you are a local business owner who would like to sit down for a chat and be featured in our 'Getting to Know' column, please contact us at carlos.villatoro@patch.com.

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