Dr. Shweta Thackeray, DDS, AEGD

Dr. Shweta Ujaoney Thackeray is a dentist who is passionate about working with kids and giving them a better dental experience. Through her practice, she has found that kids not only love to learn about dental gadgets but also love to be active participants in dental treatment. She has extensively researched the various reasons for dental fear and anxiety in children and published scientific papers. She is also the inventor of the "Camouflage Syringe" which helps mask the sharp anesthetic needle especially designed for kids to prevent traumatic experiences for kids during numbing at the dental office. Dr. Thackeray believes that kids try to make sense of the world through their own imaginative eyes. One bad experience, stories from friends, or sheer fear of the unknown can make a child wary of visiting the dentist. " The Caterpillar at the Dentist" is an effort to make children's and parents' experiences at their dentists' offices simple, more familiar, and fun-filled. Currently, Dr. Thackeray works at a private dental practice. She is a mother of two daughters 12 and 6 years of age and they have experienced firsthand the anxiety that can develop before dental procedures.