Dr. Cavan Brunsden
DMD, Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Cavan Brunsden DMD, Pediatric Dentist was formerly an elementary school teacher and assistant principal. He completed his dental degree at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine where he graduated as a member of OKU, the national dental honor society. After a two-year pediatric dental residency at Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center in New York, Dr. Cavan Brunsden joined our community as a pediatric dentist in 1981. He founded KidZdent with his wife and partner, Dr. Nancy Villa, in 1985.
As the state chairman of the New Jersey Dental Association, Give Kids A Smile Program, He is a strong advocate for children’s healthcare education throughout the state as well as right here in our own community. Dr. Brunsden DMD, Pediatric Dentist is dedicated to providing an environment of positive dental health experiences for children – and a lifetime of smiles.
Dr. Brunsden DMD, Pediatric Dentist is a Certified Pediatric Dentist who performs all phases of comprehensive, preventive, restorative and cosmetic dentistry for children. In addition, he has extensive experience with labial frenectomy, lingual frenectomy, sedation dentistry, early interceptive orthodontics, and special needs patient care.
Get to Know Dr. Cavan Brunsden DMD, Pediatric Dentist
I have always cared about children and about helping them become the best that they can be. My professional career began as a sixth grade teacher, and then I became a science teacher, an assistant principal, then a pediatric dentist. Now I direct and practice in the finest dental child care center in the world, KidZdent. I believe in being a positive change in the lives of children. A change that guides them to a healthy smile. Every day that I work with children, I am inspired by their unique approach to all that life has to offer them. I am privileged and honored to be able to assist them through tough times and to make what could be a difficult experience a positive one. At KidZdent, I am proud that we create a strong foundation for a lifetime of positive dental visits. Our young patients love to come to the dentist, and that’s the truth, and a decay free future is the reward.
There is nothing better than to work with my team to deliver 5 star service and care to all of our patient families. I am most proud that after forty years, we still provide the highest quality of care and service available.
When they opened the Brunsden-Villa Children’s Dental Care Center at Rutgers University, we saw a dream realized. A dream to influence the dental education of future children’s dentists so that they could impact children’s lives like we do. We are so proud of the role that we play in guiding the lives of our young patients and we are very grateful to you for the trust and confidence that you place in us to do the right thing for your child.
Dr. Brunsden DMD, Pediatric Dentist at KidZdent... creating smiles... changing lives.
Dr. Nancy Villa
DMD, MSD Orthodontist
Dr. Nancy Villa DMD, MSD Orthodontist grew up in Jersey City and became interested in the art of orthodontics while working as a dental assistant. She attended Rutgers University and received a bachelor’s degree in science. Next, she received her doctorate of medical dentistry at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
Following dental school, Dr. Villa DMD, MSD Orthodontist completed a two-year postgraduate program to become a specialist in orthodontics at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
Dr. Nancy Villa DMD, MSD Orthodontist is a trustee for the New Jersey Dental Association and past president of the Middlesex County Dental Society. She provides exceptional orthodontic care for adults and children.
Get to Know Dr. Nancy Villa
As a child, I was embarrassed to smile because of my severely crowded, overlapped teeth. Both of my older brothers also had terribly crooked teeth. In those days, dental insurance was rare and my dad needed to get a second job to help pay for our braces. He always said it was the best investment he ever made!
During high school, I was very lucky to have been offered a part time job with an orthodontist, most likely because of my great smile. Since I had good hand eye coordination skills, working as an assistant was an absolute pleasure. In addition, I loved helping patients achieve a smile they were proud of.
Dr. Brunsden DMD, Pediatric Dentist and I were both lucky to have been introduced to one another at a dental society, at the same time he was ready to add an orthodontic department in his busy pediatric dental office. We were married the following year and have successfully managed to live and work together peacefully, most of the time…haha!
Our orthodontic office team is dedicated to providing excellent quality treatment for both children and adults in a fun, caring environment. We participate with a wonderful program called Donated Orthodontics Services where we provide free braces for children in need. All of us strive to help our patients learn to love going to the dentist. Our favorite compliment to receive from patients is that they have chosen dentistry as a career because of the positive experience they enjoyed in our office!
Dr. Villa DMD, MSD Orthodontist at KidZdent... creating beautiful & healthy smiles for happy patients!
Dr. Tara Savage
DMD, MSD Orthodontist
Dr. Tara Savage DMD, MSD Orthodontist grew up in Old Bridge and has attended several of the finest educational institutions, including Old Bridge High School and Princeton University. She received her doctorate from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Savage DMD, MSD Orthodontist continued her education at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her master’s Degree in Orthodontics and received the Thomas M. Graber Research Award from the American Association of Orthodontics. She is a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, the New Jersey Dental Association, and is an active member of the Middlesex County Dental Society.
Dr. Hillary Khodari
DMD, Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Hillary DMD, Pediatric Dentist graduated from Tufts University and attended University of Pennsylvania for Dental School. She completed a residency at Northwell Health: Cohen Children’s Medical Center at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. In residency, she was a Chief Resident and won the Resident of the Year Award. She is active in the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association.
Dr. Hillary DMD, Pediatric Dentist grew up as a KidZdent patient, who also worked in our office as a sterilization lab assistant during her undergraduate education years. Both of her parents are dentists, so she has had a love for the profession from a very early age. She loves to travel, and spent a semester studying in Argentina. Dr. Hillary DMD, Pediatric Dentist also played on the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Team at Tufts University. She is fluent in Spanish, loves reading, playing all kinds of board games, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Dr. Hillary DMD, Pediatric Dentist is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist who performs all phases of comprehensive, preventive, restorative and cosmetic dentistry for children. In addition, she also has extensive experience with sedation dentistry, early interceptive orthodontics, and special needs patient care.
Dr. Lirie Cekalniku
DMD, Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Lirie Cekalniku, DMD is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist who was born and raised in NYC in an immigrant Albanian Family. She began her college career at Wagner College graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Concentration in Biochemistry. During her college career, she worked full time as a dental assistant for a Prosthodontist where she found her passion for dentistry and full mouth rehabilitation. She continued her education at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine where she was the recipient of the Dr. Alfred Osher Endowed Scholarship. Dr. Cekalniku continued her education, completing a General Dental Residency Program at Northwell Health Staten Island University Hospital as the chief resident and was awarded the Teaching Associate in Dental Medicine.
Dr. Cekalniku worked in private practice predominately treating pediatric patients, Kidzdent being the location which expanded her desires for Growth and Development and Dental Health in the Pediatric Population. Dr. Cekalniku’s passion for oral airway health led her to pursue a career in Pediatric Dentistry where she attended the Maimonides Medical Center Pediatric Dental Program as the chief resident. During her Pediatric Speciality training, Dr. Cekalniku spent her free days scrubbing into the operating room to assist neonatal cases with her Oral Surgery mentors. Here is where she gained experience in the surgical management and dental management of Craniofacial Disorders in the neonatal and pediatric population. Her passion for Oral Airway Health became the driving force for her manuscript entitled “A Non-Syndromic, Non-Micrognathic Neonate Presenting with Persistent Glossoptosis who was Successfully Treated with Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis” which was published in FACE: Journal of the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons.
In addition, she has extensive experience with providing pediatric aesthetic dentistry, oral health care, oral surgery procedures, frenectomy/frenuloplasty via laser surgery and special needs patient care. Her goal is to create a dental home which can address pediatric needs ranging from dental and craniofacial anomalies with a focus on oral airway health and whole-body well-being. During her free time she likes to dedicate herself to home renovating projects, traveling and being that she is a big foodie, you can catch her at the newest NYC restaurants.
Dr. Nick Kelley
DMD, MSD Orthodontist
Dr. Nick Kelley DMD, MSD Orthodontist grew up in South Jersey and received his bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University in cell biology and neuroscience. He attended Temple University for dental school where he earned his Doctorate of Dental Medicine and then completed a general practice residency at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center prior to beginning his journey as an orthodontist. Dr. Kelley DMD, MSD Orthodontist received his specialty training at Jacksonville University in Florida, where he served as chief resident, earning his orthodontic certificate along with a Master’s Degree.
Dr. Kelley DMD, MSD Orthodontist is a Board-Certified Orthodontist, a member of the American Association of Orthodontists and the Mid-Atlantic Society of Orthodontists as well as a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.
In his spare time, Dr. Kelley DMD, MSD Orthodontist enjoys spending time with his wife Sophia, friends and family. He also loves to explore his two favorite cities, New York and Philadelphia, try new restaurants and travel.
Dr. Justin Dinowitz
DMD, Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Justin Dinowitz, DMD is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist who graduated from Rutgers University-New Brunswick for his undergraduate studies. He then went on to attend the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine for his dental degree, where he graduated with a distinction in treating special needs patients. He continued his education at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine where he received his postgraduate certificate in Pediatric Dentistry. In his second year of residency, he served as Chief Resident and received the Resident of the Year Award from the New Jersey Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Dr. Dinowitz is a strong believer that a child’s first dental visit should be a positive one, as these initial visits set the child’s tone for the dentist for life. He is also very active with the New Jersey Dental Association, where he makes yearly visits down to Washington D.C. to advocate on behalf of children’s dental care.
In his free time. Dr. Dinowitz enjoys trying fun new restaurants with different themes and cuisines. He also enjoys playing in basketball and volleyball leagues with his friends. In the fall, you can catch him back at Rutgers attending Football and Basketball games, where he is an avid fan of both teams.
Dr. Ilona Aleksandrovich
DDS, Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Ilona Aleksandrovich is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist who completed her undergraduate education at NYIT. She continued on to pursue a career in dentistry and obtained her Doctorate in Dental Surgery from New York University College of Dentistry in 2019. After graduating dental school, she completed a General Practice Residency at Staten Island University Hospital, where she then stayed at to complete a 2 year pediatric speciality program, serving as chief resident in her final year.
Dr. Ilona is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association and the New York State Dental Association. Her goal is to provide the utmost quality of care to her patients. She believes that building a trustworthy relationship between herself, the patient and the parent is the first step of achieving a healthy and life long smile.
In her spare time Dr. Ilona enjoys spending quality time with her family and with her golden-doodle Milo. She enjoys traveling, and exploring different see types of cuisines.
Dr. Mega Manchanda
DDS, Pediatric Dentist
Dr. Mega DDS, Pediatric Dentist, graduated college from SUNY Stony Brook, where she double majored in Biology and Anthropology. Dr. Mega obtained her doctorate from New York University College of Dentistry, where she served as President of the American Dental Association and learned to love organized dentistry and the importance of giving back to the community through countless outreach missions, both locally in surrounding boroughs and internationally in Nepal.
Continuing her education in the heart of Brooklyn, Dr. Mega then completed a one-year General Practice Residency, where she continued her passion for organized dentistry with the Second District Dental Society and volunteering for programs such as Give Kids a Smile. Knowing that she had to follow her passion for pediatrics, she took the plunge – moving to Philadelphia, to train in Pediatric Residency at Temple University Hospital, where she served as class social chair.
Dr. Mega’s philosophy is if ‘Children have good dental experiences and learn the right habits early only – they will never have bad experiences going to the dentist when they are older.’ Dr. Mega strives to give every child a wonderful experience, loves restorative dentistry, oral conscious sedation, and is all about putting the patient first! In her free time, Dr. Mega enjoys traveling with her husband, volunteering for local organizations, and learning authentic Indian recipes — and some Tik Tok Dances too!
Additionally, although born in Germany, Dr. Mega is fluent in Hindi and Punjabi.
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