BRITTANY WATERS, DDS
This Spotlight appeared in our March 2025 newsletter.
When did you know you wanted to be a dentist?
I fell and broke a permanent front tooth when I was eight years old, and my mother struggled to find a dentist to provide treatment due to financial constraints. She really did everything she possibly could to find dental care for me and I ultimately had the treatment completed at a local health department. Knowing what my mother went through trying to find care for me shaped me into the dentist I am today.
Where do you live? What do you like/dislike about it?
I’m happy to call Marietta, Georgia home! I’ve lived in Georgia my whole life. I live really close to Truist Park – home of the Atlanta Braves! Living close to Atlanta gives me access to great food, great shows, and the best airport. Most weekends though you can find me with my husband watching our two daughters play little league softball games! You would expect me to say I dislike the Atlanta traffic or Georgia summer heat, but the truth is I don’t mind either!
Were you scared of going to the dentist when you were little? How do you come to terms now being the “bad guy”?
Dentistry as a patient was never easy for me – I easily gag and I get nervous in the dental chair! I remember not being a great patient for sealants (a procedure to prevent cavities on molars) and ultimately, I was unable to have sealants completed as a child. I keep this in mind when I have patients like me in the dental chair. As a pediatric dentist, it is my goal to improve access to dental care for children and also to try to make visiting the dentist as easy as possible!
You previously spoke at our conferences (2017 and 2019) — what stood out to you about that experience?
It was an incredibly rewarding experience to have the opportunity to participate in these conferences, particularly in 2017 – the very first year that the Type 3 VWD conference was held. I remember speaking with Jeanette Cesta at the time about what a special opportunity this was for individuals with Type 3 VWD who very likely had never met someone else with Type 3 VWD before this conference. While I knew this diagnosis was rare, this really put it into perspective for me as a dentist.
The dentistry breakout sessions were wonderful and created some excellent dialogue about access to dental care concerns, incorrect advice received from dentists about oral hygiene, and many dental experience stories. What stood out to me more than anything was how there was a national need for better access to dental care for this patient population.
How can dentists better support patients with bleeding disorders in their practice?
The most important thing is to stay in communication with their patient’s hematologist. Communication is key! Patients with bleeding disorders should have full access to the oral care and dental treatments that they need. I encourage other dental professionals not to be afraid to provide dental care to patients with bleeding disorders
If you HAD to dye your teeth one color for the rest of your life, what color(s)/patterns would you choose?
Tie dye would be such a fun option, but if I must choose only one color, then I’ll go with bright green! It’s my favorite color and it will look like I’ve been eating plenty of vegetables! This question makes me think of braces – choosing the colors is what patients really look forward to! Maybe one day we will be offering tooth dye.
On a serious note, talk to your dental professional before investing in any cosmetic dental procedures, like tooth gems, that are seen on social media!
Why do dentists’ offices give away candy as incentives when sugar is so bad for your teeth? For the sake of the irony? Job security?
Haha! Dentists just really should not give out sugary candy at the office. There are plenty of great xylitol candy options like lollipops and gum. Xylitol can be a good sugar substitute to avoid dental cavities. The best gift your dentist can give you is a goody bag of new oral hygiene products!