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Pictured: Dr. Jenkins & Dr. LeBlanc
MEETING THE DENTAL NEEDS OF KC’S CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND BEYOND! WRITTEN BY REBECCA FISCHER / PHOTOS BY KIA BONDURANT
If you ask Dr. Jill Jenkins and Dr. Michael LeBlanc if they have any fun stories to share related to their work as pediatric dentists, you’ll get a good feel for why they do what they do. “Fun things happen every single day. We get to work with children, and we cherish the joy and the hilarity they bring into our practice and our lives,” says Dr. Jenkins, current VP for the Kansas Dental Association and upcoming president for Johnson County’s dental society. Drs. Jenkins and LeBlanc met during their residency programs at Children’s Mercy. Through conversations with other students and doctors, they realized the need in the Kansas City area for a private dental practice dedicated to children, adolescents, and special needs patients.
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In July 2005, they opened the Jenkins & LeBlanc practice to help meet those needs, serving Johnson and Wyandotte counties. In less than two years they outgrew their original office, and today they have five locations in Kansas City, Olathe, Overland Park, Prairie Village, and Shawnee.
“Pediatric dentistry involves an acute understanding of developmental psychology, an educational piece that allows for greater awareness and empathy toward how children process and respond,” explains Dr. LeBlanc. “With this information, we as pediatric specialists create a more positive and rewarding dental expe-