Zachary Hansen, DMD

Dr. Zachary Hansen grew up in the great state of Idaho, and yes, he loves potatoes. After high school he lived in Guatemala for two years where he fell in love with another delicious source of starch, corn. Dr. Zac completed his undergraduate and dental schooling in Utah, then worked for a couple of years in Nevada at a children’s dental office. He enjoyed working with kids so much that he decided to make it official; he moved across the country to complete his specialty training in pediatric dentistry at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health in Rochester, New York.

Dr. Zac is known for his calm and warm demeanor which helps both children and their caregivers feel at ease. A lover of teeth and all things chewed by them, he makes it a habit to inquire about and connect over his patients’ favorite cuisine.

• Favorite color: Yellow

• Favorite children’s movie: The Adventures of Milo and Otis

• Favorite sing along Disney song: Poor Unfortunate Souls (Ursula is my favorite villain)

• Favorite game to play: Mario Kart

• Go to Summer activity: Swimming, especially in lakes and rivers

• Go to Winter activity: Skiing and making baked goods, particularly anything with pumpkin (another wonderful starch)

• Do you have any skills or talents that most people don't know about? I majored in viola performance in college; orch dorks unite!

• If I were a superhero, my superpower would be… Breathing underwater

• What are you most passionate about professionally? Helping children and their caregivers better understand the relationship between diet and oral health. There’s a lot more to it than “sugar is bad for teeth!”

• What excites you the most about your work? I love connecting with a child and helping them through a dental experience; seeing a previously apprehensive child realize that they can successfully cope and that the experience turned out to be fun (or at least not as hard as they anticipated) is very rewarding!

• Tell us about your team and what makes them so exceptional! The team at The Smile Lodge is HUGE, and each member is very specialized in their role. I have never worked with a more organized, efficient, and fun organization.

• What else should our patients know about you? Challenge me to a whistle-off if you dare