Doctors
Dr Wade and his children after their violin trio at Christmas
At Children's Dental Center of Central Iowa, PLC, we focus
our attention on Building Smiles, Building Confidence.
We Extend Our Warmest Welcome!
All of us at Children's Dental Center of Central Iowa, PLC are glad to
welcome you to our web site. We focus our attention on providing your child
with exceptional dental care and attention, based on your child's specific
needs and personality.
Robert Wade, MS, DDS, is uniquely qualified to care for your child. Dr. Wade
practiced for almost 10 years as a child and family counselor treating
children and their families with anxiety, behavior, and emotional challenges
Dr. Wade grew up in Iowa. He attended Creighton University in Omaha,
Nebraska and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and pre-medicine
there. After doing research into lung cancer at Creighton's medical school,
Dr. Wade earned his Master of Science Degree in Child and Family Counseling
from Creighton's graduate college.
Dr. Wade practiced as a child and family counselor in private practice for
almost 10 years helping children and their families suffering anxiety
disorders, behavioral problems, and emotional challenges. He then studied in
Minnesota in clinical neuropsychology at the doctoral level. Dr.Wade enjoyed
this work very much and employs much of what these years taught him today
helping children have enjoyable experiences going to the dentist.
Being a dentist had always been a dream of Dr. Wade's. In 1995 Dr.Wade
entered the University of Iowa's College of Dentistry as a Dental Research
Scholar, attending classes and labs along with participating in ongoing
research in pain and anxiety control throughout his 4 years of dental
school. Early on he dedicated his pursuits toward specialty training in
pediatrics.
Dr. Wade is
currently an active member of:
This meant keeping top grades and participating is
extracurricular learning such as volunteering for the Indian Health Service
in Phoenix for the summer before his senior year treating native american
children and engaging in an extra externship in pediatrics which he attended
at Baylor University College of Dentistry Department of Pediatrics in
Dallas, Texas.
In addition, Dr. Wade worked hard to spend extra time observing and working
with the faculty in the Pediatric Dentistry Department. Clearly his
dedication to becoming a pediatric dentist was showing! He interviewed
extensively for pediatric residency programs across the country and matched
with the University of Missouri - Kansas City/ Children's Mercy Hospital.
Dr. Wade spent two years as a resident doctor there treating exclusively
children. He also studied pediatric medicine, emergency medicine, surgery
and anesthesia. In his second year he was co-chief resident and taught
pediatric dentistry to dental students and made a special presentation on
how to anesthetize the face and mouth to the doctors and faculty of the
Department of Emergency Medicine at Children's Mercy Hospital. He continued
to do research studying differences in reaction to oral sedation in the
dental office to surgical treatment in the operating room. Dr. Wade
performed over 100 operating room cases in his two years of residency.
Dr. Wade feels a special calling to treat children and has been proven to be
especially talented as judged by his professors and peers in training and
practice. He has a "special charm" in dealing with children and has a knack
for judging what a child needs from him. His background in children's mental
health and family dynamics gives him special insight into creative yet tried
and true ways to help children to have healthy teeth and mouths, and a
healthy opinion of themselves, understanding how they fit into the world
around them.
Dr. Wade has used his background to create the premier children's dental
office in the Midwest. Research showing that television changes brainwave
states to be more relaxed led him to build screens into the ceiling over
each dental chair so that children can be more relaxed during treatment.
This was fueled also by his research findings that distraction is likely the
best method of anxiety control. The waiting room has more video, this time
games mounted into the wall with arms outstretched like friendly robots.
There is a game level for every age down to a touch screen for toddlers!
David Blaha, DDS
Dr. David Blaha grew up in Marshalltown, Iowa. His father
was a general dentist there, so he grew up with a close association with the
service that he could provide as a dentist. He received his Bachelor of
Science Degree from the University of Iowa, and then attended the University
of Iowa’s College of Dentistry earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree.
Achieving high marks in dental school, Dr. Blaha was accepted for advanced
study at Ohio State University in Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Blaha earned his
Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry and subsequently passed a series of
difficult tests leading to endorsement as Board Certified by the American
Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
Dr. Blaha is a member of the American Dental Association, The American
Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Iowa Dental Association and the Des
Moines District Dental Society.
He was in private practice in Urbandale for over 20 years. He retired from
his practice early to teach and do mission work along with playing
leadership roles in many Des Moines area community service organizations and
projects. He missed his direct patient contact and bringing his great
knowledge to children needing dental health care. So, in 2006 Dr. Blaha
joined his friend Dr. Wade in his practice on a part time basis. Dr. Blaha
is in the office on Wednesdays with Dr. Wade and on Fridays.
Dr. Blaha is a very active member of his church, and local civic groups. He
is an integral part of the, “Free Store”, that provides needed goods to
those down on their luck I the Des Moines Area.
Dr. Blaha and his wife have two grown children and two, “Exceptional”,
grandchildren! His daughter is in California and his son in northern Iowa.
When he is not in the office or working with the Church, Dr. Blaha can be
found blatantly reveling in the presence of his grandchildren. (Feel free to
ask him about them!)
|
