Dr. Helen Fassil
Dr. Helen Fassil has always enjoyed and found great purpose in working with children of all ages. As a Pediatric Dentist, her most treasured moments happen when she can connect personally with a child, earn their trust, and make them feel comfortable so that going to the dentist becomes a positive experience. Her goal is for every young patient to feel welcome and leave healthier and more confident than when they came in.
Dr. Fassil discovered her passion for making a difference in children’s lives in middle school when she volunteered as an art counselor for kids with special needs. Later, she participated in the Big Sister/Big Brother program in high school and served as a mentor and tutor while in college. Ultimately her interest in working with children led her to Tufts University, where she pursued a double-major in Child Development and Community Health. After graduating in 2005, she later continued her education at Tufts, attending the School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her DMD in 2013. In 2015, she graduated from the Pediatric Dentistry Program at the University of Connecticut with specialized training to treat a variety of of patients with special and complex needs.
The culmination of her undergraduate and medical studies has given Dr. Fassil a unique insight into the psychology, growth, and development of children. This has enhanced her ability to provide an individualized approach to care according to each child’s needs and stage of development. As a public health professional, Dr. Fassil believes strongly in the value of prevention and early diagnosis in overall health. She feels this is a principle that is particularly important in Pediatric Dentistry, as children have the potential to benefit the most from preventive dentistry.
Throughout her training and career, Dr. Fassil has remained engaged in her profession and her community. She is particularly interested in issues around access to quality healthcare and health disparities in the area of oral health. During her schooling, she was an active member of the Student National Dental Association and served as Community Outreach Chairman. As such, she helped organize oral health education at local elementary schools, oral health screenings at community health fairs, and mentored college students who showed an interest in dentistry.
As a Research Fellow at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, Dr. Fassil has published several papers. She truly enjoys the research process, which has taught her to look at questions from many angles and approach issues with curiosity. Most importantly, it has allowed her to develop an evidence-based approach to patient care in order to provide the highest quality care using the most current procedures and techniques.
Dr. Fassil is currently an active member of the American Dental Association, American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, American board of Pediatric Dentistry, and the Massachusetts Dental Society. In her spare time, she likes to do anything creative, including painting, drawing, and scrapbooking. She also enjoys yoga, running, and cycling. And when at home, she appreciates the company of her two quirky and lovable cats, Sheldon and Carabella.