Dr. Sarah Hill
Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist

Why did Dr. Hill opt to work specifically with children? Because it is possible to start a new generation without dental fear and anxiety. Children are resilient and can replace negative experiences with positive new ones. Communication is the key! Dr. Hill has a couple of core mantras at work.

  1. Psychological health and oral health… neither one at the expense of the other.
    You will find Dr. Hill continually balancing your child’s emotional needs as well as their dental needs, in an effort to ensure that your child may enjoy coming to the dentist and actively participate in the experience without fear. With an almost hypnotic voice, she often incorporates soothing stories and songs as she works with your child to allay their concerns.
  2. The first line of defense in preventing tooth decay is DIET and ORAL HYGIENE.
    The clinical experience has only temporary benefits without appropriate attention to what happens at home. Dr. Hill and her team work with both parents and patients to educate them in real-life strategies about how to improve their daily brushing routines, as well their dietary choices.

Dr. Hill’s clinical interests extend to managing growth and development  (i.e. trying to minimize the need for braces). She also thoroughly values addressing the needs of some children under general anesthesia  (now in our clinic with MD anesthesiologists, and formerly in the hospital). The hope is to re-establish a baseline of oral health for those who cannot tolerate clinical procedures due to young age, language barriers or medical disability.

As an older mother of two daughters, Dr. Hill values the magic of laughter, lullabies and gentle touch. Living close to the Anacortes office, she is excited to be able to bike to work!

Dr. Hill was born in Utah, raised in Wisconsin, educated in Peru, Maine, Minnesota, and Washington. She is bilingual in Spanish and is fascinated by other dialects and languages. She comes from a large family and when she’s not at work, she love to sing, work, read, work, travel, work, bike/walk, work… you get the idea?

Please see educational and professional resume below for relevant details.

Dr. Sarah Hill’s Resume

Education:

Pediatric Dentistry Master’s Program, University of Washington, School of Dentistry

    • Master of Science in Dentistry, 1996

General Practice Residency, University of Washington, School of Dentistry

    • Certificate, 1993

School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry
Doctor of Dental Surgery, 1992

Undergraduate, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
B.A. Romance Languages, magna cum laude, 1983
(Junior year at University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Hospital Affiliations:

Island Hospital HONORARY
1211 24th St.  Anacortes, WA  98221  (360) 299-1300

Seattle Children’s Hospital  COMMUNITY ACTIVE
PO Box 50020/S-114E, Seattle, WA 98145-5020       (206) 987-5217

Private Practice:

Playhouse Dental, Anacortes as of 2016 (and Oak Harbor 1996-2023)

  • Owner, January 2013
  • Associate, July 1996

Kulshan Pediatric Dentistry, Mt. Vernon & Oak Harbor
June 1996—Dec 2014  (360) 424-3811

Referrals for Restorative Care Under General Anesthesia
August 1996–Present

Professional Associations and Certifications:

  • American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Certificate# 05619
  • Washington State Board of Dental Examiners, License #6920
  • Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Life Support
  • Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society
  • American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
  • Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
  • NW Pediatric Dental Study Club
  • American Dental Association
  • Washington State Dental Association
  • Mt. Baker Dental Society
  • UW School of Dentistry, Part time clinical instructor, 1993, 1996-present

 

 

Dr. Donna Quinby
Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist

Dr. Quinby joins us on Fridays to provide dental care to our patients under general anesthesia.  She is committed to expanding and sharing her expertise in the field. In addition to her position at Playhouse Dental, she actively treats dental patients at Seattle Children’s Hospital.  Dr. Quinby has been a  Clinical Instructor in Pediatric Dentistry at the Swedish Medical Center General Practice Residency, as well as a “wet-finger” pediatric dentist at Seattle Special Care Dentistry. She is passionate about creating a comfortable, welcoming environment for children at the dentist; There is nothing better than being witness to a child going from their “I can’t” to “I did it”.  Sometimes it takes a few visits, but it is always worth the wait.”

When not fixing teeth, Dr. Quinby can be found tending to her garden or out exploring nature, which she finds to be incredibly relaxing. As a long-time friend and colleague of Dr. Hill, they enjoy the opportunity to support one as they learn and  grow from each other’s experiences.

 

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Dr. Estela Gomez Licea
Pediatric Dentist

Dr. Gomez began her pursuit of the American dream while working as a seasonal farm laborer in Yakima when she was 10 years old.  She saw other children with toothaches that their families could not afford to address.  Becoming a pediatric dentist became a vision and a mission.

Through hard work and perseverance, Dr. Gomez achieved this by starting at a community college and transferring to WSU.  The next step toward this dream was her acceptance to the UW School of Dentistry. She finalized it by attending University of Texas Health Sciences of San Antonio for her specialty training in pediatric dentistry. 

Dr. Gomez takes pride in providing individualized care for each family’s needs.  As a pediatric dentist, she ensures that the family is seen as a complete entity. Parents are our partners in achieving life-long wellness in a child’s oral health.  She is interested, open and willing to engage with caregivers, as well as children. She is delighted when kiddos take part in imagination stories, or join her in singing a silly song!

Having recently moved to “the left side” of Washington, Dr. Gomez is loving the lushness of our community.  When not at work, she is exploring all the nooks and crannies of our forest lands and trails with her husband and two sons.