Pediatric Dentist · Hudsonville, Michigan
Dr. Jennifer LucaDMD, MS
Board-certified pediatric dentist, mom, attending faculty at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and a nationally recognized advocate for sustainable dentistry. Dr. Jenn is returning to West Michigan to open Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry in Hudsonville, Michigan, in January 2027.
- Board-certified pediatric dentist
- DMD, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
- MS, The Ohio State University
- Pediatric residency, Nationwide Children's Hospital
- Licensed in Michigan
In her words
We have a commitment to our patients, our profession, and our planet to prioritize sustainable dentistry.
At a glance
- Specialty
- Board-certified pediatric dentist
- Dental school
- Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 2021
- Master of Science
- The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, 2023
- Pediatric residency
- Nationwide Children's Hospital, 2023
- Teaching
- Attending faculty, Nationwide Children's Hospital
- Licensure
- Michigan Board of Dentistry, 2024
- Member
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; Michigan Dental Association
Training that shaped the practice
A pediatric specialist who teaches the next generation of pediatric dentists
Dr. Jenn earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, her Master of Science at The Ohio State University, and her certificate in pediatric dentistry at Nationwide Children's Hospital, where she remains attending faculty teaching pediatric dental residents.
Her residency was hospital-based. That means her training included children who are medically complex, children with special health care needs, and dental trauma, not only routine care for children who find the dentist easy. West Michigan is home ground, too: she began her education at Grand Valley State University in nearby Allendale, and is returning to bring that experience to Hudsonville.
How she practices
Personalize. Prevent. Preserve.
Three ideas that guide every decision Dr. Jenn makes and shape the care she recommends for a child. They explain most of what she will and will not suggest.
Personalize
Care shaped around each child's development, personality, comfort, clinical needs, and the family's circumstances.
Prevent
Healthy habits started early keep small problems small. Prevention is the center of how Dr. Jenn cares for children.
Preserve
Minimally invasive, tooth-preserving treatment wherever it is clinically appropriate for the child.
Care at Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry
Everything a growing smile needs, and nothing it does not
Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry is a pediatric specialty practice. The care Dr. Jenn will provide falls into five groups, from routine prevention to urgent care.
- Prevent
Preventive Care
The everyday work of stopping cavities and dental injuries before they start: regular exams and cleanings, fluoride, sealants, and mouth guards.
- Personalize
Individualized Care
Care planned around the child rather than expecting the child to fit a standard visit, from a first visit to children with special health care needs.
- Preserve
Restorative Care
What happens when prevention has not been enough and a tooth needs repair, choosing the option that keeps the most healthy tooth structure.
- Preserve
Urgent Care
Chipped, broken, and knocked-out teeth, toothaches, swelling, and injuries to the lips, tongue, and gums, with guidance for after hours.
- Personalize
Airway & Oral Function
How a child breathes, sleeps, and swallows, and how the lips, tongue, and soft tissues of the mouth work together, as part of their dental care.
A healthy planet
The thread running through her career
Sustainability has been a meaningful part of Dr. Jenn's career, from co-founding the sustainability committee at Harvard School of Dental Medicine to researching, teaching, and speaking on sustainable dentistry nationally. Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry is being built with that same thoughtful approach, with sustainability woven into the way it cares for children, families, and the community.
The connection to pediatric dentistry is more direct than it first appears. The most sustainable dental treatment is often the treatment a child never needs. Every cavity prevented is an appointment, a car journey, and a tray of single-use materials avoided. Prevention is both the better clinical answer and the better environmental one.
Her work
- Co-founded the Sustainability Committee at Harvard School of Dental Medicine
- Created and led the Green Team at Nationwide Children's Hospital during her residency through The Ohio State University
- Volunteers with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and facilitates its Sustainable Dentistry course for dentists internationally
- Chairs the American Dental Education Association’s Special Interest Group on Sustainability in Dentistry
- Has presented nationally on sustainable dentistry at the AAPD Annual Session, ADEA, the ASDA National Conference, and ADA SmileCon
At the practice
- A digital, paperless-where-feasible office, from charting and imaging to forms and communication
- Recycling streams for materials that can be responsibly recycled
- Reduced single-use plastic where it is clinically acceptable to do so
- Family and sibling visits scheduled together so families make fewer trips
Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry holds no environmental certification, and none is claimed. Sustainability here means day-to-day operating choices and a preventive approach to care.
Good to know
Questions families ask
Who is Dr. Jennifer Luca?
Dr. Jennifer Luca, DMD, MS, is a board-certified pediatric dentist, mom, educator, and sustainability advocate. She trained at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, The Ohio State University, and Nationwide Children's Hospital, where she remains attending faculty. She is opening Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry in Hudsonville, Michigan, in January 2027. Many people know her as Dr. Jenn.
Where will Dr. Jenn be practicing?
Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry is opening at 3810 32nd Ave, Suite 300, Hudsonville, Michigan 49426, in January 2027. Details about the practice, the first visit, and the opening list are on the practice website, lastingrootspediatricdentistry.com.
Is Dr. Jenn accepting new patients?
The practice is not seeing patients yet. Families can join the opening list on the practice website and will be contacted with the opening date, hours, and how to book. No referral is needed: families can contact the practice directly, and referrals from pediatricians, family physicians, general dentists, and therapists who work with children are welcome.
What is a pediatric dentist?
A pediatric dentist completes two to three years of additional residency training after dental school, focused on children's dental development, behavior guidance, and the care of children with special health care needs. Dr. Jenn completed her certificate at Nationwide Children's Hospital through The Ohio State University and is board certified.
What ages does Dr. Jenn treat?
Infants, children, adolescents, and teens, including children with special health care needs. National guidance recommends a first dental visit when the first tooth appears or no later than the child's first birthday.
Which insurance plans will the practice accept?
Lasting Roots Pediatric Dentistry is finalizing its insurance participation and will share a complete list of accepted plans on the practice website before opening.
Has Dr. Jenn published under another name?
Yes. Her research and articles before 2023 appear under the name Jennifer Lee, including her ADA News column on sustainable dentistry.
