Dr. Denise Maniakouras (“Dr. Denise”), founder of Bite Size Pediatric Dentistry, is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
Dr. Denise completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois, Chicago where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with a minor in Psychology. She obtained her D.D.S. degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Dr. Denise was selected as Chief Resident of her pediatric dentistry residency at the University of Illinois, Chicago earning a certificate a Masters degree in Public Health.
In 2011-2012, Dr. Denise served the Chicago area as an Albert Schweitzer fellow. She developed and implemented an outreach program to educate and provide dental care for children in underserved areas. Dr. Denise has also traveled to Zacapa, Guatemala with Hearts In Motion (H.I.M) to provide oral health care to children and families in remote areas.
Dr. Denise is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, the Illinois State Dental Society, the Chicago Dental Society, the Illinois Society of Pediatric Dentistry, and is currently a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
Her true passion is working with children and building relationships with the families she cares for. Dr. Denise strives to provide quality dental care to children in a safe and relaxing environment. Dr. Denise understands that every child is unique and so are their dental needs. She takes pride in helping children build a healthy dental future. In her free time, Dr. Denise spends time with her husband, George, and her kids, Alex, Dean & Mia. She enjoys being a mom and spending time with her family. She sincerely looks forward to meeting you soon!
Dr. Marissa Dziepak (“Dr. Marissa”) is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist and is very excited to have returned home to her native Chicagoland area and to have joined Bite Size Pediatric Dentistry to serve and advocate for our little patients!
She studied Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She obtained her D.M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine where she graduated with honors in serving patients with medical complexities and as a leader in community oral health programs, such as Penn Smiles. She completed her pediatric dentistry residency at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, CO where she was selected to serve as Chief Resident. Dr. Marissa is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the Chicago Dental Society.
From an early age, Dr. Marissa recognized her passion for working with children. She is committed to providing comfortable and positive dental experiences that support and address each of her patient’s individual needs, striving to create life-long healthy dental patients.
Dr. Marissa is very happy to be back home in Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, cooking, and traveling with her husband, Andrew.
Making the move back to the Midwest, Dr. Paulina went on to pursue her pediatric specialty training and Masters degree in Oral Sciences at the University of Illinois in Chicago. While in residency, her research was recognized nationally by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentist, earning the Graduate Student Research Award.
In her spare time, Dr. Paulina loves exploring the outdoors and travelling, and is always seeking her next adventure. She loves to stay active with hiking, rollerblading, and running along the lake shore. When not outdoors, you can find her checking out local live music and sporting events, or spending time with her dogs.
She is so excited to continue calling the Chicagoland area her home and to serve the needs of the surrounding community as a member of the Bite Size team!
Dr. Elissa Teasdale (“Dr. Elissa”) is a board-eligible pediatric dentist who grew up in a small town in New Hampshire’s vibrant Merrimack Valley. She attended Colby College, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Chemistry. She then moved to Boston, Massachusetts to complete her dental school education at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. While at Tufts, she was honored to receive the Honos Civicus award due to her dedication to providing outstanding community service to the underserved population in the Boston area. She regularly provided free dental care to homeless youth, visited local schools to educate children about oral health and hygiene, and organized an annual preventive-screening event, Tooth Day at Fenway, for all park patrons.
Following dental school, she completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency on the Navajo reservation in Winslow, Arizona. She considers this an invaluable experience in her professional life, as she continued to treat an underserved population of deserving patients. After completing her general residency, Dr. Elissa worked at a private pediatric practice in Charleston, South Carolina for three years. It was there that she realized her passion for providing care to the pediatric population and patients with special health care needs. She decided to pursue specialized training and went on to complete a two-year pediatric dental residency at The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta while continuing to work at the pediatric practice in Charleston on the weekends.
Dr. Elissa is excited to be a part of the Bite Size Pediatric Dentistry’s family and is devoted to providing quality care in a positive environment for both her patients and their families. She considers herself lucky to be in a position where she has the ability to impact and influence children at such a young age. Dr. Elissa strives to create a calm and inviting environment for her patients in order to alleviate fears while promoting positive future dental visits. She loves seeing improvements and growth with each and every encounter. Dr. Elissa is passionate about pediatric dentistry and finds the profession incredibly rewarding.
Dr. Elissa visited Chicago frequently and was intrigued by the city, culture, and even the snow (after living in the Southeast for five years). When she’s not taking care of little teeth, you can find her staying active at yoga and group exercise classes, hiking mountains, traveling to untouched areas of the world, volunteering, exploring the Chicago food scene, and spending time with friends and family, both near and far. She looks forward to meeting you and your family soon!
Dr Janice Lubas graduated from Loyola School of Dentistry. Followed by a two years pediatric specialty training at Children’s Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is distinguish member of American academy of pediatric dentistry, ADA, ISPD, CDS and Healthy Smiles Healthy Children.
Dr. Lubas is on staff at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital and is called in by many physicians to treat their patients before surgeries. She also spends time in the cranial facial clinic at the hospital advising and treating patients with complicated medical histories and special health care needs.
With her love and dedication, Dr. Lubas continues to be an active member in her dental community. She treats children from Catholic Charities and handicapped women at Mt. St. Joseph. She has organized and participated in dental mission trips to Bosnia and Nicaragua.
Dr. Lubas wants every child’s experience to be a happy one. She also advises parents on diet and brushing so they can keep their children smile’s beautiful. Happy patients and educated parents is her mission.
Dr. Gruendeman graduated from Loyola University School of Dentistry followed by five years of teaching. After obtaining his orthodontic certificate he stayed on as a full time associate professor of orthodontics. He is a well respected member of the American Association of Orthodontists and Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital Craniofacial team.
Dr. Gruendeman has a reputation of treating each patient with a individual plan for their perfect smile. He keeps up with the latest technology to insure the best results. His good nature and love of sports makes him a favorite among his patients.
Dr. Deric Truskoski is temporarily filling in for Dr. Marissa’s maternity leave. Dr. Deric was born and raised in Peru, IL. During high school, after volunteering at a pediatric dental office, he developed his love for working with children, especially within the scope of dentistry. This experience guided the academic path he chose to follow.
Dr. Deric achieved his Bachelor’s of Science in Biomedical Sciences at Marquette University in Milwaukee followed by his Dental Medical Doctor (DMD) Degree at Midwestern University. He then followed his dream and attended the University of Illinois at Chicago where he completed his residency earning a Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry.
During his free time, Dr. Deric enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He loves traveling, going to as many concerts as he can, running and exercising, and of course exploring his favorite city, Chicago! Dr. Deric places the utmost importance on creating a healthy, safe, and encouraging environment for all children. He strives to make the dental office an exciting and welcoming place.
Dr. Keira Ginsberg (“Dr. Keira”) is a board-eligible pediatric dentist who grew up in Westchester, New York. She received her B.A. in History and Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude. Her love for working with children and art, led her to dentistry and she was awarded a merit scholarship to earn her D.M.D. at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston. She graduated cum laude and was selected into the national dental honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon. During these years Dr. Keira prioritized community programs, involving herself in the Special Olympics, providing dental care on mission trips, and working extensively with autism in art therapy and public policy. She went on to complete her pediatric specialty training at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, CO.
Pediatric dentistry is in her roots, as Dr. Keira’s father was also a pediatric dentist. Dr. Keira grew up knowing dentistry could be fun and is honored to be able to serve that role for her future patients, creating life-long positive dental relationships. Dr. Keira is committed to learning each individual child’s needs and working through all anxieties and fears in a fun and positive nature while providing the best care possible.
Dr. Keira is thrilled for this new adventure in Chicago. She is excited to explore all Chicago has to offer including the great food, live music (she can go on and on about music), sports, and lake shore runs. In her spare time, Dr. Keira is an avid painter who loves travel, reading, new music finds, and walks everywhere. As a snow and beach enthusiast, she stays active with yoga, rock climbing and taking on new hobbies like skiing and surfing. Dr. Keira looks forward to meeting you as a member of the Bite Size team!
