Community Highlights: Meet Samantha Kelly And Blerta Selden of Pearl Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Kelly And Blerta Selden

Hi Samantha Kelly and Blerta Selden, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Dr. was born and raised in a small town near Buffalo, NY. She attended St. john Fisher university for her undergrad and university at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine for Dental school. After just a few rotations in dental school working with children and patients with special needs, Dr. Sam knew she was going to specialize in pediatric dentistry. Dr. Sam’s favorite part of pediatric dentistry is the energy and FUN kids bring to the office every day. There’s never a dull moment at work and she loves getting to laugh with the kiddos and build long lasting relationships with them and their families!

Dr. Blerta was born and raised in the small country of Albania. She moved with her family to the United States in 2008. After residency, she moved to Nashville and has been calling herself a proud Nashvillian ever since. Her favorite part about practicing orthodontics is getting to know the patients and their families. She loves to witness the confidence that orthodontic patients (young and not so young) gain after completing their treatment! When she is not in the office Dr. Blerta likes to spend time with her husband, Erik (who loves spreadsheets), daughter, Anna (who loves bounce houses) and her 2 mini labradoodles Ove and Alfie (who love treats). She loves reading, trying new restaurants and napping.

We met in 2020 and both worked for the same busy dental practice in a corporate setting. After 3 years of working together side by side we knew it was time to open our own practice focused on patient experience and building relationships with families and getting out of the corporate world. When looking for where to start our practice we knew Mt. Juliet would be a great fit because there was obviously a need for a more family centered pediatric dentist and orthodontic practice. We believe having both specialties in the same practice helps provide seamless coordinated care for children ensuring their dental needs are managed together. It has been so rewarding being a part of the Mt. Juliet community and watching our practice grow over the last year and a half.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a new business has definitely been a challenging journey in many aspects, but it has also been incredibly rewarding. Dr. Sam lost her father the first week the practice was open and Dr. Blerta worked through her IVF journey the first year of the practice. Balancing home life and starting a brand new practice was definitely difficult but having each other as support got us through it. There have of course been other challenges on the way but, we both believe that the challenge is part of the fun—it pushes us to grow, innovate, and create something truly special for our patients. Every obstacle we’ve faced has been an opportunity to learn and improve, and seeing our vision come to life makes all the hard work worth it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Pearl Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics?
As a dual specialty office we strive to provide the best pediatric dental and orthodontic care and make visits convenient and fun! We have created a modern environment that both kids and parents can enjoy. Things that set us apart is that we were both ranked at the top of our classes in dental school, we are both board certified specialists, and we are a women owned business. We have an amazing office culture and making each experience a VIP experience. We make patients and families feel special and not like they are just a number. We are also known for offering ice cream after each visit ( sugar free of course) and our office dog Biscuit!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck has certainly played a role in both life and business for both of us. Although we believe both hard work and a positive mindset has helped us be successful, Dr. Sam did kiss the Blarney stone in Ireland the year the practice opened just to make sure luck would be on our side as well!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pearlpdo.com/
• Instagram: pearl_pdo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Pearl-Pediatric-Dentistry-and-Orthodontics