Meet Dr. Anne Hertzberg of Chestnut Dental Associates ! Dr. Anne grew up in Natick and now lives in Needham with her husband and children. A beloved pediatric dentist, she’s known for helping kids feel confident in the dentist’s chair and leaving with their brightest smiles. With her father’s encouragement, one of Chestnut Dental’s founding partners, Anne pursued a career in dentistry and now combines top-tier training with the warmth and bedside manner that puts both kids and parents at ease. We loved hearing about her journey, how she balances work and motherhood, and the thoughtful approach she brings to every patient. Let’s get to know Anne!
Tell us about your family! How many children do you have, where are you from, and where do you live now?
I grew up locally in Natick and then went to Colby in Maine for college. After college, I came back to Boston to work for a year at a pharmaceutical company start-up who stores umbilical cord blood. I then went to the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and did my residency at Boston Children’s Hospital in pediatrics. I dated for years before finding my wonderful husband Jeff. We settled in Needham in 2016. We are raising Max (15), Luke (9) and Vivian (6). Max is my wonderful stepson who is kind, thoughtful and the best big brother. Luke is in 3rd grade and Vivian is in 1st grade. Luke loves flag football, basketball and video games. Vivian is the spunkiest and most accessorized 6 year old. She is not the best listener but she sure is cute.
What’s your favorite aspect about being part of this community?
My favorite part of being part of this community is being able to work and live in the same town. I love building relationships with the families at work and seeing so many patients and friends outside of the office.
What’s your favorite family activity to do in the area?
Our favorite family activity is going to the Cape. My in-laws live in New Seabury for the summer and we feel so lucky to be able to pop down anytime. The kids love swimming, golfing, tennis, beach and spending time with our family.
When did you decide to become a dentist? And what inspired that decision?
For most of my life I thought I wanted to be an OB. I studied for the MCAT and during this time my father encouraged me to take the dental admission test as well. After speaking to women in both fields I chose dentistry as the perfect profession for me. My dad was a founding partner at Chestnut Dental (CDA). My dad, Dr. Jack Hertzberg and his co-founding partners Dr. Howard Needleman and Dr. Steve Shusterman were all true leaders and mentors in our field. From the beginning, they chose to give back to academics and teach at Boston Children’s Hospital even while in private practice. This ensured they were always up to date on the best ways to handle any situation and this is something I continued with my years at Children’s Hospital training residents. The pediatric dentists at Chestnut Dental continue to have the highest level of schooling and training.
What would be the one tip you would give Moms to help us prepare our children for dental visits?
My one tip for moms coming to the dentist is ‘we got you’. We have seen everything, we don’t judge, and we treat every child as our own. We educate parents and children so everyone is comfortable and confident when it comes to the dental needs of their children. The three pediatric dentists in Needham are all moms and we aim to provide the experience we would want. Also, we are so fortunate that most of our staff have been with our office for years.
How do you maintain a healthy work life balance?
Every working mom is always in the active pursuit of a healthy work life balance! I intentionally only do clinical work 3.5 days a week to ensure I can give my all to every patient that walks through the door. When I am not at work, I make time to have coffee with friends, going to my kids school and playing tennis.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I love my job. I have been at CDA for 18 years so now have the surreal experience of having patients that are in college that I first met as babies. I feel extremely lucky to be part of so many families lives and incredibly thankful that our patients choose to come to us.
What is the best advice you’ve gotten from another mom
When I first moved to Needham a mom told me “do you want to live in a home or a museum?” I have repeated this phrase over and over to moms struggling to keep up. The most important motto I stand by daily in practice is “parent instinct is always right.” If they know something isn’t right it normally isn’t so we work together to try to figure it out.
Thank you Anne for letting us get to know you! Chestnut Dental has three locations: Needham, Bedford and Franklin. They provide expanded hours Monday through Thursday from 7:45am to 8:30pm and Saturday hours. They also have on-call emergency coverage 24 hours a day. Chestnut Dental is currently accepting new patients. To learn more visit www.chestnutdental.com and follow along on instagram @chestnut_dental, Facebook Chestnut Dental, and Twitter/X @chestnut_dental.
