LaGrange Periodontics

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At LaGrange Periodontics, specialized care is at the heart of every healthy gum and lasting smile. Serving the western suburbs, the practice offers comprehensive services, including periodontal treatment, dental implants, gum and sinus grafting, laser therapy, and sedation dentistry. The experienced team provides advanced reconstruction, esthetics, and implant care designed to deliver exceptional long-term outcomes.

Dr. Farah Shakir
Board-certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, Dr. Shakir earned her DMD and MS from UIC. She serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor and specializes in bone augmentation, sinus grafting, and gum grafting. Fluent in Arabic and Spanish, she loves traveling with her husband, raising her two young children, and staying active when she is away from the clinic.

Dr. Monica Babbitt
Dr. Babbitt began her dental path as a hygienist before earning her DMD at UIC and completing her surgical residency at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Beyond her 20+ years of clinical work in oral plastic surgery and laser techniques, she has contributed to NIH research on bone health. She takes pride in balancing her dedicated clinical practice with family life and ongoing education.

Dr. Michelle Parzatka Jennings
A former Hinsdale Central softball and basketball player, Dr. Jennings loves bringing 30 years of specialized experience back to her hometown. She earned her DDS from UIC and completed her periodontics residency at the University of Kentucky. Outside the office, she enjoys running, fitness, and traveling. Professionally, she is a past president of the Illinois Society of Periodontists and utilizes dual dental laser technology for precise gum and bone care.

Dr. Michael Cunningham
Dr. Cunningham served six years in the U.S. Navy as a cytotechnologist examining pathology specimens before earning his DDS and MS in Oral Science from the University of Illinois. With 28 years of periodontal expertise, he provides surgical treatments, sinus procedures, and implant care. A clinical assistant professor multi-state certified in dental sedation, he balances his medical background with a patient-first approach.

 

6520 Joliet Road
Countryside, Illinois
708.354.4545
lagrangeperio.com

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Kristina and Matthew Bailey began reading books to their son, Owen when he was six months old— they haven’t stopped.
Owen turned 4 in June and recently received an award from the Clarendon Hills Public Library for having had 1,000 books read to him before starting kindergarten.

The library’s 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge is one of a few reading challenge programs offered in Clarendon Hills, where the Bailey family has lived for the past 2 1/2 years.
Kristin Bailey said she saw an ad about the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge and decided it was a good fit for Owen.

“He’s always been really into books,” Bailey said. “He had a natural interest in books at nine months old. That’s when COVID started, and he didn’t get out much, so reading books to him worked out very well. He’s a naturally curious kid, and imagination-building is important. The reading allows him to learn and explore new things, and he really wants to learn to read now.”

Krista Devlin, the Clarendon Hills library’s youth services librarian, said there’s a specific reason The Friends of the Library-sponsored 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge was started in 2022.

“Reading aloud to a child is one of the best ways to help develop important early literacy skills, which will prepare them for kindergarten,” Devlin said. “It is also a great way to bond with your child and to encourage a love of reading.”

Devlin said Owen was the second child to reach the challenge of having 1,000 books read to him before starting kindergarten. He was awarded a certificate, a crown, and his picture was taken to recognize his accomplishment.

Bailey, who said she is “a big reader,” said her family usually goes to the library once a week. Reading three books each night to Owen, along with a book before nap time, is the household normal.

“Consistency in our routine has been good and is important,” she said, adding that Owen’s two sisters, ages 2 1/2 and 1

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