Meet our team

Dr. Liel Grinbaum is a board-certified pediatric dentist and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD).

He is a recipient of the Richard C. Pugh Achievement Award, presented each year by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Grinbaum scored in the top 3% of all candidates who completed the ABPD's May 2015 qualifying examination.

Dr. Elyse Kerschner grew up in Upstate New York and fell for Manhattan while earning her doctorate at NYU. After a B.A. from Binghamton University and a Doctor of Dental Surgery from New York University College of Dentistry, she completed general practice training followed by two years of specialty training in pediatric dentistry at Maimonides Medical Center.

She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and shares its commitment to care that is thoughtful, careful, ethical, and grounded in current scientific evidence. A major focus of her work is the link between oral health and overall health. She has extensive training in tongue- and lip-tie releases and how they affect feeding, speech, and healthy growth and development, and she is a member of the American Laser Study Club.

Dr. Elyse builds trust by listening closely to both children and parents, and she loves watching a child's confidence grow from one visit to the next. Away from the office she enjoys cooking, fitness, skiing, travel, and her newest hobby, pottery.

Dr. Sam Abettan is a board-certified pediatric dentist, certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Raised in Brooklyn, he earned his dental degree at New York University College of Dentistry and stayed at NYU for his post-graduate residency in pediatric dentistry.

Alongside his clinical work, Dr. Abettan helps train the next generation of pediatric dentists as faculty in the pediatric dental residency program at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. He is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association.

Dr. Abettan lives on Long Island with his wife and three children. He enjoys time with family and friends, movies, travel, surfing, hiking, and reading.

Dr. Nieku Manshadi is a board-certified pediatric dentist who considers treating children a privilege. His goal is to make every dental visit fun and stress-free for kids and their families.

Dr. Manshadi earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco. He then completed his pediatric dentistry residency and specialty certificate at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the Northeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry, and the New York Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

Dr. Manshadi is passionate about expanding access to care in underserved communities and has provided dental care on service missions to Ecuador and the Philippines. Outside the office, he enjoys skiing, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.

Dr. Madison Ophaug, known to her patients as Dr. Maddie, discovered her passion for dentistry as an undergraduate at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She went on to earn a Master of Biomedical Sciences and her Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh.

She completed an intensive two-year pediatric dentistry residency at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Her clinical interests include caring for children with special needs, interceptive orthodontics, hospital dentistry, and dental trauma, which makes her a natural fit for treatment in the operating room.

Dr. Maddie is committed to compassionate, thorough care tailored to each child. Outside of work she loves to travel, read, stay active, and spend time with family, friends, and her dogs.

Dr. Julia Kim is a friendly and compassionate pediatric dentist dedicated to providing children with gentle, personalized care and creating a positive dental experience for every patient.

Knowing her passion for dentistry early on, Dr. Kim attended New York University's 7-year accelerated dental program, joint with NYU College of Dentistry. After earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) at NYU College of Dentistry with honors in research, she completed a general practice residency at the Mount Sinai Hospital, where her passion for working with children grew. While practicing as a general dentist in Manhattan, she continued to pursue pediatric dentistry through a postdoctoral associateship in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at NYU College of Dentistry, working largely with patients with special needs. She then completed her pediatric dental residency at St. Barnabas Hospital, where she served as Chief Resident and honed her skills in all aspects of pediatric dentistry.

Dr. Kim believes that a positive dental experience starts with trust, patience, and gentle care. She enjoys working together with children and their parents to establish healthy habits early and help every child develop a positive relationship with their oral health. She stays up to date with the latest research in pediatric dentistry and is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Dental Association (ADA).

Outside the office, Dr. Kim enjoys staying active through tennis, golf, yoga, hiking, and the gym. She also loves visiting museums and exploring new restaurants with friends and family.

Dr. Na Won Lee is a gentle, compassionate pediatric dentist who believes a positive early experience at the dentist sets children up for a lifetime of healthy smiles.

She completed her pediatric dental residency at Temple University Hospital, with advanced training in oral conscious sedation and full-mouth dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia in the hospital, along with zirconia and stainless steel crowns, pulpotomies and pulpectomies, and restorative care. She has also taught in pediatric dentistry. Before specializing, she worked as a chief associate general dentist, giving her a broad foundation in root canal therapy, crowns and bridges, and oral surgery.

Dr. Lee earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery through NYU's combined seven-year BA/DDS program. She gives back through international dental mission trips, Special Olympics dental events, and several Mission of Mercy clinics. Parents appreciate her calm chairside manner and clear communication.