Meet Theresa Lassetter

“The happy tears on the face of a patient who has not been able to fully smile for a long time is the most amazing gift,” Theresa said.

Dr. Theresa Lassetter, originally from Plano, came to Waco to attend Baylor University for her undergraduate degree in biology. To pay for school, she worked nearly full-time hours in the Lowe’s Garden Center, where she met Cody, a Waco-local who became her husband.

“I went to Baylor University and manifested a love for Waco that was unshakeable!” Theresa said. “The science program was amazing and created a foundation strong enough for me to start dental school as a newlywed, have two children, hold a part-time job, and graduate in the honors program of the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston.”

After graduating at the top of her class and becoming a Doctor of Dental Surgery, Theresa and Cody moved back to Waco and completed their family with two more children — a son and a dental office.

“My husband and I have three gorgeous little children — Avery, Parker and Preston — and joke that the dental office is my fourth child,” Theresa said.

Theresa quickly worked her way up from dentist to partner to owner at Heart of Texas Smiles — a comprehensive family dental office that prides itself on having the best technologies and continuing education.

Outside of the dental office, you might be able to find her speaking fluent conversational Mandarin, camping and fishing at Lake Waco, spending time with her family on their land in Lorena, or sharing joy with those around her.

“It is fun to be able to go into the office every day and create more joy,” Theresa said. “As the world trends toward being less happy, creating our own sunshine is the most motivating force there is.”

Because she serves so many roles at Heart of Texas Smiles, Theresa could not properly care for her patient family without the help of dentists Dr. Guillermo Rivacoba, who shares her alma mater, and Dr. Shria Dhaon, the newest dentist to the Heart of Texas Smiles family.

Dr. Guillermo Rivacoba may be from San Antonio, but living in Mexico and Canada sparked his love for soccer, snowboarding and traveling. He has made Waco home and been at the Heart of Texas Smiles practice for over two years.

Dr. Shria Dhaon came from three generations of doctors and brought her passion for art to healthcare through dentistry. She is from New Delhi, India, and earned her doctorate in Los Angeles, but she found home in Waco.r