Cary's Home for Cool Smiles

Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry knows that your family always comes first. Dr. Dan and Dr. Nar take care of kids from grade school to high school. We can’t wait to meet yours!

Bring Joy to Each Appointment

My girls experience some nerves before each dental appointment and Dr. Nar and the entire staff make them feel calm and cared for and bring joy to each appointment.

- Kristina W.

Why Choose Us

In our Cary office, southern hospitality means that our place is your place. When you’re in one of our chairs, you come first—every time.

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About Southern Smiles
About Southern Smiles

Meet Dr. Narineh Panoosian

Dr. Nar’s experience and patient reviews speaks for themselves. She takes amazing care of all the kids that come through our doors.

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Reviews & Testimonials

What do your neighbors in Cary think about their treatment? Read their Google reviews to find out!

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About Southern Smiles
About Southern Smiles

Serving Our Community

While our Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry team loves beautifying teeth, we’re also proud to take care of other problems in Cary.

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Our Story

Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry of Cary, NC, brings the synergy of both orthodontics and pediatric dentistry together side by side. We think they go together like peanut butter and jelly! The Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry story began in 2020 through the affiliation of the orthodontic practice of Dr. Matthew McNutt and the pediatric dentistry practice of Dr. Daniel Howell.

A History of Smiles

Our story starts with pediatric dentist Dr. Dan Howell: “Dr. Dan,” as he is known at the office, was the very first pediatric dentist in Cary, NC, and is a legend in the community. Having founded his practice in 1979, he has cared for generations of children.

Cary was still a very small town with only ten dentists. Dr. Dan began a well-deserved break and phased into retirement in 2023. Dr. Dan will continue to work occasionally. He’s a big kid at heart, and we won’t be able to keep him away. Nor do we want to!

Our story continues with orthodontist Dr. Matthew McNutt: “Dr. Matthew,” as he is known at the office, began his orthodontic career in 1996 while still an undergraduate student at NC State, working as an orthodontic lab tech and assistant for a local orthodontist in both Raleigh and Cary. After completing both dental school and orthodontic residency at UNC Chapel Hill, Dr. McNutt founded his private practice in Cary in 2007.

A brand new pediatric office space marked the next exciting chapter in our story. Dr. Dan practiced in the same office in Cary from 1987 until 2022.

How We Stand Out

At Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, we boldly embrace the idea that every patient is worthy of compassion and deserves the highest quality of care, and the needs of our patients come before our own. We believe in going above and beyond what the world expects, and we strive to put a smile on your face with our southern hospitality.

When you visit us, you will find a fun-loving team that cares deeply about what we do, and if you are lucky, you may visit on a day when Ripley or Shiloh, our golden-doodle comfort dogs, are on paw patrol in the office.

In the orthodontic office, we treat patients of all ages, from young children to adults, well into their senior years. In our pediatric dental office, we treat children from infancy through the teen years. We have a heart for special needs children, many of whom stay in the practice well into adulthood.

New Beginnings

In the summer of 2022, a new pediatric dental office space began construction in the building next to Dr. McNutt’s orthodontic office in Cary. This enchanting and charming office officially opened in January of 2023 and will bring comfort to children for many years to come.

Our story continues to grow with the addition in 2023 of Pediatric Dentist Dr. Narineh Panoosian, otherwise known in the office as “Dr. Nar.” The pediatric team excitedly welcomed her into to the practice family to carry on Dr. Dan’s legacy.

She brings her kindness, compassion, and world-class training to our team. Dr. Nar shares Dr. Dan’s deep passion and commitment to providing the best possible care for children.

Everyone who joins our family of patients becomes a part of the Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry story.