Meet Dr. Thornton
Dr. Heather Thornton has spent her entire career doing one thing: caring for children's teeth in her hometown.
She's a Montgomery native, a pediatric specialist, and the reason thousands of local kids think the dentist is a fun place to be. Parents who meet Dr. Heather Thornton usually notice the same thing first — she talks to their child, not over them.
A Quote From Dr. Thornton
“Dentistry to me isn’t just a job. It is my calling. I am passionate about caring for my patients and providing quality dental care. I love being able to make lasting connections with my patients and their families. My hope and prayer is to provide an office where kids feel safe and loved.”
Your Montgomery Dentist
Dr. Thornton
Dr. Thornton attended Birmingham Southern College and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and psychology in 1992. She then attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham Dental School from 1992 to 1996.
From 1996 to 1997 she completed a general dentistry fellowship at UAB Dental School, followed by her pediatric residency there from 1997 to 2000.
Heather Thornton DMD has practiced pediatric dentistry since completing that residency in 2000 — a quarter century of caring for the same community she grew up in.
Families sometimes see her listed as Heather Thornton DMD on insurance paperwork — same person, same chair, same nine dogs.
She has held every position in the Second District Dental Society and is an active member of:
- The Alabama Dental Association
- The American Dental Association
- The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
- The Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry
She serves on the House of Delegates and Board of Trustees for the Alabama Dental Association, and is an adjunct professor at the UAB School of Dentistry in the Pediatric Department.
How Dr. Heather Thornton Treats Children
Specialty training explains what pediatric dentist Dr. Thornton knows. Her approach explains why kids cooperate for her.
Visits move at the child's pace. Tools get introduced before they're used. Questions from parents are welcome at any point, and treatment is explained — with the X-ray on the screen — before it's ever recommended.
That conservative philosophy runs through everything: fix what needs fixing, watch what can be watched, and never sell a family something their child doesn't need.
For anxious kids, nitrous oxide is available, but the first tool is always patience.
The kids dentist Dr. Thornton has become is a product of that patience more than of any credential.
Awards & Accolades
Some of Dr. Thornton's accolades include:
- Member of the peer review board of the second district-Blue cross blue shield advisory committee
- State Committee for Public Health
- Provides services for the state Hematology Clinic
- Provides care for the patients at Father Purcell’s Memorial Exceptional Children’s Center
- Chi Omega Advisor at Huntingdon College since 2021
- Cambridge Who’s Who Registry of Executives and professionals member 2006
- Psi Omega Fraternity, Chi Tau Chapter member 1996
- Recipient of the Quintessence Award, recognition of Academic Achievement from the Quintessence Publishing Company 1996
Outside of the Office
Dr. Thornton is a native of Alabama. She grew up in Montgomery and attended high school here.
She's married to Steve, her husband of 27 years. They have two adult children and a bonus child they're raising. Dr. Thornton loves traveling with her family, and they raise Boston terriers with plans to start a breeding program. After retiring from dentistry, she hopes to own a wedding venue. She attends Church of the Highlands, where she leads and attends many Bible studies. Above all, she loves Jesus.
Dr. Heather Thornton has never practiced anywhere but Alabama, and has no plans to. Being local matters more than it sounds. Dr. Thornton Montgomery AL families see at the grocery store is the same person they see in the operatory — and that accountability is a feature, not a coincidence.
Fun Facts
- She has nine dogs
- She has a pot-belly pig named Penny
- She can make stained glass art
- She's an avid reader
- She LOVES tomatoes
Ask her about the pig. Kids always do, and Dr. Heather Thornton will happily tell the story twice — and it's a reliable way to turn a nervous first visit into a conversation.
Questions Parents Ask About Dr. Thornton
Meet Her In Person
Reading about a dentist only gets you so far. Watching your child high-five one on the way out tells you everything.
Meeting Dr. Heather Thornton takes fifteen minutes and answers most of the questions this page couldn't. Whether your baby has one tooth or your teen is due for a checkup, pediatric dentist Dr. Thornton and the team are ready. So is the rest of the Dentists 4 Children Dr. Thornton leads.
Request an appointment with Dr. Heather Thornton today.