Sage Dental of
The Loop

Dr. Maria Balda earned her dental degree in 1994 at Universidad Central de Venezuela. She worked in her private practice for three years before moving to the United States. She validated her DDS at the University of Florida through the Foreign Trained Dental Program in 2000 and has been practicing in the Kissimmee area for the last 20 years. She participates in various continuing education programs every year, including cosmetic and implant dentistry. She is also a member of the American Dental Association. Dr. Balda is committed to providing an exceptional patient experience. She welcomes every patient as if they are a part of her own family, ensuring they feel cared for and comfortable.

Dr. Lauren Lockhart earned her undergraduate degree at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She went on to study dentistry at the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Lockhart performed her Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics residency at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida. After completing her residency, Dr. Lockhart returned to her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, to practice orthodontics for four years before moving to Tampa, Florida, in 2012, and has been a Floridian ever since. Dr. Lockhart is an active member of the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, American Association of Orthodontics, and the Florida Association of Orthodontics.

Meet Dr. Tiara Lewis, a warm and caring dentist passionate about providing top-notch dental care. She graduated from Meharry Medical College in 2019 and completed her residency at an AEGD program in Springfield, Missouri. Dr. Lewis is committed to keeping up-to-date with the latest advances in the field to offer her patients the best possible care. When she's not practicing dentistry, Dr. Lewis enjoys spending time with her husband and stepdaughter. They love cooking, traveling, and trying out new restaurants. Tiara also likes to give back to her community and is actively involved in volunteering at free dental day events like Missions of Mercy. On weekends, she serves in the preschool ministry at her church. Dr. Lewis has known she wanted to be a dentist since she was a child, inspired by her love of seeing people smile and feel confident. She is dedicated to educating her patients on how to maintain their healthy and bright smiles. So, if you're looking for a welcoming and compassionate dentist, Dr. Lewis is the perfect choice for you!

Dr. Terryl Crawford is a board-eligible Endodontist who specializes in Root Canal Therapy and Root Canal Surgery. He employs cutting-edge technologies to ensure a close-to-perfect clinical result, all while exceeding expectations and dispelling many myths surrounding root canals. Following the completion of a successful enlistment with The United States Marine Corps, Dr. Crawford completed his Bachelor Studies at Florida State University. In 2000, Dr. Crawford graduated with his doctorate from Temple University School of Dentistry and entered the Bronx Lebanon Hospital, General Practice residency (GPR). The GPR was a collaborative program bringing residents and instructors alike from Montefiore Hospital system and Yeshiva University together in an exchange network that allowed residents to rotate through every facet and sub-specialty of Dentistry and General Medicine. Following this GPR, Dr. Crawford was selected to attend the Graduate Endodontic program at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Crawford received his Masters's in Dentistry from CWRU in 2004, along with the publishing of his Master's Thesis, "Antimicrobial Efficacy of Gutta Percha Solvents." Striving to exceed expectations, Dr. Crawford attends annual conferences within every facet of Dentistry to provide a comprehensive approach to root canal therapy. Dr. Crawford uses a "TLC" approach in treating every patient. He speaks English and possesses a clinical and working command of Spanish, allowing for barrier-free communication with his Latin patients. In his free time, Dr. Crawford enjoys traveling, spending quality time with his family, participating with his children in their sports activities, cooking, and investing.

Dr. Rafik Dib is a board-certified periodontist who specializes in dental implants, esthetics and regenerative periodontics. He has a unique medical background by being both a periodontist with strong oral surgery training and a pharmacist. In 2010, Dr. Dib graduated from Xavier University, New Orleans, LA with a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D) degree summa cum laude. In 2014, Dr. Dib graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Dentistry at the top of his class with a Doctor of Dentistry (DDS) degree. Following graduation, he completed a master’s degree in LSU periodontics residency in 2017 and has conducted his master’s degree thesis in treating aggressive periodontitis patients with the most cutting-edge technology available (biologic growth factors). Seeking exceptionalism, Dr. Dib continues to attend annual meetings in implant dentistry and soft and hard tissue grafting (gum and bone grafting) for the most up-to-date treatment modalities. He speaks three languages, including English, French and Arabic, which allows for smoother communication when treating international patients. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son. He also enjoys going to the beach, working out and traveling.