Dr. Rodolfo Vargas

Dentist

Dr. Vargas is a Pediatric Specialist who has practiced dentistry for over 30 years. He completed his dental and pediatric dental studies at the esteemed Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York in 1984 and 1986, respectively.

Over the next 15 years or so, Dr. Vargas logged several accomplishments, including becoming an Assistant Professor and then Chairman of the Pediatric Department  at the University of San Carlos in his hometown of Guatemala City. He also started his own private practice and worked for several years in Chicago, before moving to Harlingen, Texas, where he has been living and working for more than 15 years.

More recently, Dr. Vargas won the 2020 Brownsville Herald Reader’s Choice Award for Favorite Pediatric Dentist!

When he’s not in the office, Dr. Vargas enjoys spending time with his wife and their dog, Duke. He also loves tennis; not only watching but playing, too (he‘s a big fan of Roger Federer).

Dr. Martiza Chavez

Dentist

Dr. Maritza Chavez was raised in the Rio Grande Valley and provides quality dentistry for her patients. She treats each patient as an individual because she knows that each person is unique, with different healthcare needs, including oral care.

She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center. Upon her graduation in 2013, Dr. Chavez returned to the Rio Grande Valley where she has been practicing dentistry for nearly a decade.

Dr Chavez enjoys restoring patients’ smiles through procedures like crowns, bridges, and dental implant restorations, as well as cosmetic procedures like veneers and cosmetic bonding. She is also available to treat dental emergencies with procedures such as root canals and extractions.

Dr. Chavez believes in the many benefits of physical fitness; she has participated in races and endurance challenges, including the Rock N Roll 26.2 marathon and multiple half marathons. She’s also the proud mother of a beautiful daughter who she adores.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends and is an avid dog lover.

Dr. Taer Alkuor

Dentist

Laura

Office Manager

Laura has been on the Legacy Dental team for about five years and brings nearly two decades of experience in community relations, customer service, and education. she originally led the Community Outreach team, but her strong leadership skills and knack for helping others made her a great fit to be the Office Manager!

A hardworking and enthusiastic leader, Laura is also the proud mother of three wonderful children to whom she has dedicated her life. Her “baby” recently started college! Laura enjoys spending time with her family and going to the movies with her husband!

Cindy

Registered Dental Hygienist

Esmeralda

Registered Dental Assistant

Having been a Registered Dental Assistant for 21 years, Esmeralda brings a lot of dental knowledge to the Legacy Dental team! While she graduated from Concorde Career College in San Bernardino, California, Esmeralda earned her coronal polishing, nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation conscious sedation, and sealant certifications from Texas State Technical College in Harlingen.

Esmeralda was born in Brownsville, but lived in Riverside, California for more than two decades. She's a busy mom of four, with the two older "kids" attending college and the two younger ones active in several extracurricular activities, including Taekwondo. She also has two granddaughters!

Esmeralda is die-hard "bleed-blue" Dallas Cowboys fan; if she's not wearing scrubs, she's wearing Cowboys gear!

Joseph

COO

A native of Atlanta, GA, Joseph graduated from Georgia State University and then moved to Texas, where he's lived now for more than 15 years. Joseph brings an extensive background in customer service, management and marketing to our team. He enjoys working alongside his hard-working Legacy teammates and interacting with patients. Joseph also is our “house photographer” and is responsible for taking the shiny, happy pictures seen throughout the office and on our social media pages. Joseph is passionate about life and especially enjoys quality time with his wife and two amazing kiddos.