PROVIDER PROFILE
EDUCATION
Central High School
Missouri State University, B.S. in Biology, 1986
School of Dentistry, 1990
FREE TIME
Daily exercise, Golf, Music
FAMILY
Married for 29 years, husband Steve, 5 children, 4 grandchildren. Always something going on! We have a “family band”, it’s so fun when we can be together and have a jam session.
FROM
St. Joseph native
WHY I AM HERE
I loved my dentist as a child, and as weird as it sounds, I loved the smell of his office. His attention to detail and gentle, artful skills fascinated me. I was never afraid, and I do not want a child undergoing treatment to ever feel that way, either.
SPECIALTY / PASSION
Patient education and post-op conversations: I prefer to communicate with parents/guardians myself, as opposed to an assistant. Our staff is awesome and certainly knowledgeable about dental health, this is just simply the way I’ve always done it. If a parent/guardian and child are in the practice for an initial visit, or if we are completing a treatment appointment, they have trusted me to care for their child. That is a privilege, and in turn, I want them to feel comfortable hearing from/talking to me. I never want anyone to leave confused or with any unanswered questions. Sedation treatment: Delivering dental care in one appointment to a young or apprehensive child is an incredible resource in our region. So many kids need this level of care!