From patient care and staff support to his commitment to dental community education, Dr. Alfred Penhaskashi, or Dr. P., stands firm on his belief that health and wellness start with clear communication and compassionate patient care.
Educated at the California dynamic duo, UCLA (D.D.S. dental surgery degree) and USC (specialty degrees in periodontics and implantology), Dr. P. has been a professor, speaker, and alumni president. In addition, Dr Penhaskaski was involved with the Dental Society board as an active member and chair of the continuing education program. Plus, hes been a dental community innovator during the COVID-19 crisis by creating The Dental Hour with Dr. P plus The Hygiene Hour to inform, inspire, and support the dental community in its time of greatest need.
He maintains a private practice specializing in periodontics, periodontal laser therapy, periodontal plastic surgery and implant reconstructive surgery in the Encino area of Los Angeles. In addition, Dr. P.s continuous life pursuit is being a master clinician in his pursuit of excellence in oral surgery.
To balance patient care with personal care, Dr. P. enjoys spending time with his lovely wife, Tracy, and their three active sons, along with the family mascot Bailey, a rambunctious goldendoodle. Many weekends you may find him enjoying food, friends, and ice cream while dining in Manhattan Beach or reclining under a tree in Cambria reading one of his favorite books, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
As a world traveler, Geraldine enjoys cooking, reading novels, and listening to podcasts on her walks. Her cherished weekends are filled with friends and family, featuring her 13-year-old shih tzu, Tiki.
For Yasmin, 2020 brought her the gift of joining Dr. P.s team. Of her time here, she says, I wish I had found his practice sooner. Dr. P. genuinely cares for his staff as well as all his patients, ultimately making my experience in the office an amazing one.
When Yasmin is away from the office, she likes to enjoy a good book, quiet time at home with her Boston Terrier fur baby, Ava, plus spending time with friends and family, cooking up new recipes, and looking into exciting places to travel to.
Just like the patients who come to Dr. P. for their dental treatment and new beginning, she too found her perfect practice knowing that every treatment she performed or assisted with became the start of improved health and wellness.
Just say YES is the attitude that has made Louise such an invaluable member of our team. From the summer of 2007 to today, Louise has just said YES to everything weve thrown at her! Beginning as a temporary on-call team member to today being one of Dr. P.s trusted surgical assistants, Louise brings a feeling of home and family in all her patient care.
She says of this experience, Patients in a dental chair are in a most vulnerable position so they will have their guards up. Getting their trust is challenging, but once you do, it is very fulfilling. Meeting different people with different stories from different walks of life gives one a broader perspective in life.
On a personal note, Margaret likes to travel, watch movies on the big screen with her boys, go bowling, or simply hang out with family or friends enjoying a good laugh while sharing fabulous food and wine.
Life is about balance, so you may see Maria either reading or doing watercolor painting in her off time. And one day soon, we may experience her love of jazz manifested into her playing the saxophone.
For Mary, dentistry is truly a family affair. From her grandfather and father to two uncles who are all dentists, you can say dental hygiene is in her genes. Hailing from Canada, Mary arrived in the states via Switzerland to teach dental hygiene at the University of Pennsylvania. There she met her husband Charlie and moved to California.
Dentistry is about legacy and family. Mary and Dr. P. share both of these core values as Mary easily transitions from dental hygienist to Mom, Grandma, and the master Girl Scout cookie salesperson with her four adorable grandchildren.
From Tehran University to West Los Angeles College, our dental hygienist Bahar started global and today is local. With over 11 years of service in multiple practices, Bahar brings her passion for this work to our practice through discovering her patients individual concerns, while also focusing on their education through providing critical information to help them achieve optimal oral health.
When not at the practice, Bahar loves hiking and watching movies with her son, Mason, and their 2-year-old cat, Snowi. Once we are able to get back together, learning salsa is on the top of her wish list!
For Erika, one can say dental hygiene is literally in her genes. From her grandfather, who apprenticed with a dentist; to her mother, a dental assistant; to her aunt, also a dental hygienist; Erika calls dentistry home.
Graduating from USC as a Registered Dental Hygienist, Erikas first dental practice position was in Germany. Now 20 years in her beloved career path, Erika enjoys helping and teaching her patients to care for their dental needs through customized care.
Dreams really do come true when your goal is to serve others! Graduating top in her class, plus receiving the Golden Scaler Award, Kristine has dedicated her career to helping patients. Shes helped patients ranging from advanced cases of gum disease, periodontology, all the way to special needs children in pediatric dentistryall to achieve healthy oral care.
Outside of her career, Kristine loves spending time with family, gardening, and cooking meals from her many travels. Her lifelong dream is to create or join a non-profit organization to use her dental hygiene knowledge and skills to help children in undeveloped countries.