Dr. L. Eric Anderson is passionate about delivering an exceptional patient experience at Anderson Dental Group. He is committed to providing a relaxed atmosphere and quality care to each of his patients.

A Midwest native, Dr. Anderson attended Marquette University and University of Iowa College of Dentistry and studied advanced practice management through Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management. With a strong passion for education, Dr. Anderson has also served as an adjunct associate professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

Dr. Anderson strives to make Anderson Dental Group a leader in providing the latest in diagnostic technology for our patients. In November of 2014, Anderson Dental Group installed 3-D cone beam radiography, an incredible tool for placing implants, diagnosing root canals, and examining all areas of the mouth with a 3-D view!

Dr. Rachel Reis enjoys working with patients of all ages. Restoring smiles and healthy mouths is a passion for her. Dr. Reis grandfather, Benny Hawkins, was a dentist and mentor at the University of Iowa. His gentle touch and relationships with patients inspired her.

Dr. Reis grew up in Iowa City and in 2003 graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. She then graduated from University of Iowas College of Dentistry in 2007 where she completed rotations at pediatric focused practices. After graduation she moved to the Des Moines area. Dr. Reis is a member of the American Dental Association and Iowa Dental Association and has volunteered with Iowa Mission of Mercy.

Dr. Reis and her husband, Jim, moved to Adel in 2013. They have two young sons, Benton and Tyson. The boys are starting to get involved in sports and activities in the community which will keep them busy for years to come. Rachel enjoys golfing, running road races and cheering on Iowa collegiate sports in her free time.

Dr. Amanda Vonnahme cultivates a small town feel and trust to her practice. She establishes a relationship with her patients extending beyond their oral health. Meeting new people and learning from them are aspects she considers benefits of her profession.

She earned both her undergraduate and doctorate from the University of Iowa. While in dental school, she conducted research in Dr. David Drakes lab on virulence factors related to the primary bacteria involved in dental decay. She is a member of the American Dental Association, the Iowa Dental Association, and the Des Moines Dental District. She also serves on the DMACC Dental Hygiene Advisory Board. She enjoys volunteering with Iowa Mission of Mercy and Special Olympics.

Dr. Vonnahme and her husband have lived in the metro area for over 10 years. They have three young children who are involved in all kinds of youth activities keeping her very busy outside of the office.

Dr. Nicole Krois loves creating a comfortable and inviting environment for patients. She enjoys getting to know patients while creating a personalized treatment plan because everyone is unique. Creating these relationships is one of the many reasons why Dr. Krois loves dentistry!

Dr. Krois grew up in West Des Moines. While attending the University of Iowa she earned a B.A. in biology in 2013, a masters in secondary science education in 2015, and in 2020 graduated from the UI College of Dentistry. While in dental school, Dr. Krois conducted dental education research with Dr. Leonardo Marchini, working on making the clinical aspect of learning more effective and efficient for students. She served as the president of the student research group at the dental college and was involved in several clubs.

After dental school, Dr. Krois lived and practiced dentistry in Fort Collins, CO and later moved back to Iowa tobe closer to family. She loves hiking, skiing, camping, biking, cooking, and running with her dog. She is very excited to be back in Iowa!

With 20+ years of experience in the dental field, Diana appreciates being part of a team thats committed to continuously building its knowledge and skills and working together to create the best possible experience for our patients.

While Dawns main focus is to keep the practice running smoothly, she especially enjoys the time she spends with patients. Dawn came to Anderson Dental Group in 2003, bringing with her valuable business-sector experience. She absolutely LOVES her job and working with the staff and patients here at Anderson Dental.

Dawn has been married to Jay for over 30 years and they have three wonderful children (Megan, Bryce, and Jaymie). Her free time is spent with family and friends and traveling to UNI to cheer on their Panthers!

Karla was a Dental Assistant for six years before going back to school to become a Dental Hygienist. She attended the Dental Hygiene program at DMACC and has been in the dental field for over 20 years.

After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Dakota in 2004, Alissa stayed as a clinical instructor for USDs Dental Hygiene program before moving to the Des Moines area. Alissa has been a proud member of the Anderson Dental Group team since 2006. She especially enjoys talking with her patients and educating them about how to improve their oral health.

Alissa grew up on a farm in northwest Iowa. She and her husband, Michael, have two boys, Reagan and Adrian, who keep them on the move with their many activities! In their down time, they love laughing with the boys, playing games, sitting around a campfire and enjoying a relaxing day on the lake.

Paige received a bachelors degree from The University of Iowa in Interdepartmental Studies Health Science in 2014. She continued her studies at DMACC, where she graduated from the Dental Hygiene program in 2016. Paige loves building relationships with her patients and helping them achieve a healthy smile.

Paige was born and raised in Des Moines where she currently lives with her husband, Kase; their children, Holden and Maren; and their golden retriever, Asher. Paige and her family love spending time outdoors with friends and family and cheering on the Hawkeyes.

In Kristas free time, she enjoys reading, riding her bike, baking, doing crossword puzzles, and entertaining. She and her husband enjoy riding their Harley, playing with their spunky pugs, Hazel & Vivian, cheering on the Hawks and Chicago Cubs, and planning their next sunny vacation!

Brittaney has been in the dental field since 2016 with experience as a dental assistant and at the front desk. She graduated from the Dental Hygiene program at Indian Hills Community College in 2021 and was excited to joined ADG shortly after.

Janae has enjoyed working as a Registered Dental Assistant with expanded functions for more than 30 years! She truly embraces the patient comes first approach here at Anderson Dental Group, and patients love her calming and caring nature.

Janae lives west of Des Moines with her husband Steve. Their daughter, Desi, and her husband, Matt, live just a few miles away. Their son, Sam, is attending UNI. Janae recently became a grandma and spends most of her free time spoiling her grandbabies!

Alyssa is a Registered Dental Assistant with expanded functions who has more than ten years of experience restoring smiles! Her passion for dental assisting has grown since the first day she stepped into a dental office! She considers getting to know her patients on a personal level and caring for their health to be a true joy and feels every day is rewarding.

Ashlie was born and raised in California and moved to Iowa in 2014. She then attended the DMACC Dental Program and graduated with the class of 2016. She has since obtained her expanded functions license and joined our team here at Anderson Dental Group in 2020.

Kristi joined Anderson Dental group in 2020 and has been an expanded functions dental assistant for more than 20 years. She enjoys building relationships with her patients and getting to meet new people.

Ashton graduated from the Dental Assisting program through Des Moines Area Community College in 2021. She quickly joined ADG and can be found both chairside and at the front desk. She has always been a conversationalist and loved being a hair stylist before transitioning into the dental field.

Ashton grew up on a farm in southern Iowa and loves going back to visit family, especially her nieces and nephews! As an adventure enthusiast, she enjoys traveling, country concerts, and spoiling her Bernese Mountain Dog fur babies.

Pam is one the first people you will usually see or hear in our officeher smile and laughter are contagious. With more than twenty years of experience in the dental field, Pam is committed to making each experience with our office relaxed and comfortable and excels in her work every day.

Pam lives in Ankeny with Gene, her husband of 30 years. Their daughter, Morgan teaches in Ankeny schools, and their son, Taylor is a Des Moines police officer. In her spare time, Pam enjoys riding their Harley, cheering on their Cyclones (Go State!), gardening, shopping, Mexico, family, their cat, Richard, and traveling with friends.

She loves to travel and go to Oklahoma every chance she gets and loves to spend time with her 4 kids and her 12 grandbabies. In her spare time she likes to go walking, hiking, kayaking, and loves any sandy beach she can find! She also enjoys learning and exploring new cultures.

Being a smiling face and a bright personality for everyone who walks through the door absolutely makes Lizs day! Although Liz is newer to the dental field, she has worked in customer service for several years and we are happy to have her with us at ADG.

Liz and her boyfriend, Brant, have 5 children who keep them busy with competitive cheer, volleyball, t-ball and soccer.Their favorite outdoor activities include fishing, hunting, 4-wheeling, bike riding and bonfires. In the fall you can find them cheering on their favorite football teams and enjoying time well wasted with family & friends.

A professional cleaning is a great place to start to brighten your smile. A professional polish can remove some surface stains from the teeth. After a cleaning, you can decide between over-the-counter and professional whitening products. The active ingredient in many over-the-counter products is not concentrated enough to achieve the degree of whitening many people desire. We find our patients often get the best results with custom-fitted whitening trays that use a higher concentration of professional-grade whitening gel.

Yellowing of teeth can come from two different sources: surface stains and the thickening of dentin with age. Teeth are composed of two layers of hard material, the enamel and the underlying dentin. As we age, the enamel layer can thin and the dentin layer thickens. This thicker dentin layer makes the tooth appear more opaque and the color more yellow.

A root canal is the removal of the nerve and blood supply from the internal portion of a tooth. The hollow central chamber of a tooth is then filled with an inert material. This may be necessary due to a deep cavity, trauma to a tooth, or a fracture.

Radiographs, often referred to as X-rays, are an important diagnostic tool used to evaluate the overall health of teeth, gums, and the supporting jawbone. The need for X-rays depends on a number of factors, including cavity history, the presence of crowns and fillings, dry mouth, oral hygiene, and periodontal disease history.

First, select a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride-containing toothpastes have been shown to prevent cavities. However, because young children tend to swallow toothpaste, use only a very small amount for children ages 26; a dot the size of the childs fingernail is all they need. Swallowing too much fluoride can lead to tooth discoloration in permanent teeth and an upset stomach. Toothpaste that contains fluoride will carry the American Dental Association seal of approval, so look for this when buying toothpaste. For people who are at high risk for cavities, prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste may be appropriate.

Dry socket is a postoperative complication of tooth extraction that involves inflammation of the bone. This usually occurs where the blood clot fails to form or is lost from the socket. This leaves an empty socket, where the bone is exposed to the oral cavity, resulting in increased pain and delayed healing time. A medicated packing may be appropriate to treat dry socket.

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications (such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol) may be used until the cause of the pain can be determined in the office. At Anderson Dental Group, we understand emergencies happen and do our best to see patients in a timely fashion.

Dental sealants act as barriers to prevent cavities. They are composed of a plastic material thats usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (premolars and molars), where decay occurs most often. Typically, children should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as they come in so the sealants can protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 614. Thorough brushing and flossing can remove food particles and plaque from the smooth surfaces of teeth, but toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into depressions and grooves. Sealants protect these vulnerable areas by sealing out contaminants.

At Anderson Dental Group, we recognize people come from a wide variety of dental experiences. We take the time to get to know our patients and work to provide personalized care in a comfortable, caring environment. Nitrous oxide gas helps many of our patients relax during their visits. Please speak with anyone on our staff about your needs, and we will work to make your visit a positive one.

Healthy gums have little to no buildup of plaque and tartar, hug the teeth tightly, and do not bleed. Bleeding gums may be a sign of gingivitis or periodontitis. Gingivitis is the early stage of periodontal disease. It develops as plaque irritates the gums, causing them to become red, tender, swollen, and likely to bleed. Gingivitis can usually be reversed with a professional dental cleaning and improved oral hygiene. If plaque is not removed, it can harden into tartar.

Periodontitis is a more serious condition that can develop if gingivitis is not treated. As plaque inflames the gums over time, periodontitis can occur, damaging the gums and bone that support the teeth. Unless treated, the affected teeth may become loose and even require removal by a dentist.

When a tooth is cracked, stained, damaged, or weakened by a large filling, it can detract from your appearance as well as you dental health. A crown (sometimes referred to as a cap) covers a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size. Its purpose is to strengthen or improve the appearance of a tooth. Crowns can restore teeth when there isnt enough tooth remaining to provide support for large fillings, protect weak teeth from fracturing, or restore fractured teeth. A crown can also cover misshapen or discolored teeth or be placed over a dental implant.

Dental cavities are permanently damaged areas that often develop into holes in the enamel, the hard outer surface of your teeth. Cavities are also known as tooth decay or caries. Without treatment, cavities will progress deeper into a tooth. Eventually, decay could reach the nerve, which may necessitate a root canal. Untreated cavities can also lead to tooth loss.

Taking good care of your teeth is the best way to prevent cavities. Great cavity prevention starts at home, but regular dental checkups are necessary as well. Follow these tips for good oral hygiene to prevent cavities:

At Anderson Dental Group, we know youre busy, and we value your time. We strive to run an efficient office that minimizes unnecessary waiting while allowing time to sufficiently address each patients needs throughout the day.

Some people tend to have a rather strange attitude toward checkups: if the dentist doesnt find anything wrong, they think their times been wasted. A series of successful visits can even discourage some patients from ever seeing their dentist and hygienist again! The idea that you should only see the dentist when something is wrong is not only ridiculous; it can end up costing you a lot of money, time, and discomfort.

During your checkup, expect a review of your dental and medical history, an examination of your mouth that includes oral cancer screening, a professional cleaning, possibly a fluoride treatment, and a general assessment of your home hygiene practices.

Gum disease (also known as periodontal disease or gingivitis) is the #1 cause of tooth loss today. The reason gum disease causes tooth loss is that it attacks both the gums and the bone, which make up the foundation in which your teeth rest. As the bone literally dissolves away from around the teeth, the teeth become loose and eventually fall out. Anyone at any age is susceptible to gum disease, which begins with plaque buildup. If the plaque is not removed on a daily basis, it will form calculus, which is the breeding ground for the germs that cause periodontal disease.

Bleeding gums are the first sign that there may be a problem with the gums. Puffy, tender, red gums are also a sign of infection. Bleeding gums, however, are not always present in even severe cases of gum disease. Regular visits to your dentist are the best way of catching gum disease in its early stages, before extensive damage results. Gum disease will not go away by itself or with improved home care; the only way of removing plaque deep under the gums is with professional cleanings.

The most important thing to do is to remain calm. Then, find the tooth. Hold it by the crown rather than the root, and try to reinsert it into the socket. If that is not possible, put the tooth in a glass of cold milk. Gatorade or saline solution may also be used in the absence of milk. Take your child and the glass immediately to the dentist.