I did my undergrad education at Brigham Young University, and I actually studied music, dance, and theater. So I started out anticipating that I would spend my life doing theater, but after a period of about seven years in the performance industry doing Broadway theater, my wife and I searched long and hard for the next right step for me and decided that dentistry was going to be that step. So when I started looking at different dental schools Harvard seemed attractive, and that's where I ended up doing my dental school.

We get told quite frequently by our patients that they're afraid of the dentist. We have a lot of patients who will come to the office and are absolutely terrified of being here. I've had many patients that I have actually met in the lobby or in a private room and not in a treatment room simply because they're terrified of even getting into that room. So I understand. We are well versed in dealing and working with patients, n helping patients who don't want to be here, who are terrified of being here, who would rather go through childbirth than be here. We get it. I'm very sympathetic to that, and I'll do everything that I possibly can to make that patient comfortable.

We provide a wide array of dentistry services because every patient has unique dental problems and smile goals. Our compassionate team loves getting to know our patients so we can provide the best, most customized care we can. We will never make you feel self-conscious or judged!

So financial concerns dont stand between you and the quality care you deserve, we accept a broad selection of payment options. We also offer fantastic specials and promotions, including a lifetime whitening program! We even provide free second opinions!

Oftentimes in our meetings we will comment on the fact that we are a family. That is, in fact, part of our vision statement. When we come to work, we try to take care of each other just as we would our own family members. Then that extends to our patients, so that we may be the immediate family but those patients that come into the practice feel like they are welcome guests in our home or that they are part of our family as well. It makes for a wonderful place to work. Generally speaking, we love coming to work and spending time with each other. Hopefully, that's reflected in our relationships with our patients.

When you first enter our dental office, youll see our beautiful courtyard and fountain. You can also enjoy this lovely view in most of our care rooms. Unless youd prefer privacy, of course weve got you covered there too!

After earning one of the top scores in the nation on the Dental School Entrance Exam (DAT), Dr. Ryan Shepherd attended the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in Boston, MA, where he also spent two years as a Harvard Medical student. Graduating from Harvard Cum Laude, Dr. Shepherd earned his Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD) degree, receiving the schools award for Excellence in Esthetic Dentistry.

Raised right here in Albuquerque, NM, Dr. Shepherd graduated from Sandia High School in 1992 before attending Brigham Young University in Provo, UT on a full scholarship to study musical theatre. Before attending dental school, he spent several years as a professional actor on Broadway and in the National Tours of the Broadway hits West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, and CATS alongside his talented wife, Tamera, before deciding to settle down and start a family.

I've always wanted to work in a field where I could have a great interaction with patients and have personal relationships that span more than a 20, 30 minute interaction, so I really was looking forward to a career where I could develop relationships longterm with people. I happen to be one of those people who actually just really likes teeth, and that's a very weird thing I realize, but it's an important thing if you're going to be a dentist. I love teeth, and I love making a difference in people's lives, so if I can help with their smile and in turn use that to help them in their life, then I'm happy. Love the relationship that I've built with my patients that way.

After 17 years away from the Land of Enchantment, Dr. Shepherd returned to Albuquerque in 2008, where he founded Uptown Dental Associates. Since opening his practice, he has maintained a clear vision of what he wants his practice to be.

Unlike other dentists, Dr. Shepherd takes the time to get to know each patient. Because everyone has unique dental needs and goals, he provides a variety of treatments and will discuss your options with you before getting to work on improving your smile. And because Dr. Shepherd doesnt want financial stress to keep you from getting the dental care you need, he also accepts several convenient payment options.

Each year, Dr. Shepherd completes extensive continuing education to stay up-to-date on the most current dental trends and techniques. He is a certified clinician for Lumineers, Invisalign, and the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique, and has received advanced training in a variety of dental services, including:

I graduated in 2008 from dental school, and there was a dentist here locally that was getting ready to retire. I took over his practice, from there started building it into what ideally I wanted the practice to be, so I've been practicing here in Albuquerque for about nine years, and our team has grown significantly since I very first started practicing. When I first started, we were a team of seven, and now we're a team of 22, so it's a much larger practice than what we originally started as, but that has allowed us to take care of many, many, many more patients than what I was originally capable of doing. And I grew up here in Albuquerque. The home that I grew up in is about a mile from where my practice is currently, and I honestly never anticipated that this was where I would practice dentistry or where I would return as an adult, but as fate would have it, this is where we ended up, family in the area, and so came back to Albuquerque. And it's been a wonderful ... It's been a great blessing to be able to practice in Albuquerque.

As a strong advocate of conservative and comprehensive dental care, Dr. Shepherd has been featured as a Top Dentist in Albuquerque, as voted by his fellow dentists in Albuquerque the Magazine on five separate occasions.

Straight out of school, I did an extensive program for placing and restoring implants. Then, in that same time, I did an extensive program that was on periodontal surgery. That was something that I enjoyed in dental school and got a fairly good taste of. It is a hard part of practice, so I did a series of weekends, learning different periodontal procedures. Then, I've done a fair amount with Invisalign and with Lumineers, with DenMat, then just recently with the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique for lifting gum tissue for recession. Dentistry is changing so quickly right now, and when we look at the dentists who are practicing now that came out of school 20 years ago, if they have not done a significant amount of continuing education, they're completely behind the times. So much is being developed and so many advancements are being made in the way that we treat different cases, that you have to be doing continuing education. If you're not, then you're left in the dust. If you haven't learned those new procedures, then what you're recommending to your patients is simply not sufficient. There's something better that they could get somewhere else. Try to stay ahead of the curve and learn everything new that comes out.

Dr. Shepherd and his beautiful wife, Tamera, have been married for over 20 years and have two daughters, Lucy and Sophie. You may occasionally catch him onstage locally, where he enjoys performing in musical theatre productions with his family. He is an avid traveler, trying desperately to visit every nook and cranny of this beautiful planet. And he spends a great deal of time serving in his church. When not taking care of patients, traveling the globe, performing onstage or helping out at church, you may find Dr. Shepherd reading in his hammock, cooking, creating artwork, watching movies or enjoying Friday Family Fun Nights with his family. He also has an insatiable sweet tooth.

Born and raised in North Ogden, Utah, Dr. Jacob Greaves joined Dr. Shepherd at Uptown Dental Associates in 2018. Having first attended Weber State University near his childhood home in Utah, Dr. Greaves earned his Bachelors Degree in Political Science, with Minors in Chemistry and French, which he speaks fluently, having served as a missionary for his church in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Greaves later attended the University of Utah Dental School, matriculating as only the second class to graduate from the new Dental School. This new program offered exceptional training to Dr. Greaves, providing him with as many as 10 times the number of procedural cases that most dental students see across the United States.

Committed to personal and clinical excellence, Dr. Greaves has received extensive training in several areas of dentistry and IV sedation while receiving several awards upon completing his degree at the University of Utah, including:

Dr. Greaves is committed to staying at the top of his field. Currently participating in an extensive Implant Fellowship through New York University, Dr. Greaves also recently completed implant training in the Dominican Republic, where he has visited several times to participate in dental service missions.

When not perfecting his craft (or searching for the future Mrs. Greaves), Dr. Greaves enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends. He has three older sisters and a good handful of nieces and nephews who think hes about the coolest guy ever. He enjoys being physically active and spending time at the lake.

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Dr. Romeo came to the United States as a refugee when he was 14 years old. It took him a few months to learn English before starting to do well in school and graduated top of his class. He then went on to play soccer at University of Utah while earning his Bachelors Degree in Business Management and a Minor in Chemistry. He gained his passion for dentistry while volunteering as an interpreter for Farsi-speaking patients at the University Hospital Dental Clinic. He completed all his science courses in conjunction with his business degree before getting admitted to the University of Utah School of Dentistry as the fourth class to ever attend this new dental school. The small class size and the abundance of patients allowed him to receive an ample amount of experience and training in all areas of dentistry including:

Dr. Romeo then continued his training post-graduation in Dental Implantology and is also certified in Invisalign Clear Aligners. Dr. Romeo enjoys serving others and has gone on multiple humanitarian trips to the Philippines where he served those in need of dental care. He takes pride in providing excellent service to his patients and is dedicated to continually expanding his knowledge in his field. Dr. Romeo joined Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Greaves at Uptown Dental Associates in 2020 and is looking forward to helping the amazing community of Albuquerque.