It has been my honor to provide the highest quality of orthodontic care in western Montana for more than 35 years. It brings joy to my heart to see the improvement inalignment and function of my patients teeth and the positive changes in their lives;not only in their smile, but in their self-esteem as well.

The technological advances that have occurred since I started practicing have been amazing! New orthodontic techniques and materials make achieving my patients ideal smilesfaster and more comfortable than ever before. I am excited to see whichinnovations come next and implement as much of themas possible into our practice.

Advances in online learning make continuing education taught byleading orthodontic minds easy, but theydont replace the hands-on training and community interaction I obtain through local and national organizations. I am a member of the 2nd District Dental Society, Montana Dental Association, American Dental Association, andAmerican Association of Orthodontists, all of which help me improve myself and my practice.

I grew up in Adrian, Oregon, which is a little farming community in the eastern part of the state. I quickly fell in love with Montana upon my arrival to the Mission Valley, where I was a dentist for the Indian Health Service in St. Ignatius. I have called Missoula home since 1971.

I have been very blessed to have my lovely wife Carolyn by my side for more than 50years. We have four grown children, all of whom workin the dental field. We have seventeen grandchildren who range from their mid-teens on down.

I love spending time outdoors, whether doing yard work, taking my rifle (and my really awesome dog) for a walk during hunting season, or spending a little time at the lake. I absolutely cherish the time I spend with my grandchildren.

Orthodontics is a vehicle that I have the opportunity to use to influence my patients quality of life in a way that will last a lifetime. I have a passion for taking on challenging orthodontic problems and weaving the aesthetics and function together so that my patients dental health may be improved. No two mouths and no two people are the same. I enjoy the variety that exists between my patients and their orthodontic needs.

There is a soul attached to every person who comes into our practice. It is my honor to have the opportunity to help their quality of life in a small way. Along with my team, I am committed to offering quality services. We tend to each individuals needs by taking time to listen first, and then focus on the treatment plan at hand.

My formal education provided me with an excellent foundational knowledge of orthodontics and oral healthcare, but thefield is constantly changing. Because I pursue continuing education, our patients are the beneficiaries of the most up-to-date treatment techniques and materials, and best practices that are backed by current science.

I am a member of the Spear Study Club and attend courses through the American Association of Orthodontists, Montana State Orthodontic Society, 2nd District Dental Society, and Christian Medical and Dental Association.

When Im not at work, you can find me in a variety of places, depending on the time of year: coaching youth baseball in the spring, camping/hiking/trail running in the summer, hunting in the fall, and skiing and ice fishing in the winter. Most importantly, I like to spend time with my family.

I am blessed to be married to my incredible wife with four amazing children. We love being involved with our church, enjoying the great outdoors, and vacationing with a purpose through overseas missions trips.

As the recipient of others invested time while in my youth, it is my privilege to give back and invest in the lives of our future legacy our youth! I volunteer at my local church through acting in Vacation Bible School and facilitating life groups. Additionally, I volunteer with coaching youth sports through Little League Baseball, as well as with the Parks and Recreation department.

We recognize that all our patients are unique and deserve to receive orthodontic care that reflects their individual needs. Our experienced and talented team is committed to working with you and your family to create a comfortable, stress-free, and rewarding orthodontic experience every time you visit our practice.

Our orthodontic assistants work directly with patients:assisting with bonding brackets, changing wires and band colors, and providing oral hygiene instruction. They gather diagnostic information by taking X-rays and impressions at the beginning of treatment, remove braces at the end, and ensure our patients comfort during all the visits in between.

I have been a dental assistant for ten years and I love my job! Working with our patients is the absolute best. Its so much fun to learn about their hobbies and hear about their adventures. Everyone in this office shares great relationships and works together as a team. This crew is my favorite!

I am a mother of four. Most of my time is spent following my kids to their athletic activities, including soccer, basketball, and wrestling. My husband and I are youth leaders at our church, teach adult bible study, and participate in missions trips. We love our simple life in the Bitterroot Valley where we enjoy many outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, hunting, skiing, and snowshoeing.

My favorite part of my job is getting to know our patients better. Every person is so interesting and unique they all have stories to tell and I love hearing them! All members of our team are, at their core, kind and generous. They make it a real pleasure to come to work each day.

When Im not at work, running is my main activity. Caring for my two children, Jackson and Hana, is my favorite way to spend my time. We have one pet named Bunny, and yes, she is a rabbit. I also love to bake, but not cook. I am an avid squash player and I love to hike!

Each person has interesting stories to share, and I love hearing them. Working in an office where the emphasis is on truly making a difference in peoples lives, and seeing how much happier they are at the end of their treatment, makes me smile. As an office, our goal is to treat everyone with the compassion and warmth they deserve.

I am happily married to my husband who works for the railroad. We have beautiful children ranging from a small childto teens. We are very involved in sports, our religion, scouting, and family time. Our hobbies are camping, swimming, hiking, dirt biking, and traveling to watch our oldest sons soccer team.

I love helping people develop great smiles! Every person comes in with the dream of a healthy, beautiful smile, and we make that happen for them. The transformations our patients go through are really amazing to witness!

I am a Montana native, and have livedin Corvallis for for more than two decades with my husbandTodd. We have two boys who keep us very busy with school, football, baseball, track, and 4H. We also enjoy camping and trail riding in the summer. The outdoors is our playground, whether it is in our backyard or the back country. We feel very blessed to live and raise our children here in Montana!

I am so fortumate to be a part of this great team. I came onboard in July 2012 as an orthodontic assistant. I then became the first point of contact as the scheduling coordinator. As of April 2021, I took the helm of the financial side of the practice. Occasionally, I can still be found in the clinic, keeping my skills sharp as a backup orthodontic assistant. I also help to facilitate the day-to-day running of the business side of the practice. One of the best parts of my job is developing relationships with not only our patients, but their families as well. I love to see how our patients blossom as their smiles change! Our office is a happy place to work, where work doesnt feel like work!

After finishing my dental education in San Diego, I moved to Montana in 1993. I was blessed to be able to raise my three children in the Missoula Valley. I currently have 11 grandchildren, who bring great joy and happiness into my life.

I facilitate the clinic by keeping the treatment areas clean and ready for the next patient, sterilizing instruments, taking impressions, pouring models, and making retainers. I love helping people achieve the smile theyve always wanted, and seeing all the smiles along the way. Ours is a practice where our patients well-being and treatment goals are our primary concern: we want everyone to feel safe and welcome during their visits, and to leave smiling.

I am from the Bitterroot Valley, but I worked in Southeast Alaska for 20 years. My husband recently retired from the State of Alaska, but Im not quite ready to retire yet! We have four grown children and nine grandchildren, as well as three Golden Retrievers that keep us active and busy!

Don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater).

If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.

If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don't worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.

The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.

You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.

Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.

Game, Set, Match we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it's recommended that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your appliance. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.

In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort by applying wax or rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater.