A native of Southwestern Michigan, Dr. Kai Steele was born in Kalamazoo and attended Andrews University in Berrien Springs for his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Business Administration. Along with his wife Kristi, he moved to Southern California to attend dental school at Loma Linda University. During his four years of study, Kai held offices both in his class and dental school association and received several awards for his clinical performance and leadership. Based on his clinical and academic achievements, Loma Linda University selected Kai and his family to travel to Madagascar for a 6 week mission externship during his last semester to serve the dental needs of the local people. It was a great privilege to be part of that experience and give back in a small way.
With a desire to serve, Kai has participated in many mission trips, providing service to people in Bolivia, Panama, Honduras, Mexico, Korea, Philippines, Brazil, and Madagascar. Brazil and Madagascar were dental mission trips in which he provided dental care to hundreds of people in need. While at Loma Linda University, he volunteered several times each year on weekends to provide quality care to the underprivileged and underinsured and has taken part in similar programs locally offering dental care to the uninsured and underinsured population of Southwest Michigan.
Along with his wife of 19 years, Kai has 2 sons and a daughter. They moved back home after he practiced both in California and Vermont, as they wanted to raise their family where he and his wife were raised. Kai and Kristi dated while living in St. Joseph, MI and he proposed to her at the St. Joseph lighthouse on a particularly stormy night. They enjoy the beauty and adventure of living in Southwest Michigan.
Described as professional and caring, Dr. Steele strives to not only treat dental concerns as they arise, but also educates his patients on the best oral care practices to ensure optimal oral health. He welcomes children to his office as well as all members of the family. Dr. Steele strives to be ethical, honest, and believes in providing you with the best care you need. Helping everyone smile better is the goal of his daily practice.
Diane is the first person you will meet when you visit our office. She is our Office Manager and patients enjoy her positive personality and contagious laugh. She keeps our office organized and running smoothly. Dianes goal is to present a friendly smile and welcoming attitude to everyone she encounters at our office.
Diane was born and raised in South Haven and began working in the healthcare field in 1982 after graduating from Kalamazoo Valley Community College. She has been married to her husband, Barry, for over 35 years. While her 3 boys were young, she focused her attention on raising them. In 2000, she accepted the position as Dental Office Manager for this office. Diane and Barry enjoy spending time with their family which includes their sons wives and 8 grandchildren. They are also active at St. Basil Parish and enjoy golfing, skiing, and traveling.
Donna is our Scheduling Coordinator and her cheery personality is one of the first to greet you as you enter our office. Donna has lived in St. Joseph, Michigan all her life. She and her husband have 2 grown married daughters and 2 wonderful grandsons. Donna has been in the dental field for over 30 years. Patients love Donnas bright smile and contagious laugh. In her free time, she enjoys visiting Midland, Michigan to see her grandsons involved in their various activities. She also enjoys going to the beach, long walks, and spending time with her friends and family.
Kristi is the Business Administrator and wife to Dr. Steele. You may encounter her bright smile and friendly personality at some point during your visit. She handles human resources, advertising and promotion, accounting, and long range planning for the offices. She loves to call Southwest Michigan home after having lived in several places around the country and world, including South Korea, California, and Vermont. Kristi has a love of adventure, the outdoors, and her family. She spends her free time hiking, traveling, hobby photography, trying new recipes, and spending time with family and friends.
Cynthia is one of our exceptional Dental Hygienists. Her warm smile and calming demeanor are perfect for patients who are slightly nervous when visiting the dentist. Her cleanings are thorough and you will leave the office with an amazingly clean feeling mouth!
She was born and raised in South Haven and has been involved in dentistry her entire career. Starting as a high school co-op student, she was trained as a Dental Assistant. Immediately following high school, she attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College and graduated as a Registered Dental Hygienist. She has practiced in California and North Carolina, as well as Michigan. She and her husband, Joe, have a blended family that includes 4 sons, 1 daughter, and 5 grandchildren and she spends much of her free time involved in various activities with them.
Having grown up in Southwest Michigan, Jennifer is eager to give back to the community by improving oral health care in its residents. When shes not improving smiles, Jennifer enjoys admiring the natural beauty of the area, spending time with friends and family, as well as engaging in a volunteer Bible education work.
Lynn is our Hygienist and most of her career has been spent in St Joseph, Michigan. She loves the area and the people here. No one is a stranger to Lynn as she has an extremely welcoming and sincere personality. Lynns hobbies include taking care of her beautiful grandchildren, gardening, and floral arranging. Lynn received her hygiene degree from the University of Michigan, and her patients continually compliment her gentle and thorough cleanings. Lynn loves working at our office because she enjoys getting to know people and helping them achieve a better smile.
Wendy is our Hygienist and lives in Southwest Michigan along with her family. Her friendly personality and bright smile will be sure to make you smile. She trained to be a hygienist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has spent the last 10 years helping people smile better. Her background in Education gives her the ability to easily educate her patients with all their oral health concerns. Her free time is spent enjoying her 2 young children. When she has time she loves to road bike, camp, and backpack. She has been exploring Southwest Michigans beauty for the last 5 years!
Jennifer is our Dental Assistant whose personal desire is to make you feel welcome and comfortable. Helping people achieve oral health and a great smile is something that brings true satisfaction to her. Jennifer loves spending time with her husband, her children and her new grandchild. Her hobbies include motorcycling in the summer months and snowmobiling in the winter monthsboth with her husband. Jennifer loves living in Southwest Michigan and has called it home for the last 21 years. Her training to become a Dental Assistant was obtained at Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan and she has spent over 10 years helping people of all ages experience a friendly, positive, and peaceful dental experience.
Renee is our warm and friendly Dental Assistant. Her presence in the office brings a smile and comfort to all of our patients. She works hard to make each and every patient feel at ease when visiting the dentist and helps to ensure that each dental visit will be a positive one. She is always more than happy to lend a helping hand, both to her coworkers and anyone she meets outside of the office. She attended Lake Michigan College and has close to 40 years of experience as a Dental Assistant.