Dr. Chang attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he received two degrees; a B.A. in Biology, and a minor in Business Administration. While there, he was president of the Pre-Dental Society, captain of his intramural flag-football team, and co-published a paper on arthropod biomechanics (research for robots to walk on Mars; and yes, long and close contact with cockroaches helped him realize that one's life can be more meaningful working with people instead).
Dr. Chang received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of California, San Francisco. He did his associateship in San Francisco for a few yearsand ultimately moved to Roseville with his wife Brooke, in 2001. They both enjoy the community immensely and look forward to raising their daughter and son, Avery and Jacob here.
With his philosophy of 'every patient keeps his/her teeth until 99 years old,' Dr. Chang strives constantly to improve his dental skills and techniques. You will often hear him say,'keeping your teeth for life is a much more difficult and daunting task than doing the latest trends and fads.' How true.
Dr. Karisa Yamamoto is our Associate Dentist at the practice. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a Bachelor of Science in Physiological Science and earned her degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Yamamoto believes that to lead a balanced and fulfilling life, cultivating meaningful relationships and tending to our health and well-being are essential. She brings this energy to our practice to assure that patients feel listened to, safe, and well cared for.
As a research fellow at UCSF, Dr. Yamamoto received the Olav Alvares Award from the American Dental Education Association for her outstanding research and publication on high depressive symptom prevalence amongst dental students. As a junior dental student, she earned the Dr. William S. Kramer Award of Excellence from the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society for scholarship, character and promise to contribute significantly to the field of dentistry. With her passion for education, Dr. Yamamoto also teaches as a professor at California Northstate University, College of Dental Medicine, where she aims to create an enriching learning environment in which students feel limitless potential to tap into who they truly want to become. These values extend to our practice, where Dr. Yamamoto is devoted to patient education and ensures that all of her patients are well-informed and fully understand their oral health needs.
Out of the office, you can find Dr. Yamamoto playing in a bocce ball league with her team 'Chewbocce,' curating her living space as an interior design enthusiast, and spending time with her boyfriend, Michael and their dog, Theo. She also loves to write and holds a position on the Editorial Committee of The Nugget, the magazine of the Sacramento District Dental Society.
Dena has been in the dental field for 32 years! Dena was a Registered Dental Assistant for 20 years and an Office Manager for the past 12 years. Her knowledge of dentistry is invaluable! She has worked directly assisting doctors chairside, as well as assisting patients with scheduling, billing and explaining insurance benefits, which quite often can be overwhelming and confusing to patients. To have an individual in our practice so versatile only solidifies our commitment to,Nothing Short of Excellence! In her free time, Dena enjoys interior decorating and time with her husband of over 30 years and her two grown boys.
Brandy was first introduced into the world of Dentistry in 2003 at the early age of 17. She attended a ROP program at her high school which landed her a position at an Orthodontic office in her little hometown of Yuba City. Brandy immediately knew she wanted to make a career out of it. Her passion for learning every aspect of the dental field while delivering extraordinary care to her patients drove her to further her studies and graduate from Sacramento City College in 2007. She is well rounded in her skillset from chair-side to anything front office, which makes her an exceptional addition to the practice! Brandy left her last office after 8 years to join the team in September 2018. She feels she has finally found her forever dental home! Brandy moved to Roseville in 2008 after becoming a mother in effort to provide her children with a better and more opportune life than she had growing up. In her free time, there is nothing she enjoys more than spending time with her two daughters Alexis and Jordyn and her little boy Chase. Brandy is also quite the artist and loves pursuing her other passion for acrylic painting. She looks forward to serving and meeting the needs of each and every one of our patients for years to come!