I like to remind my patients that between us there are two dentists; the one you see twice a year and the one you see everyday. Only the habits of the second can make a healthy smile last a long time.

Dr. Lionel Gibsons journey to becoming a dentist has been fueled by a lifelong interest in the sciences, and a passion for hands-on activities such as art and building models. Recognizing the social importance of smiling and as a person who consciously made the effort to show others his smile, Dr. Lionel decided in high school that a career in dentistry would fulfil both his interests and his humanity. An early internship with a nearby dental school served as the catalyst to cementing his decision to become a dentist.

He thoroughly enjoys seeing the rapid, life changing outcomes his patients achieve. Helping his patients gain relief from pain or find newfound self-confidence in the appearance of their smile brings him immense pride and satisfaction. His patients can be confident that they will be well served by the artistic mindset and attention to detail he brings to every procedure. Ensuring that his patients are comfortable and receive a highly-functional aesthetically-pleasing result is his primary focus.

As his career has progressed, Dr. Lionel Gibson has been driven to fine tune his skills by treating every procedure as an opportunity to challenge himself and improve. This drive leads him to seek out new technologies and techniques, as well as develop better, more efficient methods that allow him to achieve optimal outcomes for his patients. His intention is to treat everyday and every procedure as a learning opportunity, always seeking to be a better dentist than he was the day before.

Dr. Gibson views every patient as an opportunity to develop a lifelong collaborative relationship. Through education and guidance, his goal is to help his patients understand the importance of excellent oral hygiene and regular checkups. He makes every effort to guide his patients to develop long-term sustainable habits that support their oral health. He supports his patients efforts by identifying and treating any health issues as early as possible. His goal is to help every patient keep their natural teeth healthy and functional for their entire life.

Dr. Gibson initially relocated to the Rockford area in 2011 to pursue an opportunity with Crusader Community Health. Since that time, he has had family relocate to the area with him, gotten married, and started his own family. His time in Rockford has allowed him to gain an appreciation for the community and individuals he has had the opportunity to work with. He is committed to providing his patients with the same level of care he would expect for his own family, and his continuous drive for self-improvement, dedication to his community, and artistic touch ensure that his patients can rest easy knowing that they have a dedicated and capable dentist to partner with.

I love the fact that dentistry is constantly evolving. The technology is growing at leaps and bounds. There is always something new to learn, but the techniques of previous generations are still viable.

Dr. John Halversen was raised in a family that taught and embodied the value of giving back to your community. Because of this upbringing, he knew from an incredibly young age that he was meant to serve his community. His passion and natural talent for observing fine details and working with his hands drove him to pursue a career that would allow him to help people and use those skills he had worked to develop and refine. It was clear that dentistry was the right choice for him. The ability to focus on detail-oriented work, such as root canals and oral surgery, while allowing him to see his patients beaming from the beauty of their own smile and exuding a newfound confidence continues to affirm that he made the right choice.

Dr. Halversen takes immense personal satisfaction in the technical challenge provided by endodontics and oral surgery. His strong concentration and technical expertise in oral surgery allows him to create a harmonious balance of medicine and physics. His attention to detail and practical knowledge allows him to complete any surgical procedure precisely, accurately, and gently, all while ensuring the comfort, health, and outcome. At the heart of everything he does, his patients are his primary focus.

Today, his continued passion is driven by the rapid technological advances in the fields of dentistry and oral surgery. The excitement and anticipation of having a new technique to learn and master fuels his desire for his continuing professional development and continuing education. Recognizing that oral surgery is as much an art as it is a science, Dr. Halversen takes pride in generating individualized patient-centered solutions from his deep wealth of technical knowledge.

Dr. Halversen ensures that his patients are active participants in improving their health. As such, patient education is a fundamental part of his patient care philosophy. He understands that it is your body, your health, and your mouth and firmly believes that the best health outcomes are achieved when patients can make informed decisions and are fully and personally invested in the treatment path they agree upon.

As a Midwest native, and having spent nearly three decades working and raising a family in Rockford, Dr. Halversen is committed to the community. He has served as director for the Crusader Clinic for four years and helped to develop multiple programs that are continuing to benefit the community today. His commitment to the selfless service of others is a guiding principle that he brings into the office with him every day. He is personally committed to providing superior individualized dental care and patient education at an affordable price.

Heather Shick DMD knew from an incredibly young age that she wanted to help others by pursuing a career in healthcare. The example set for her by family members who worked in healthcare and the positive outcomes she observed, both for their patients and her loved ones, left an impact on her that would help to mould her career in dentistry. The opportunity to work with her hands and exercise her creative abilities made dentistry an ideal fit. She takes enjoyment in combining the science of oral health with an innate artistic touch, a combination that achieves outcomes both she and her patients are proud of.

She gains immense satisfaction in the long-term relationships she builds with her patients, following along and participating in major life milestones. The diversity of patients and the variability in her daily procedures ensures that no two days are alike, and interesting or unique opportunities to grow as a dentist are plentiful. Her passion for learning and the joy of helping her patients achieve the outcomes they desire has only increased her excitement for dentistry.

Today, her continuing enthusiasm for dentistry is fed by a desire to not only master the treatments and techniques she learned early in her dental career, but also to continue learning and provide her patients with the benefits of new treatment options. Most recently, she has been trained in and began offering both oral appliances for the treatment of sleep apnea as well as Invisalign for orthodontic correction. She takes pride in not only being able to help her patients look and feel better, but also, in the case of oral appliances for sleep apnea, helping save them from a potentially life-threatening condition.

Dr. Shick takes pride in ensuring that every patient feels heard, that they understand their options for care, and most importantly that she understands what they want to achieve from her care. Even when faced with similar cases, she understands that one individuals needs and desired outcomes can differ from patient to patient. As such, she has never, and will not, approach cases with a one-size-fits-all approach. She wants to build a relationship with her patients, built upon trust and open communication. Even if you have had a negative experience at a dentist office previously, Dr. Shick will put you at ease, communicating effectively and ensuring that your concerns are understood and you feel confident in the care youre receiving.

Outside of dentistry, Dr. Shick enjoys spending her free time with her husband and three children, enjoying outdoor activities such as running, walking, and gardening, and passionately caring for her pets.

Dr. Shold recognized early in his life that he had a talent for putting people at ease using his calm, non-threatening demeanor. Although he initially became interested in potentially pursuing a career in healthcare in his teens, it was his first year at college as a pre-med student that caused him to decide on dentistry as his career path. He recognized the potential in dentistry for continuous and purpose-driven post-degree education as well as the ability to regularly apply his sharply-honed critical thinking skills.

Today, his passion for dentistry continues to be fueled by the generational continuity of care he can provide for his patients. He enjoys being able to help children develop sustainable oral health regimens and watching them grow into healthy adults who have benefited from his guidance. He finds it extremely gratifying when he is trusted by multiple generations of families to provide the care he knows they deserve. At Maintain Your Smile, Dr. Shold believes he and his patients benefit from the most advanced technologies and a commitment to collaboration.

Dr. Shold aims to put every patient he sees at ease. He believes that a dentists office visit should be a calm, educational, and relaxing experience. He strives to be a partner in your care, and never wants you to feel like he is working on you. Rather, he wants you to understand that you have a say in your care and seeks to help you understand all your options on your path to better oral health.

As a lifelong Rockford native, Dr. Shold, has an innate and unique understanding of the needs of his community. He is an active member in the Rockford community, participating in choral singing as well as various outdoor sports. He works tirelessly in establishing and maintaining long-term care relationships with his patients and is honored to be trusted by entire generations of Rockford families to provide them with care. With 40 years of experience practicing dentistry in Rockford, he has become the dentist many families rely on to provide them and their loved ones with the exceptional dental care they deserve.