I was born right here in Sioux Falls. I was lucky enough to have attended Washington High School downtown for 2 years prior to moving to the new building on the east side. I was among the first class of students to graduate from the new high school. After graduation, I went to UNL in Nebraska for college. I graduated with honors from UNMC College of Dentistry in 2000. I decided to further my education by completing a residency at Meriter Hospital in Madison, WI. There I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in all aspects of general and specialty dentistry. I was asked to stay on to help teach at the program, while starting my career in cosmetics and private dentistry.
I was born and raised in Pierre, SD where I attended Riggs High School. I spent my spare time swimming as a member of the Pierre swim team, playing the trombone in the school band, singing in the chorus and acting in school plays. After high school, I studied Biology at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and was a member of the Synchronized Swimming Team. I applied to dental school and was accepted and able to attend at the end of my junior year of college. I attended the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City, IA where I graduated in June of 2008.
I have 4 children. I am blessed to have both 2 daughters and 2 sons. We enjoy spending time on the farm. We have a menagerie of chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, miniature cattle and even a tortoise. I love photography and have plenty of great subjects between the wildlife, kids and the farm critters.
Next to my family, my biggest passion is dentistry. I spend countless hours traveling to partake in the best continuing education courses I can. In particular, I enjoy orthodontics, TMJ treatments and restorative dentistry. A newly emerging area of dentistry that I have been learning about is treatment for sleep apnea. I love that I can offer solutions through dentistry that not only enhances peoples smile but also enhances their total body health and wellness.
I had several interesting dental conditions as a child including impacted teeth, congenitally missing teeth and the need for orthodontics. I was always curious as to what was happening on the other side of the chair during my treatment and that led to my decision to become a dentist while I was still in high school. I have been interested and passionate about dentistry ever since. I am a member of the South Dakota Dental Association and the American Dental Association and enjoy furthering my dental knowledge through various continuing education opportunities and collaborating with fellow dentists. I love getting to know my patients and making them feel comfortable even when they may have reservations about coming to the dentist. I know that many patients are anxious about coming to see the dentist and I really strive to make their experiences as pleasant as possible. I always strive to create a judgement free zone and work together with patients to deliver what they really want for their mouths.