Jay J. Jensen, D.D.S. grew up in Polk City, Iowa and graduated from North Polk High School in 1987. He then attended the University of Iowa on an Army ROTC Scholarship and received his undergraduate degree in General Studies in 1991. In 1995, he graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and went on to fulfill his Army ROTC obligation by practicing dentistry for the United States Army at Fort Hood, Texas for four years. He then moved back to Iowa, became an associate dentist working for his childhood dentist, and later purchased that practice and owned it for many years. In 2009, he merged his practice with and joined Plaza Dental Group.

Des Moines dentist Dr. Jensen has lectured internationally to other dentists and dental teams on clinical dentistry, dental practice management, personality profiling, and personal growth. He also has dental practice management and coaching experience teaching other dentists and business owners how to have more fulfilling professional and personal lives. Dr. Jensen has extensive, advanced training in the area of Smile Makeovers/cosmetic dentistry.

Dr. Jensen is very passionate about dentistry and life, and has a very positive attitude and outlook on both! Dr. Jensen loves empowering others to be their very best and he loves caring for his patients.

Dr. Odland loves being a dentist because he is rewarded with giving patients the smile they have always wanted while improving their oral and overall health. His favorite part about his job is creating meaningful relationships with every patient that makes going to the dentist a positive and comfortable experience.

Outside of work, Dr. Odland loves exercising, running, hiking and traveling. He also enjoys reading and watching movies in his free time. Dr. Odland is an avid Iowa State fan and loves going to Ames with his family to cheer on the Cyclones.

Dr. Dietrich was accepted into an accelerated pre-dental program which she completed at the University of Iowa and then also earned her Doctorate of Dental Surgery at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 2011. After graduating she worked as an associate dentist in Iowa for 5 years and then moved to Chicago for 2 years. She most recently worked for the world-renowned cosmetic dentist Dr. David Hornbrook in San Diego. She has decided to return to Iowa to be closer to family and friends.

She is continually learning and exploring all areas of dentistry to be able to provide the best care for her patients. Her vast knowledge is in cosmetic and rehabilitation smile makeovers, cosmetic composite restorations, Invisalign, implants, implant-supported prostheses, and sleep apnea appliances. Dr. Dietrich enjoys all the aspects of general dentistry but she LOVES creating beautiful smiles that impact her patients lives in many ways.

When she is relaxing outside of dentistry you may find her traveling with her mom, trying new restaurants, enjoying the outdoors, attending sporting events, cooking, swimming, running, and crafting. Growing up the daughter of two veterinarian parents, she has an enormous love for all types of animals. She has 3 cats at home and 2 of them were stray brothers she adopted to complete her furry family.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve the patients in our practice; they are the reason I come to work with a smile on my face every day. I enjoy meeting new patients and getting to know them and their families as we work together to improve their oral health. I appreciate it when patients want to play an active role in their dental experience. I joined the oral healthcare field to help change the way people think about going to the dentists office. When patients tell me that they didnt like to visit the dentist before, but now they love it, I know Ive been successful!

Dr. Steffany Mohan lives in Clive, IA, with her husband, Mike, and their four wonderful, sweet, crazy kiddos, Luke, Camaryn, Halle, and Josh. They also have a rather large, lovable cat named Nahla. As a family, they love to swim, bike, play golf and tennis, and hang out watching movies. Dr.Steffany Mohan can also be found at the farm and spending lots of time outdoors. She loves to read and would stay up all night with a good book if she could!

Dr. Steffany Mohan is also active in the community and volunteers for the mobile dental clinic, Mission of Mercy, Saving Smiles, Halloween Candy Buy Back, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Donated Dental Services.

Dr. Chia Wu has been practicing dentistry for over 12 years. She attended Temple University School of Dentistry in Philadelphia, PA where she received extensive clinical training to deliver high-quality family dentistry. She pursued further training at a general practice residency in New York, Hospital of Queens, for two years.

Dr. Wu also specializes in holistic dentistry to treat patients with a holistic approach and collaborates with other healthcare professionals to promote optimum health. She is also one of the few Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART) certified dentists in Iowa.

Dr. Wu has successfully operated a general practice for eight years in Arizona, helping patients with restorative, cosmetic, and sleep dentistry. She also enjoys listening to audiobooks, cooking, and playing with her two papillons, Buddy and Tino.

Most people do not realize that gum disease is the number one problem that we treat as dentists, not cavities. Eighty percent of the American population has some sort of gum disease, the early stages of which is gingivitis. This is when the gums become swollen, sore, and bleed.

When a person has gum disease and the gums bleed, the bacteria from the mouth gets into your system by going into your bloodstream. Then the bacteria goes into the arteries near your heart, so gum disease is closely linked to heart disease. We are now realizing that when you take care of your gums, you are also taking care of your heart. The same thing is true for diabetes and several other inflammatory processes. Research shows that the plaque that builds up in arteries and leads to heart attacks are only found in one other place in the body the mouth. So there is a connection between gum disease and heart disease. As dentists, we now know that keeping gum disease at bay is preventing heart disease at the same time.

People think that dentists want them to come in for routine cleanings because it is good for the dentists business. Not true, we want patients to get their teeth and gums checked and cleaned regularly in order to avoid problems like gingivitis and gum disease. By doing so, we can see the early signs of gum disease and prevent it from becoming a serious issue.

Our Des Moines Dentists Steffany Mohan and DDS, Dr. Jay Jensen always emphasize the importance of preventing gum disease to avoid the incidence of heart ailments. Dr. Steffany Mohan believes in educating her patients on maintaining good oral hygiene and routine dental visits to prevent plaque build-up that leads to gum disease.