After graduating from Springfield High School, he attended Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, where he earned his bachelor's degree in physiology. He was then accepted to the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry, where he graduated at the top of his class. In 1984, he was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the Academy of Oral Medicine. Prior to graduation, he was granted an internship by the American Cancer Society to study oral cancer treatment at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago.
Following an associateship in Bloomington, Illinois, Dr. Larison returned to Springfield and established his own practice in 1989. In 1998, he built a custom, state-of-the-art dental clinic on South 4th Street in Springfield.
Dr. Larison enjoys all aspects of general dentistry but particularly likes endodontics (root canals) and oral surgery. The majority of root canals and extractions most patients require can usually be completed in-house. Dr. Larison understands the frustration that many patients have when they have to be referred to dental specialists that often cannot see them in a timely manner.
Dr. Larison performs many cosmetic procedures, including veneers, bleaching, and tooth-colored fillings. In addition, he has taken extensive training in the placement of small diameter mini-implants, which generally do not require the cutting of the gums and can have a dramatic enhancement of the stability of loose full dentures.
Margie has worked in the dental office since 1987, both as a chairside assistant and at the front desk as office manager. She has been around long enough to remember the 'old days' and has seen the amazing changes in dentistry. She has particularly enjoyed getting to know our patients and their families and watching the children turn into adults with families of their own. Margie has lived her whole life in central Illinois. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and traveling with her husband. Together they have four grown children, Nick, Gabe, Sarah, and Matt, a spoiled yellow lab named Maui, and two cats Dex and Izzy.
Myat enjoys being a chairside assistant. She worked as an assistant for Dr. Larison several years ago but moved to a different state. Now, that she is living in Illinois again, she is back!! Her all-time favorite sport is badminton, but she has grown to love tennis. Myat loves to spend time with her husband, friends, and her toddler nephew. She also enjoys playing board games with her favorite being Avalon.
Kami has been a dental assistant for more than 20 years. She joined Dr. Larison's office in 2019. Her favorite part about assisting is interacting with and getting to know the patients. Kami resides in Taylorville with her husband, Jeff, and their two boys, Evan and Owen. Outside the office, she enjoys watching their boys run cross country and track, spending time with family and friends, and being outdoors.
Kim has been a dental assistant since 1996 and still loves it. She began working with Dr, Larison in August of 2011. Her dental assisting career began in Southeast Iowa, where she was born and raised (Go, Hawkeyes!). She moved to the Springfield area in 1998. Kim and her husband, Ed, have two children, Ashley and Nick, and a labrador retriever named Casey. She enjoys attending her children's sporting events, the summer, and being outside.
Abby joined Dr. Larisons practice in June of 2018. She is a native of Rochester, IL, and currently resides there with her three pet rabbits (Shelly, Frosty, and Porkchop), 2 chi-pug mix pups (Roy and Ruby), and her husband, Derek. Abby is a graduate of the dental hygiene program at Illinois Central College in Peoria, IL as well as a graduate of The University of Illinois at Springfield with a bachelors in Psychology. In her free time, Abby is a wedding and lifestyle photographer in central Illinois. Her favorite part about being a dental hygienist is seeing the before and after transformation following dental cleanings