Dr. Maria Benefield has been in practice since 2003 after graduating with a Doctorate of Dental Medicine from the Medical College of Georgia. She received several awards, including an excellence in prosthodontics and an outstanding student award from the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, and she was a part of the Senior Honors Program in Oral Medicine.
Dr. Benefield moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1992 from Florida. She was born in Bogota, Colombia, before moving to Florida when she was 3 years old. She graduated from Georgia State University with a BS in biology in 1999. While attending Georgia State University, she worked in a dental office as an orthodontic assistant, where her love for dentistry began.
In her free time, Dr. Benefield enjoys spending time with her husband, Shane, and their daughters, Kayla and Kylie. They enjoy the outdoors and traveling to new places. Dr. Benefield enjoys the company of her family and friends, traveling, and weight training. She enjoys the opportunity to explore different cultures and geographies.
Our office is staffed with very sweet and friendly people, filled with kindness and compassion. They are committed to working as a partner with each patient to maximize their dental health. My team enjoys what they do, and they are genuinely concerned about the well-being of each patient. We all want the best for them and will do everything we can to create a smile our patients will treasure for a lifetime. Dr. Benefield
Haley Haley joined us during the summer of 2020 and has been a wonderful addition to our team! She attended college at the University of Georgia, where she received a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry, then decided to pursue a career as a dental hygienist. Haley enjoys serving her community by volunteering for Georgia Mission of Mercy, a two-day, free dental care clinic that provides services to low-income patients biannually across the state of Georgia. She looks forward to continuing education opportunities and is an active member of the local chapter of the American Dental Hygiene Association. Haleys favorite part of her career is educating her patients about their oral health while building trusting relationships. In her free time, Haley enjoys hiking, being on the lake, and spending time with her friends and dog, Zelda.
McKenzie McKenzie, the newest member to our team, began her career in dentistry 6 years ago as a dental assistant and loved it so much she decided to continue her education and become a hygienist. She is a graduate of Athens Technical Colleges Dental Hygiene program. We feel that McKenzies experience and wide range of skills and knowledge are of great benefit to the practice and our patients! McKenzie loves connecting with patients to learn about their lives and families, while building meaningful relationships. Outside of the office, you might find McKenzie catching up on the latest episodes of her favorite reality TV show or enjoying the great outdoors with her boyfriend, Cody.
Brittany Brittany, our office manager, has been with Dr. Benefield for many years. She began working at this location in 2016, and has her background in dental assisting, along with over 10 years of experience in the dental field. She graduated from Kennesaw State University and recently completed her Certificate in Leadership Studies. Brittanys favorite thing about her job is how she has formed relationships with the patients over the years. Getting to know them and their families and helping to make each patient feel comfortable and cared for is important to her. Brittany is a mom of two boys, an avid reader, will always tell you about a podcast she is listening to and stays actively involved in her church community.
