John OKeefe first ventured to the Methow Valley as a college student in the 1970s to fish, camp and hike, having no idea that he would return permanently years later. After graduating from dental school in 1980, John served as the Quinault tribal dentist at the Queets River clinic. It was a great opportunity to serve a small community and fly fish for steelhead after work! He then joined two offices in the Northgate area of Seattle as an associate DDS. One office specialized in TMJ diseases and treatment. The other was a general and cosmetic dental practice. In 1983 he founded a large group practice in Mill Creek with two other dental school classmates. John has fond memories of treating patients there for over 20 years. In February 2000 he came upon an ad for the sale of a dental practice in Twisp. He was intrigued with the idea of moving to a rural area and having his own office in such beautiful country. He became the proud owner of Sawtooth Dental Care in April 2000. John moved with his family from Kirkland, Washington and has enjoyed raising his daughter in the Methow with its opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreation, a strong sense of community and interact with many interesting people. The family loves mountain biking, hiking, fishing and skiing together. In his spare time, Dr. John likes to restore antique airplanes and completed building a single person helicopter in 2014.

Feliciea Austin, Lead Dental Assistant: Feliciea began working with Dr. OKeefe in 2007 after completing her senior project in dental assisting at Liberty Bell High School. She is especially gifted at soothing young patients and educating them to practice excellent home care. A Methow Valley native, Feliciea enjoys outdoor adventure, hiking and fishing.

Sara Crum, Office Manager: Sara spent a number years working as a front office assistant at a busy dental practice in Redmond, WA. After her first child was born she returned to the Methow Valley with her husband to raise their children in the same great community in which Sara was brought up. Sara is a great asset to Sawtooth Dental Care and enjoys the interaction with patients, many of whom she has known since she was a child. When not working, Sara loves spending time doing anything outdoors in the beautiful surroundings in which she lives.

Norma Shull, RDH: Norma has been a hygienist for 25 years. She has been providing meticulous hygiene care for Okanogan County residents since 1996. Norma has the knack for enabling patients to feel welcome and safe. She takes time to ensure her patients are comfortable and understand the dental hygiene process. She believes education in home health care plays a vital role in oral health success. Norma enjoys playing violin with the Pipestone orchestra, downhill skiing, gardening and playing with her grandchildren.

Jeanette OKeefe, RDH: Jeanette has 40 years experience in the field of dental hygiene. She was on the Washington State Board of Dental Hygiene Examiners and taught in the Dental Hygiene program at Shoreline Community College for 12 years. She has specialized in the periodontal field and enjoys helping people improve their dental health. Since moving to the Methow Valley in 2000, Jeanette has fallen in love with riding and camping with her horses, in addition to hiking and nordic skiing with her dog Boomer.

Sue Scharnickel, RDH: Sue was born and raised in the PNW and moved to Twisp a year ago with her husband, Brad. They have four boys and a household of animals, which includes her dachshund, Lily. Sue has been in the dental field for over 19 years, starting as a dental assistant. She is grateful to be able to work in our wonderful community and to have the opportunity to treat and educate others on how to achieve a lifetime of dental health. In her free time, Sue enjoys kayaking, RVing and riding ATVs.

Patty Christensen, Front Desk: Patty moved to the Methow Valley in 1996 from the foothills of Mt. Rainer National Park where she spent 10 years working for a guide service. She has enjoyed the natural beauty of the valley, hiking with her son, an engineering graduate from the UW, now working at Boeing. Patty has served the community at Winthrop Physical Therapy and Fitness. She continues her compassionate care for the valleys patients health and happiness at Sawtooth Dental Care. Other passions include gardening, line dancing, fun times with friends and hiking with her happy dog, Emma.

Jennifer Elden, Front Desk: Jennifer and her family have owned a home in the Methow Valley since 2004. They moved here on a full time basis in 2011. Jennifer volunteers in the Methow Valley School district and for The Cove as the program manager of Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Prior to having children, Jennifer worked in sales & marketing in the Colorado ski industry and was also a corporate meeting planner. Jennifer has two daughters and spends her free time cycling, hiking, nordic skiing and gardening. Jennifer is outgoing and loves interacting with people and therefore thoroughly enjoys assisting the team at the front desk of Sawtooth Dental Care.

Drew Varrelman, Dental Assistant: Drew spent most of her life growing up in the Methow Valley helping with the family business, Sawtooth Outfitters. Drew decided she was interested in the dental field after being helped with her oral health by her dental hygienist. She then enrolled and completed a dental assisting program. Drew is starting out in our office as a sterilization assistant and hopes to eventually go back to school and further her career as a dental hygienist. In her free time, she enjoys; horse riding, playing with her red healer mix, camping and hanging out with friends.

Alison Talbot, RDH: Moved to the Methow Valley in 2018 with her family and has been enjoying the area since 1991. She is a graduate of the dental hygiene program at Shoreline College. Growing up, Alison worked in her dads dental office, whose passion for patient care inspired her to become a dental hygienist. She loves watching her boys explore the world around them and is currently trying to keep up with her two and six year old! Alison also loves travel, hiking and spending time outdoors with friends and family. Between the mountains and the people, Alison is grateful to call the Methow home.