A native of Fountain City, Dr. Jennifer Crist graduated from Northeastern High School. She then earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and Master of Science degree in Biology from IUPUI. Most recently, Dr. Jennifer earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis.
Dr. Jennifer is committed to providing children with a comfortable and fun dental experience, as well as the highest quality dental care. Her mission is to educate children on the importance of oral health and help children at an early age to establish good oral hygiene that will continue throughout their lives.
Outside of the office, Dr. Jennifer loves spending time with her family and friends; especially her husband, Brook, their son, Hudson, and dog, Oliver. She enjoys traveling and visiting new places, attending concerts and sporting events (especially the Cincinnati Reds), and relaxing by the pool.
Dr. Edwards attended University of South Carolina to attain a BA in psychology, and completed a 2-year hospital residency and obtained her Masters degree in Pediatric Dentistry from Indiana University at the Riley Hospital for Children in 2003, she holds a Diplomate from the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, is a fellow member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of both the American Dental Association and the Indiana Society of Pediatric Dentistry.
As the Dental Clinical Director of Smile Time Kids, Dr. Edwards navigates our O.R. cases and works with our clinical and administrative team to ensure our patient care is delivered with compassion, efficiency and high quality.
Your child should see the dentist at the age of 1 year, or within 6 months of the appearance of his or her first tooth. A quick checkup will be done and x-rays taken to ensure the baby teeth are growing properly. If your child has multiple teeth already, they'll be counted and quickly cleaned.
Richmond native Melissa says she loves seeing the smiles on kids faces when she comes to work every day! She has been working in dentistry for the last 17 years after graduating from the Professional Careers Institutes dental assistant program in 2002 and from Colorado Tech with an associates degree in 2012. She decided to study dentistry after remembering her positive experiences with dental visits growing up. In her role at Childrens Dental Center, Melissa assists our dentists chairside, performing expanded dental functions such as placing fillings, crowns and spacers. She loves her job, saying I love working with my team and doing what I love every day. I have a passion for helping people. When shes not assisting our dentists, Melissa enjoys spending time with her son and daughter and says her kids are her greatest achievement. She also loves to watch football and take motorcycle rides. When asked whom she most admires, she says: My mother, because she did so much for me and my sister as a single parent.
Elizabeth became a dental hygienist because she loved going to the dentist as a kid and wanted a job where she could make people feel the way she did growing up. She earned Dental Hygienist Licensure from Purdue University Fort Wayne and joined the Smile Time Kids family in late 2020. As one of our Registered Dental Hygienist Elizabeth takes pride in treatment care, educating patients and providing an enjoyable experience. In addition to her passion for dental hygiene, Elizabeth loves spending time with her family, walking their dogs, being outdoors, and cozying up around a bonfire with her husband and their kids.
As an experienced expanded functions dental assistant, Betty gives the Smile Time Kids parents the necessary tools and knowledge so they can provide higher quality of oral health care at home. She loves helping our patients with their teeth and creating long lasting smiles. Aside from her professional passion, Betty donates to the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, loves spending time with her husband and daughter, going swimming during warm days, and going on scenic walks in local parks.
Kim assists the Smile Time Kids team on our hygiene and ortho cases while providing our doctors with the necessary support to successfully treat our patients. She takes pride in her ability to connect with the patients needs and use her experience to educate them on how to upkeep their oral health. Kim loves listening to whatever genre of music fits her mood, spending time with her kids and family, and enjoying her patio at home with her loved ones.